The dataset consists of pH values from soil samples taken in Roudsea Wood National Nature Reserve in 1961. Soil samples were taken from between 5 and 10cm in depth from transects across the reserve and from under oak trees. pH was measured by the Woodlands Research Section at The Nature Conservancy's Merlewood Research Station, Grange over Sands, Cumbria and the data have been stored and digitised by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/1b977181-a3bf-4535-b38e-32509001f7aa

This dataset contains aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) estimates and litter layer depth measurements from five long-term grassland-to-woodland land use contrasts across England between 2018 and 2021. Each metric was measured once at each site. Litter layer depth was measured between November 2018 and March 2019 . Leaves were sampled for ANPP estimates in 2021. Each land use contrast was assigned a grassland and a woodland plot respectively. Each of these 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. In each plot, nine sampling locations were randomly sampled (three in each grid). The five land use contrasts were: Gisburn (Gisburn-1, Gisburn-2), Alice Holt, Wytham Woods, and Kielder Forest. ANPP (g dry mass m-2 yr-1) was estimated from measured leaf dry matter content of the two dominant species in each grassland and woodland plot. Litter layer depth (cm) was measured with a ruler in the field. ANPP estimates and litter layer depth measurements in this dataset are co-located with soil physical, chemical and biological properties (0-1 m), soil hydraulic measurements (soil water release curves and hydraulic conductivity), and earthworm counts and identification. 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/10.5285/9156d263-4def-406d-bdc9-22a6821fe755

This dataset includes ecological information recorded from within 18 birch woodlands surveyed in the Spey Valley, Scotland between 1971 and 1974. Data collected includes plant species composition in the canopy and ground flora, soil pH, habitat management and a wide range of other descriptors at a site level and in more detail from 16 - 40 200m2 sample plots located at random within the 18 woods. The survey was undertaken by the Nature Conservancy/Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/c84961e3-b9dc-4c92-b316-36295b8a3330

This dataset contains pollinator abundance data from 13 calcareous grassland, 13 heathland and 12 woodland sites within Dorset, UK. The sites were selected to represent a range of habitat types across a condition gradient as measured by levels of degradation from the original habitat. The original habitats were identified as being calcareous grassland, heathland or woodland from a survey conducted in the 1930s. Butterflies, bees, hoverflies, flies and beetles were recorded to species level and the plant species insects were foraging on was also recorded. Data were collected on three different dates in 2017 and 2018: calcareous grassland in June, July and August; heathland transects in May, August and September; and woodland transects in May, June and July. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/190b7ef8-1997-4424-a087-882cd7673e23

The dataset consists of diameter at breast height (DBH) measurements taken from trees and shrubs recorded in plots in 103 woodland sites surveyed across Great Britain in 1971 and again over the growing seasons of 2000, 2002 and 2003 (referred to as '2001 survey'), using exactly the same field methods. Data were collected under projects managed by The Nature Conservancy (in 1971) and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (in 2001). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/4d93f9ac-68e3-49cf-8a41-4d02a7ead81a

[This dataset is embargoed until May 31, 2024]. Saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density and soil organic carbon content were determined on soil samples extracted from the upper 50 cm of the soil profile for three paired upland woodland and grassland sites in northern England. The site pairs consisted of new deciduous plantation (<5 yrs old) and pasture, 15 year old deciduous plantation and pasture, and finally a site with mature deciduous woodland and pasture. Comparisons were made between woodland and pasture soil properties. The work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council Grant NE/R004595/1: Optimising Natural Flood risk Management (NFM) in headwater catchments to protect downstream communities. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/03bbb1a9-703b-484b-aa16-5924c11e1f2d

This dataset consists of the vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens recorded in plots in 103 woodland sites surveyed across Great Britain in 1971 and again over the growing seasons of 2000, 2002 and 2003 (referred to as '2001 survey'), using exactly the same field methods. Data were collected under projects managed by The Nature Conservancy (in 1971) and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (in 2001). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/2d023ce9-6dbe-4b4f-a0cd-34768e1455ae

This dataset contains soil water release curves and un-saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements from four 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 four grassland-to-woodland contrasts were located across England and sampled once : Gisburn (Gisburn-1, Gisburn-2), Wytham Woods, and Kielder Forest. Soil water release curves were measured for topsoil (0-5 cm) using the HYPROP system (UMS, Munich, Germany). Soil water infiltration (unsaturated hydraulic conductivity) was measured during soil sampling campaigns. Soil hydraulic measurements in this dataset are collocated with aboveground biomass production estimates and litter layer depth measurements, soil physical, chemical and biological properties (0-1 m), and earthworm counts and identification. 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/10.5285/419af5cd-8adc-4400-9a28-d8e1d48b0bd7

This dataset contains carbon and nitrogen data from soils and vegetation from 13 calcareous grassland, 13 heathland and 12 woodland sites within Dorset, UK. The sites were selected to represent a range of habitat types across a condition gradient as measured by levels of degradation from the original habitat. The original habitats were identified as being calcareous grassland, heathland or woodland from a survey conducted in the 1930s. Within each site, 15cm deep soil cores were taken and analysed for total nitrogen, total carbon and bulk density. Within the same area for each site, vegetation samples were taken from five 50cm quadrats and separated into herbacous or shrub layers before analysis for total carbon, total nitrogen and dry weight. Heathland and calcareous grassland sites were visited in summer 2017 and woodland sites were visited in summer 2018. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/ea43c2d1-88f5-4692-a09d-0ef4d96e0f35

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