This dataset includes: biomass data for roots, shoots and litter in soil core samples, vegetation species abundance data for sampled soil blocks, and soil profile descriptions (horizon types & depths) with corresponding pH and moisture content values by horizon for soil blocks. All data were collected during a joint sampling event, held at Sourhope, Scotland, where co-ordinated sampling took place on the 27-28th July 2000 involving groups from within the NERC Soil Biodiversity Programme. A single block of soil was extracted from each of the sub-plots ('S' 'T' 'U' 'V') from within each of the main-plots (excluding Control 2 plots) at the field experiment site (see supporting information), and various baseline measurements were recorded. The soil blocks were divided up and sub-samples given to groups participating in the co-ordinated sampling, providing a range of information covering various aspects of soil research that can be linked to the same point in time and space. 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)'s farm at Sourhope in the Scottish Borders (Grid reference: NT 8545 1963). During this time, the site was monitored to assess changes in aboveground biomass production (productivity), species composition and relative abundance (diversity). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/4c0fd1b5-2934-4bd4-b444-1a10499ee900

The data set comprises vegetation species and abundance information, surveyed using a 50 x 50 cm point quadrat, from a selection of the plots within an experimental site at Sourhope, Scotland. The surveys were carried out in the summers of 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The data were collected as part of the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme, established in 1999 and 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: NT8545019630). 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/c730867f-ffd7-4d2d-9dd0-e2f30a7dbbf6

This data set details the range of treatments applied to experimental plots at a field site at Sourhope, Scotland, between 1999 and 2004. The data can be used in conjunction with other experimental data sets from the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme site as an explanatory variable. 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: NT8545019630). 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/a83ca49d-a78d-4c64-a646-68e44438a2b6

This data set details soil pH values and soil moisture values from experimental plots at a field site at Sourhope, Scotland, between 1998 and 2002. Data were collected as part of the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme, which 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: NT8545019630). 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/a35d0ded-b422-4af3-8f74-e70249fc9788

The data set comprises biomass values and mineral nutrient values from experimental plots located at Sourhope, Scotland. On five occasions throughout each of the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 growing seasons, grass cuttings were collected from a 50 x 50 cm cell area from each of the four main sub-plots within each of a set of experimental main-plots, and biomass values calculated. In addition, mineral nutrient analysis was carried out for the July 1999 grass cuttings. The work was part of the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme, which 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). The primary aims of the Programme were to achieve simultaneously an understanding of the biological diversity of the soil biota and the functional roles played by soil organisms in key ecological processes. In seeking to achieve these aims, 24 separate research projects were funded to study soil structure, soil processes (such as the carbon and nitrogen cycles) and the roles of micro-fauna and flora (Bacteria, Nematoda, Protozoa and Fungi), microarthropods (including Collembola and Acari), invertebrate root feeders (Tipulid, Bidionid and Scarabeid larvae), meso-fauna (such as Enchytraeidae) and macro-fauna (including Megadrili, Mollusca and Coleoptera). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/1a278fbf-b8b2-472d-9100-5fb432095f63

These data comprise culturable cell counts in different media from soil microbial analysis within a microcosm experiment investigating moisture perturbations on microbes, set up at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Oxford. The experiment used soil turves from outside the main experimental plots at Sourhope, Scotland, collected in July 2001. Soil moisture data are also included. Data were collected as part of the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme, established in 1999 and centred upon the intensive study of a large field experiment located at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (now the James Hutton Institute)'s farm at Sourhope in the Scottish Borders. During this time, the site was monitored to assess changes in aboveground biomass production (productivity), species composition and relative abundance (diversity). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/999b9188-1784-497a-bdce-8fdfbd03e15b

Regular temperature, rainfall and other weather data, as collected between February 1999 and September 2002 from an on-site Automatic Weather Station, located on experimental plots at Sourhope, Scotland. Data were collected as part of the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme, which 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 this time, 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/e6e835ae-99e6-445e-b0dc-0d0db44e310a

This data set includes records of soil fauna sampled from the Sourhope experimental site in July and October 2002, and April, June and October 2003. These include collembola, spiders, slugs and beetles and a range of invertebrates captured by a variety of methods. Data were collected during a project funded under the NERC Soil Biodiversity Programme. 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: NT8545019630). 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/10.5285/787b4473-d40c-474f-be45-21c3a838fe6f

These data comprise substrate utilisation profiles (using the BIOLOG gram-negative method) and moisture content data from soil sampled in an upland grassland experiment at Sourhope, Scotland. BIOLOG-GN (gram-negative) substrate utilisation analyses were used to give an indication of the ability of a subset of the bacterial community to utilise various carbon sources. These data include both temporal and spatial diversity in different depths of semi-natural grassland soil cores collected at different sample dates. Samples were collected in July 1999, October 1999, April 2000 and August 2000. Data were collected as part of the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme, established in 1999 and centred upon the intensive study of a large field experiment located at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (now the James Hutton Institute)'s farm at Sourhope in the Scottish Borders (Grid reference: NT 8545 1963). During this time, the site was monitored to assess changes in aboveground biomass production (productivity), species composition and relative abundance (diversity). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/c42b0e3b-69e4-4941-addf-20c2e0612c58

This set of data describes protozoa abundance and diversity in samples taken at the Sourhope experimental site in 1999 and 2000 by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the University of Glasgow. Data were collected during a project funded under the NERC Soil Biodiversity Programme. 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: NT8545019630). 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/a5737c31-5c8d-43f3-980a-4736510d6b05