Data comprise pH and bulk density measurements (location (longitude, latitude), depth, bulk density) for multiple soil profiles in the SikSik catchment, North West Territories, Canada. Samples were collected along a transect in September 2014. Soil samples were taken near additional soil pits. Soil depth and sampling location (latitude and longitude) was recorded. Bulk density was determined according to Blake and Hartge (1986). pH was determined with the 1:5 soil:water suspension method (see supporting documentation). The data were collected under Project HYDRA, a NERC funded UK research project linking Heriot Watt University, the Universities of Durham, Aberdeen and Stirling, and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), Edinburgh. Project HYDRA is part of the UK Arctic Research Programme. Project HYDRA studies sites in Arctic Canada to investigate the biological, chemical and physical controls on the release of greenhouse gases from permafrost into melt water and to the atmosphere and how these emissions will influence global warming. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/a37e6aa4-b003-49bd-9a16-619a7d0dd714

These data are macroinvertebrate composition and size in eight Welsh upland rivers with contrasting land-use, moorland and exotic conifer, in response to riparian deciduous leaf addition. Eight sampling reaches were chosen at two sites, Llyn Brianne (4 reaches) and Plynlimon (4 reaches). The experiment consisted of adding deciduous leaves to half of the reaches whilst the other half were maintained as a control (no addition of deciduous leaves). To characterise the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of the studied streams, Surber net sampling was used to collect monthly samples during 2013 in January (before deciduous leaf addition) and from February to April (after deciduous leaf addition) in each sampling reach. Some of the collected individuals were used to characterise the invertebrate biomass of each reach. The main goal of this survey was to examine how aquatic biodiversity responds to leaf addition in moorland and conifer forested rivers. Dr Isabelle Durance was responsible for organising the surveys, Dr Hugh Feeley and Marian Pye, were in charge of collecting, processing and sorting the invertebrate samples. The work was carried out under Diversity in Upland Rivers for Ecosystem Service Sustainability (DURESS) project (Grant reference NERC NE/J014818/1). DURESS was a project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/d07fe8a7-d4da-43e5-834d-e1b0f4cff0ac

Data comprise concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) determined using Gas Chromatograph - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) in the liver tissue of a small sample of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) that died in Scotland between 2013 and 2015. The otters analysed included adult and sub-adult males and females although there were insufficient sample numbers to test for differences among demographic groups. Otter liver tissue collected during post mortem by Cardiff University Otter Project (from otters found deceased) was analysed for the Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme by the CEH Lancaster Analytical Chemistry Facility. The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS; http://pbms.ceh.ac.uk/) is the umbrella project that encompasses the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology's National Capability contaminant monitoring and surveillance work on avian predators. By monitoring sentinel vertebrate species, the PBMS aims to detect and quantify current and emerging chemical threats to the environment and in particular to vertebrate wildlife. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/9371ce24-7a5a-4964-93bf-884b42fd5fc3

This data set consists of various hydrological measurements taken over two years of instrumental monitoring in fields of willow and Miscanthus crops from a study as part of the NERC Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) programme. Future policies are likely to encourage more land use under energy crops: principally willow, grown as short rotation coppice, and a tall exotic grass Miscanthus. These crops will contribute to the UK's commitment to reduce CO2 emissions. However, it is not clear how decisions about appropriate areas for growing the crops, based on climate, soil and water, should be balanced against impacts on the landscape, social acceptance, biodiversity and the rural economy. This project integrated social, economic, hydrology and biodiversity studies in an interdisciplinary approach to assessing the impact of converting land to Miscanthus grass and short-rotation coppice (SRC) willows. Two contrasting farming systems were focused on: the arable-dominated East Midlands; and grassland-dominated South West England. This data set consists of various hydrological measurements taken over two years of instrumental monitoring in fields of both crops. GIS and biodiversity survey datasets are also available. The public attidues questionnaire data from this study are available at the UK Data Archive under study number 6615 (see online resources). Further documentation for this study may be found through the RELU Knowledge Portal and the project's ESRC funding award web page (see online resources).

These data are benthic organic matter stocks of coarse and fine particulate organic matter in eight Welsh upland rivers with contrasting land-use, moorland and exotic conifer, in response to riparian deciduous leaf addition. Eight sampling reaches were chosen at two sites, Llyn Brianne (4 reaches) and Plynlimon (4 reaches). The experiment consisted of adding deciduous leaves to half of the reaches whilst the other half were maintained as a control (no addition of deciduous leaves). To characterise the benthic organic matter of the studied streams, a Surber net was used to collect monthly samples during 2013 on January (before deciduous leaf addition) and from February to April (after deciduous leaf addition) in each sampling reach. The main goal of this survey was to examine how aquatic biodiversity and organic matter stocks respond to leaf addition in moorland and conifer forested rivers. Dr Isabelle Durance was responsible of organising the surveys, Marian Pye was in charge of collecting, processing and sorting the samples. The work was carried out under Diversity in Upland Rivers for Ecosystem Service Sustainability (DURESS) project (Grant reference NERC NE/J014818/1). DURESS was a project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/32eaf811-be10-40cb-9794-7c5a1b97a915

Data comprise morphometric measurements, sex determination, maturity and immunological analysis of blood pathogens from wild field voles (Microtus agrestis) in Kielder Forest, Northumberland, UK in 2015-17. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/e5854431-6fa4-4ff0-aa02-3de68763c952

These data consist of stream water chemistry for selected Welsh upland rivers. The sampling sites were located in sixty one small and medium catchments. Catchments were chosen from the Welsh Acid Water Surveys (WAWS) program (41 sites) and the Wye catchment (20 sites). Results for pH, alkalinity, conductivity and major cation and anion measurements are presented for the WAWS catchments. Results for pH, alkalinity, conductivity and major anion measurements are presented for the Wye catchment. Samples from the Wye catchment were collected in May 2012. Samples from the WAWS catchments were taken during the summer and autumn of 2012 and spring and summer of 2013. The data were collected to characterise water chemistry variation along a gradient of aquatic biodiversity associated with different environmental settings for example land-use intensify and recovery from acidification. Dr Isabelle Durance was responsible for organising the surveys, Dr Hugh Feeley was in charge of collecting and preserving the water samples. Analysis of the water samples was carried out at the Forest Research Laboratories. The work was carried out under Diversity in Upland Rivers for Ecosystem Service Sustainability (DURESS) project (Grant reference NERC NE/J014818/1). DURESS was a project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/d329ca18-c3d8-49f0-b2fd-5243d76dc650

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

These data are suspended organic matter stocks of coarse and fine particulate organic matter in eight Welsh upland rivers with contrasting land-use, moorland and exotic conifer, in response to riparian deciduous leaf addition. Eight sampling reaches were chosen at two sites, Llyn Brianne (4 reaches) and Plynlimon (4 reaches). The experiment consisted of adding deciduous leaves to half of the reaches whilst the other half were maintained as a control (no addition of deciduous leaves). To characterise the suspended organic matter of the studied streams, water was filtered to collect monthly samples from December 2012 to January 2013 (before deciduous leaf addition) and from February to April 2013 (after deciduous leaf addition) in each sampling reach. The main goal of this survey was to examine how aquatic biodiversity and organic matter stocks respond to leaf addition in moorland and conifer forested rivers. Dr Isabelle Durance was responsible for organising the surveys, Marian Pye was in charge of collecting, processing and sorting the samples. The work was carried out under Diversity in Upland Rivers for Ecosystem Service Sustainability (DURESS) project (Grant reference NERC NE/J014818/1). DURESS was a project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/37e7a1b3-0564-4c6f-84df-a9635edb57b4

The dataset comprises of physical property and biogeochemical measurements of saltmarsh soil collected using the hammer coring technique from the Kyle of Tongue saltmarsh in the North of Scotland. The site was chosen to represent northern, loch head marshes and to test different coring techniques in organic rich soils. The data provides a quantitative measure of the dry bulk density, water content, porosity and organic carbon content present within the soils of the Kyle of Tongue saltmarsh. A total of 4 cores were collected, 39 samples were collected at 10cm intervals down the length of each core. The samples were processed for bulk density, water content, porosity and organic carbon content which was quantified through elemental analysis. The data were collected to help create a detailed picture of saltmarsh carbon storage in the soils of UK saltmarsh and test different coring approaches. The cores were collected by the data authors in November 2018. The work was carried out under the NERC programme - Carbon Storage in Intertidal Environment (C-SIDE), NERC grant reference NE/R010846/1 Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/b57ef444-54d4-47f9-8cbf-3cfef1182b55