[THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN]. Data are presented on earthworm abundance with distance from hedgerows was recorded for arable fields and pasture leys at Spens farm, the University of Leeds experiment farms, Yorkshire. Sampling was carried out annual from April 2015 to April 2017 with additional sampling in December 2015, and July and October 2016. Pits were excavated and soil hand sorted for earthworms. Mustard solution was then poured into the pit and any emerging earthworms collected. All earthworms were preserved in ethanol for identification using the Sims and Gerard Field studies key. At each pit the following measurements were also taken: soil moisture, soil temperature, soil bulk density. The samples were taken to determine the influence of leys on soil quality by Miranda Prendergast-Miller and colleagues as part of the SoilBioHedge project (Grant Reference NE/M017095/1) funded by the NERC Soil Security Programme. (Grant Reference NE/M017044/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/8ac670c7-17d8-433f-847c-170eeeb3ee47

Data are presented on earthworm abundance with distance from hedgerows was recorded for arable fields and pasture leys at Spens farm, the University of Leeds experiment farms, Yorkshire. Sampling was carried out annual from April 2015 to April 2017 with additional sampling in December 2015, and July and October 2016. Pits were excavated and soil hand sorted for earthworms. Mustard solution was then poured into the pit and any emerging earthworms collected. All earthworms were preserved in ethanol for identification using the Sims and Gerard Field studies key. At each pit the following measurements were also taken: soil moisture, soil temperature, soil bulk density. The samples were taken to determine the influence of leys on soil quality by Miranda Prendergast-Miller and colleagues as part of the SoilBioHedge project (Grant Reference NE/M017095/1) funded by the NERC Soil Security Programme. (Grant Reference NE/M017044/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/d3dcfd8a-918d-48a4-9511-ec832de34636

[THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN]. Data are presented on earthworm abundance with distance from hedgerows was recorded for arable fields and pasture leys at farms at Little Langton, Hutton Wandesley, Overton and Whenby, Yorkshire. Sampling was carried out 12 to 26th May 2016. Pits were excavated and soil hand sorted for earthworms. Mustard solution was then poured into the pit and any emerging earthworms collected. All earthworms were preserved in ethanol for identification using the Sims and Gerard Field studies key. At each pit the following measurements were also taken: soil moisture, soil temperature, soil bulk density. The samples were taken to determine the influence of leys on soil quality by Miranda Prendergast-Miller and colleagues as part of the SoilBioHedge project (Grant Reference NE/M017095/1) funded by the NERC Soil Security Programme. (Grant Reference NE/M017044/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/2c84ae3f-f785-4151-8efb-6a1598fd5a65

Data comprise phytohormone concentrations (plant growth hormones: adenosine, zeatin, isopentenyladenosine, indole-3-acetic acid and abscisic acid) measured during plant growth experiments in soil and hydroponic growth media in the presence and absence of earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris and Eisenia fetida respectively). Also presented are plant biomass, pH of the hydroponic solution and soil biological activity (concentration of Fluorescein diacetate - a measure of the hydrolytic capacity) at the end of the study. The study was funded by the NERC (Grant number NE/M000648/1). Mass spectrometry was carried out in The York Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry; the centre was created thanks to a major capital investment through Science City York, supported by Yorkshire Forward with funds from the Northern Way Initiative, and subsequent support from EPSRC (EP/K039660/1; EP/M028127/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/809cd6e8-0615-45ff-b79b-6ba1ae474713

This dataset comprises botanical composition and earthworm species and abundance data, sampled from a mesocosm experiment (named Sweethope) in October 2001. The mesocosm site replicated the layout of the main experimental plots at the NERC Soil Biodiversity site at Sourhope, Scotland and was established to avoid contaminating the main Sourhope plots. The NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme was established in 1999 and was centred upon the intensive study of a large field experiment located at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (now the James Hutton Institute) farm at Sourhope in the Scottish Borders (Grid reference: NT 8545 1963). During the experiment, the site was monitored to assess changes in above-ground biomass production (productivity), species composition and relative abundance (diversity). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/ca8f85c5-0595-4fda-80e5-4f41839effed

Data are presented on earthworm abundance with distance from hedgerows was recorded for arable fields and pasture leys at farms at Little Langton, Hutton Wandesley, Overton and Whenby, Yorkshire. Sampling was carried out 12 to 26th May 2016. Pits were excavated and soil hand sorted for earthworms. Mustard solution was then poured into the pit and any emerging earthworms collected. All earthworms were preserved in ethanol for identification using the Sims and Gerard Field studies key. At each pit the following measurements were also taken: soil moisture, soil temperature, soil bulk density. The samples were taken to determine the influence of leys on soil quality by Miranda Prendergast-Miller and colleagues as part of the SoilBioHedge project (Grant Reference NE/M017095/1) funded by the NERC Soil Security Programme. (Grant Reference NE/M017044/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/a5638d26-a8be-4409-ac51-42904069d919

This dataset presents a compendium of field-based earthworm data sources and associated meta-data from across the United Kingdom and Ireland (‘Worm source’). These were compiled up to 2021 and include 257 data sources, the earliest dating back to 1891. Source meta-data covers the type of quantitative earthworm data (i.e. incidence, abundance, biomass, taxa), methodological details (e.g. sampling method/s, location/s, whether sampled plots were natural or experimental, sampling year/s), and environmental information (e.g. habitat/land-use, inclusion of climate data and basic soil properties). Data sources were collected through literature searches on Web of Science and Google Scholar, as well as directly from original authors/data holders where possible. The data sources were compiled with the aim of gathering quantitative data on earthworm species and populations to develop earthworm abundance and niche models, and toward a modelling framework for earthworm impacts on soil processes. This work is part of the Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics (SOC-D) project funded by the NERC UK-SCAPE programme (Grant reference NE/R016429/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/1a1000a8-4e7e-4851-8784-94c7ba3e164f

This dataset presents the results of an initial sampling exercise conducted at a terrestrial site in northwest England in summer 2010. The following samples of terrestrial Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs) were obtained from an area of circa 0.4 km squared: Molinia caerulea (ICRP RAP Wild Grass defined as Poaceae); Picea sitchensis (ICRP RAP Pine Tree defined as Pinaceae); Apis spp., Bombus spp., Nomada spp. (ICRP RAP Bee defined as Apidea); Apodemus sylvaticus (ICRP RAP Rat defined as Muridae); Earthworms (species in the Family Lumbricidae as defined for the ICRP RAP Earthworm); Deer (belonging to the Family Anatidae (i.e. the ICRP RAP Deer). Soil samples were also collected from throughout the sampling area. All samples were analysed for multiple elements using ICP-MS/ICP-OES and most for gamma-emitting radionuclides. Results have been used to derive biota-soil concentration ratios. The ICRP have published their framework for radiation protection of the environment (ICRP Publication 108). This describes the use of RAPs as the basis for their framework. The RAPs are generalised to the taxonomic level of Family. Publication 108 presented dose coefficient values for the selected RAPs and also reviewed data on the effects of ionising radiation to suggest Derived Consideration Reference Levels for each RAP. In summer 2010 the ICRP released a further report on their protection framework for consultation. This report presented transfer parameter values (organism-media concentration ratios) for Reference Animals and Plants. The report also raised the possibility of identifying a series of sites where samples of each Reference Animal and Plant, and their different lifestages, could be collected and analysed. It was suggested that the resultant data would constitute a set of reference values analogous to approaches used by the ICRP for human radiological protection. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/e40b53d4-6699-4557-bd55-10d196ece9ea

This dataset contains earthworm counts and identification from three long-term grassland-to-woodland land use contrasts across England between 2018 and 2021. Each land use contrast was assigned one grassland and one woodland plot, respectively. Each of the plots was further divided into three grids (grassland grids 1 to 3 / woodland grids 4 to 6) with grids 1 and 6 being the furthest apart. The contrast boundary is between grids 3 and 4. The three grassland-to-woodland contrasts were sampled once: Gisburn (Gisburn-1, Gisburn-2), and Kielder Forest. The earthworms were counted in 25 cm3 soil cubes and were identified to a species level. These measurements are co-located with estimates aboveground biomass production and litter layer depth, soil physical, chemical and biological properties (0-1 m), and soil hydraulic measurements (soil water release curves and hydraulic conductivity). A file is provided to connect all co-located measurements. This project was part of the UK-SCAPE programme which started in 2018 and was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council as National Capability (award number NE/R016429/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/2636c7e1-ec8c-4b77-9f4e-f731781191ca

This dataset contains ecotoxicology measurements of Eisenia fetida earthworms exposed to different types of bio-based teabags, at four concentration levels. Variables measured include mortality, growth, reproductive output (number of egg cocoons and juveniles) and were collected over a 28-day period. This research is part of the BIO-PLASTIC-RISK project, funded by Natural Environment Research Council through the grants NE/V007556/1 and NE/V007246/1. Full details about this nonGeographicDataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/b01a4ec1-90b0-4690-924f-a408a3280149