ReadMe file for Ryan_data.csv

Title: Plant Identity Impacts the Soil Microbiome More Than Interspecific Interactions in Intensively Managed Grasslands

Authors: Kerry B. Ryan, John A. Finn, Alexandre De Menezes, Laura Byrne, Caroline Brophy, Fiona P. Brennan

Corresponding email: fiona.brennan@teagasc.ie

These data support the research results presented (Open Access) in European Journal of Soil Science, https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70256

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The Excel data file contains multiple measured responses from sown grassland communities in a field experiment in which plant diversity was systematically manipulated. Communities comprised from one to six plant species and one to three functional groups. A summer drought was simulated on half of each plot. All plots received one level of nitrogen fertiliser, and a monoculture of L. perenne received twice the base level of nitrogen fertiliser. The responses were focused on various measurements of  chemical and biological responses in soil. Overall, our study found weak effects of plant diversity on several measures of microbial diversity and function in intensively managed agricultural grasslands.

In the published paper in European Journal of Soil Science, we only analyse the effect of plant diversity in the rainfed (control) plots (column 'Drought' = '0').
For completeness, we present here the data for both the rainfed and drought split-plots.
 
Data was collected in Wexford, Republic of Ireland (52.299584, -6.506458) in 2019.
Date of creation: 13/01/2026

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Dataset contains:
-    86 observations (rows) + 1 row header

-    100 variables (columns)

-    Column delimiter = ,

-    Missing value = *

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Variables	Format	Explanation
PlotNb		numeric	Number of the main plot, each comprising a pair of control/drought split-plots of the same stand located next to each other in the field
Split		numeric	Number of individual split-plot
Community	numeric	Number indicating each community (a specific combination of species and sown proportions)
Rep		numeric	Replicate number for each community
Drought		categorical	If experimental drought stress was applied (1) or not (0)
Nfert		numeric	Quantity of nitrogen fertiliser applied (kg of N ha-1 yr-1)
XN		numeric	Only for Lp monocultures: if Nfert=300 (high rate), XN=1, if not XN=0.
FGNb		numeric	Number of sown functional groups
SpNb		numeric	Number of sown plant species
FGGrass		numeric	Sown proportion of the Grass functional group  (=SownLp+SownPp)
FGleg		numeric	Sown proportion of the Legume functional group(=SownRc+SownWc)
FGherb		numeric	Sowing proportion of the Herb functional group (=SownCi+SownPl)
SownLp		numeric	Sown proportion of Lolium perenne
SownPp		numeric	Sown proportion of Phleum pratense
SownRc		numeric	Sown proportion of red clover (Trifolium pratense)
SownWc		numeric	Sown proportion of white clover (Trifolium repens)
SownCi		numeric	Sown proportion of Cichorium intybus
SownPl		numeric	Sown proportion of Plantago lanceolata
MWC		numeric	May % water content in soil
JWC		numeric	July % water content in soil
AWC		numeric	August % water content in soil
SWC		numeric	September % water content in soil
MTN		numeric	May total nitrogen in 1L of soil (mg/L)
JTN		numeric	July total nitrogen in soil (mg/L)
ATN		numeric	August total nitrogen in soil (mg/L)
STN		numeric	September total nitrogen in soil (mg/L)
MTC		numeric	May total carbon in soil (mg/L)
JTC		numeric	July total carbon in soil (mg/L)
ATC		numeric	August total carbon in soil (mg/L)
STC		numeric	September total carbon in soil (mg/L)
MTP		numeric	May total phosphorus in soil (mg/L)
JTP		numeric	July total phosphorus in soil (mg/L)
ATP		numeric	August total phosphorus in soil (mg/L)
STP		numeric	September total phosphorus in soil (mg/L)
MTK		numeric	May total potassium in soil (mg/L)
JTK		numeric	July total potassium in soil (mg/L)
ATK		numeric	August total potassium in soil (mg/L)
STK		numeric	September total potassium in soil (mg/L)
MpH		numeric	May pH of soil
JpH		numeric	July pH of soil
ApH		numeric	August pH of soil
SpH		numeric	September pH of soil
MOM		numeric	May % organic matter in soil
JOM		numeric	July % organic matter in soil
AOM		numeric	August % organic matter in soil
SOM		numeric	September % organic matter in soil
JAvNH4		numeric	July available ammonium (mg NH4+ kg-1 dry soil)
SAvNH4		numeric	September available ammonium (mg NH4+ kg-1 dry soil)
JAvNO3		numeric	July available nitrate (mg NO3- kg-1 dry soil)
SAvNO3		numeric	September available nitrate (mg NO3- kg-1 dry soil)
JPDArate	numeric	July potential denitrification rate in soil (ng N2O-N g-1 min-1)
SPDArate	numeric	September potential denitrification rate in soil (ng N2O-N g-1 min-1)
JPDAratio	numeric	July potential denitrification rate ratio of N2O:N2O+N2
SPDAratio	numeric	September potential denitrification rate ratio of N2O:N2O+N2
JPNArate	numeric	July potential nitrification rate in soil (µg NO2- g-1 dry soil day-1)
SPNArate	numeric	September potential nitrification rate (µg NO2- g-1 dry soil day-1)
JBioMinN	numeric	July biologically mineralised nitrogen (mg NH4+ kg-1 dry soil)
SBioMinN	numeric	September biologically mineralised nitrogen (mg NH4+ kg-1 dry soil)
JSIR		numeric	July substrate induced respiration rate in soil (µg CO2-C g-1 hour-1)
SSIR		numeric	September substrate induced respiration rate in soil (µg CO2-C g-1 hour-1)
M16SBac		numeric	May 16S bacteria gene copy number per gram of dry soil
J16SBac		numeric	July 16S bacteria gene copy number per gram of dry soil
A16SBac		numeric	August 16S bacteria gene copy number per gram of dry soil
S16SBac		numeric	September 16S bacteria gene copy number per gram of dry soil
M16SArc		numeric	May 16S archaea gene copy number per gram of dry soil
J16SArc		numeric	July 16S archaea gene copy number per gram of dry soil
A16SArc		numeric	August 16S archaea gene copy number per gram of dry soil
S16SArc		numeric	September 16S archaea gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MITS		numeric	May ITS fungi gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JITS		numeric	July ITS fungi gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AITS		numeric	August ITS fungi gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SITS		numeric	September ITS fungi gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MAOB		numeric	May AOB gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JAOB		numeric	July AOB gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AAOB		numeric	August AOB gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SAOB		numeric	September AOB gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MAOA		numeric	May AOA gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JAOA		numeric	July AOA gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AAOA		numeric	August AOA gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SAOA		numeric	September AOA gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MComammox	numeric	May COMAMMOX gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JComammox	numeric	July COMAMMOX gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AComammox	numeric	August COMAMMOX gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SComammox	numeric	September COMAMMOX gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MnirK		numeric	May nirK gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JnirK		numeric	July nirK gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AnirK		numeric	August nirK gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SnirK		numeric	September nirK gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MnirS		numeric	May nirS gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JnirS		numeric	July nirS gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AnirS		numeric	August nirS gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SnirS		numeric	September nirS gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MnosZ1		numeric	May nosZ1 gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JnosZ1		numeric	July nosZ1 gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AnosZ1		numeric	August nosZ1 gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SnosZ1		numeric	September nosZ1 gene copy number per gram of dry soil
MnosZ2		numeric	May nosZ2 gene copy number per gram of dry soil
JnosZ2		numeric	July nosZ2 gene copy number per gram of dry soil
AnosZ2		numeric	August nosZ2 gene copy number per gram of dry soil
SnosZ2		numeric	September nosZ2 gene copy number per gram of dry soil


# Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: 
The data is licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons 4.0 licence CC-BY-NC (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). 

# DISCLAIMER 
Teagasc makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for purpose of the information contained in this
dataset and accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from its use or reuse.

# COPYRIGHT
© 2026 Teagasc (Agriculture and Food Development Authority of Ireland)
