Grassland arthropod trait and associated environmental data collected in arable reversion sites in southern England, 2014

This dataset contains arthropod species presence and abundance data, species trait data and environmental data for arable reversion sites in southern England. A chronosequence of 52 arable grassland restoration sites and five target National Nature Reserve grassland communities were sampled for arthropods in 2014. These sites were located on calcareous soils. The majority of these sites were established as part of the South Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA), South Wessex Downs ESA, as well as through subsequent agri-environmental schemes including Countryside Stewardship or Higher Level agri-environment. Restoration sites ranged in age (1 to 30 years), habitat quality (e.g. sward structure and floral similarity to target grasslands), management (cutting and grazing) and surrounding landscape (isolation and cover of grassland). This environmental variation was captured and is included in the data set. Arthropods were identified across a wide range of trophic groups (detrititvores, herbivores, predators and pollinators). For arthropod species identified to species, information on functional traits is derived, including body mass, dispersal ability and trophic group.