Ash-free dry mass (AFDM) of three distinct size fractions of organic matter (>1cm, >1mm and > 0.025mm) collected in quantitative samples of the benthic substrate determined from up to 10 replicate samples at three chalkstream sites in the Wessex chalk area (Nine Mile River, River Till and River Wylye) on each sampling occasion. Data were collected on seven occasions on the Wylye and Nine Mile River and on five occasions on the Till, between October 2012 and October 2013. Data were collected to construct quantified food webs detailing the flux of mass and nutrients between nodes of the food web. This dataset was created as part of work package 3.2 of the Wessex Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) project. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/0446bf29-8f7e-4132-9b34-1b66b9ff5b78

Density and biomass of fish taxa from three chalkstreams in the Wessex chalk area: Nine Mile River, River Till and River Wylye. Data were collected on five occasions, between October 2012 and October 2013. The density of fish taxa at each of the three streams was estimated using benthic fish sampling and multi-pass electrofishing. The mean biomass of individuals of each taxon at each site on each occasion was then applied to the density estimates to derive an estimate of the biomass per m2 of each taxon at each site on each occasion. Data were collected to quantify food webs detailing the flux of mass and nutrients between nodes of the food web. This dataset was created as part of work package 3.2 of the Wessex Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) project. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/7eee41f8-dbde-4b5e-b2d5-7296b5bfc558

A measure of the extent and complexity of riprian vegetation upstream of chalkstream sites derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for three chalkstream sites within the Wessex chalk area (River Till, River Wylye and Nine Mile River). For each site there is an estimate of the minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation height of vegetation along the banks for a range of distances upstream from the sampling location. Information on the extent and complexity of riparian vegetation upstream of chalkstream sites were used to better understand the relationships between in-stream biological communities and catchment and riparian land use. Stream sites surveyed represented a sample of chalkstreams across a gradient of catchment land cover intensification from catchments dominated by extensive calcareous grassland and woodland (Nine Mile River) to those dominated by arable and improved grasslands (Wylye). LiDAR data were obtained from the Environment Agency in April 2014. This dataset was created as part of work package 3.2 of the Wessex Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) project. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/61170f63-5ce0-43e3-8b0e-49c5a47bd3d0

A measure of the extent and complexity of riprian vegetation upstream of chalkstream sites derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for 15 discrete chalkstreams distributed along a white chalk geology extending from Dorset in the south west, through Wiltshire, to Hampshire in the north east. For each site there is an estimate of the minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation height of vegetation along the banks for a range of distances upstream from the sampling location. Information on the extent and complexity of riparian vegetation upstream of chalkstream sites were used to better understand the relationships between in-stream biological communities and catchment and riparian land use. Stream sites surveyed represented a sample of chalkstreams across a gradient of catchment land cover intensification from catchments dominated by extensive calcareous grassland and woodland to those dominated by arable and improved grasslands. LiDAR data were obtained from the Environment Agency in April 2014. This dataset was created as part of work package 3.1 of the Wessex Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) project. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/49792936-9f11-4df6-98b3-9a9de595ee69

Chlorophyll-a content and ash-free dry mass of quantitative samples of the biofilm on benthic substrate from three chalkstream sites in the Wessex chalk area (Nine Mile River, River Till and River Wylye). Chlorophyll a content and biomass were determined from up to 10 replicate samples at each site on each sampling occasion. The data are presented as means with standard deviation. Data were collected on seven occasions on the Wylye and Nine Mile River and on five occasions on the Till, between October 2012 and October 2013. Data were collected to construct quantified food webs detailing the flux of mass and nutrients between nodes of the food web. This dataset was created as part of work package 3.2 of the Wessex Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) project. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/64a8cef6-2d5b-452b-8f60-0cfa85ae51bc

The data consists of a matrix of twelve land cover classes by 20 stream sites with the area of each land cover class given in km^2. The areal coverage (km2) of each of twelve land cover classes was recorded for each of 20 chalkstream catchments in southern England. The 20 discrete chalkstream catchments are distributed along the white chalk geology extending from Dorset in the south west, through Wiltshire, to Hampshire in the north east, to cover a gradient of catchment land cover intensification from extensive calcareous grassland and woodland through to arable and improved grasslands. These data were acquired in July 2012. This dataset was created as part of work package 3.1 of the Wessex Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) project. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/b8a66584-da67-49e5-a0b0-d8e0b3e75b99

The number and type of natural enemies of crop pests found in winter-sown oilseed rape fields (Brassica napus L.) in relation to local plant diversity (in crop and field margin) and landscape characteristics. Natural enemies and pests were collected using two methods (suction sampling and pitfall traps). Local plant diversity was assessed using quadrats in field margins and in cropped area. The presence of hedges was also recorded. Landscape characteristics include the amount of mass flowering crops, arable land, presence of patches of different grassland types (intensive, restored and species rich) and the amount of grasslands and other semi natural habitat with up to a 3km radius of the collection points. These data were collected as part of Wessex BESS project, funded by the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability research program. This dataset can be used in conjunction with other Wessex BESS WP4 datasets. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/6e2be4d6-a681-4ae5-8abf-0c3fc150365d

The number of pollen grains delivered to stigmas in a single visit by flower visitors (from insect orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera) to oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) in southern England. Behavioural and morphological data were also recorded for a subset of visits to understand common traits which led to improved pollen delivery. These data were collected as part of Wessex BESS project, funded by the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability research program. This dataset can be used in conjunction with other Wessex BESS datasets, in particular the landscape scale survey of pollinators. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/ee145769-2853-4a89-8aa6-c4a5149d07c0

Yield data on winter sown oilseed rape plants, in relation to pollination by insects and in relation to the ecosystem services provided by beneficial insects. Data includes yield assessed for entire field, whole plant and within different parts of the plant (per raceme and per pod). These data can be linked to the related natural enemy data set and the pollinator data set collected as part of the Wessex BESS project, funded by the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability research program. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/fc219733-a8e8-4ec0-a34e-e0e8115f0d68

The floral resources provided to pollinators by different sown plant experimental plant communities were assessed under ambient and experimental drought conditions. The dataset includes the abundance and diversity of floral resources in all plant communities and more detailed information on the nectar quality and quantity provided by three focal plant species. Pollinator visit surveys were carried out on selected plots. These data can be linked to the related 'Ecosystem functions and vegetation data for Winklebury Hill, Salisbury Plain, UK in 2016' (https://doi.org/10.5285/e8a1bf2d-bc6b-452f-ab9d-40fa2288fce6) collected as part of the Wessex BESS project, funded by the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability research program. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/eb2bc7a2-4bd8-455d-8f0d-7d379540e967