Countryside Survey topsoil invertebrate data is representative of 0 - 8 cm soil depth and includes Total catch, Mite:Springtail ratio, Number of broad taxa and Shannon diversity. For invertebrate data, a total of 947 cores from 256 1km x 1km squares across Great Britain were analysed in 2007. Please see Emmett et al. 2010 for further details of sampling and methods (http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5201/1/CS_UK_2007_TR3%5B1%5D.pdf ). Estimates of mean values within selected habitats and parent material characteristics across GB were made using CS data from 1978, 1998 and 2007 using a mixed model approach. Please see Scott, 2008 for further details of similar statistical analysis (http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5202/1/CS_UK_2007_TR4%5B1%5D.pdf ). The estimated means of habitat /parent material combinations using 2007 data are modelled on dominant habitat and parent material characteristics derived from the Land Cover Map 2007 and Parent Material Model 2009, respectively. The parent material characteristic used was that which minimised AIC in each model (see Supporting Information). Areas, such as urban and littoral rock, are not sampled by CS and therefore have no associated data. Also, in some circumstances sample sizes for particular habitat / parent material combinations were insufficient to estimate mean values. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/f19de821-a436-4b28-95f6-b7287ef0bf15

The dataset details total abundance (TA), total biomass (TB), species richness (SR) and evenness (J) [all based on abundance and biomass] and community bioturbation potential (BPc) across six intertidal sites in the winter and summer of 2013. The data provide metrics relating to the macrofaunal communities present within the top 10cm of sediment. Three sites were located in Essex, South East England and the other three in Morecambe Bay, North West England. Each site consisted of a saltmarsh habitat and adjacent mudflat habitat. 22 sampling quadrats were placed in each habitat covering four spatial scales. Three replicate cores of sediment were collected at each quadrat. They were sieved on a 0.5mm mesh and the macrofauna was removed, identified to species (or appropriate taxon) and individuals were identified to species (or most appropriate taxon), counted and weighed. The resulting abundance and biomass data were then used to calculate TA, TB, SR, J (based on abundance and biomass) and BPc. The data for mudflat habitats across Essex and Morecambe are complete, however, saltmarsh data is only available for one full Essex site (Tillingham Marsh), in one season (Winter) and across all sites, at the 1m scale. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/f7bad4d2-aef2-4db6-be34-adbe185b88c3

The dataset details macrofaunal abundance across 6 intertidal sites in the winter and summer of 2013. The data provide a quantitative measure of the invertebrate species present within the top 10cm of sediment. Three sites were located in Essex, South East England and the other 3 in Morecambe Bay, North West England. Each site consisted of a saltmarsh habitat and adjacent mudflat habitat. 22 sampling quadrats were placed in each habitat covering 4 spatial scales. 3 replicate cores of sediment were collected at each quadrat. They were sieved on a 0.5mm mesh and the macrofauna was removed, identified to species (or appropriate taxon) and individuals counted. Values for macrofaunal abundance are expressed as number of individuals per square metre of sediment. Abundance data for mudflat habitats across Essex and Morecambe are complete, however, saltmarsh data is only available for one full Essex site (Tillingham Marsh), in one season (winter) and across all sites, but only at the 1m scale. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/d5317679-449f-4829-9caf-39973fe27c07