Tillage in southeastern U.S. row crops reduces ground-nesting bee incidence and diversity compared to field edges

This dataset was collected to assess the response of ground-nesting bees to different agricultural management treatments while documenting key environmental variables. Data were collected from March 2021 to November 2022 at the E.V. Smith Research Center in Shorter, Alabama. The study site consisted of 96 experimental subplots arranged in a randomized block design within a long-established agricultural field. It provides valuable insights into the interactions between soil management practices, soil conditions, vegetation cover, and ground-nesting bee populations in agricultural landscapes. It may be useful for ecological modeling, particularly in understanding how management actions influence bee emergence. However, caution should be used in interpreting emergence trap data, as it does not represent floral visitation behavior.

Methods
The dataset includes:

Insect Emergence Data: Ground-nesting bees were sampled using soil emergence traps, which were systematically placed across treatment subplots and field edges. Traps remained in place for continuous seven-day periods per sampling event.

This data file represents the sum of emergence trap collection events conducted during this study. A sum of 434 bees collected have been processed, labeled, and entered into this file for each 7-day-long collection event, i.e., 'Round.'

Soil Strength (Cone_Index) and Soil Moisture Data: Soil strength was measured across three sampling events using a tractor-mounted multi-probe soil cone penetrometer (MPSCP), with readings recorded at 5 cm intervals to a depth of 50 cm. Soil moisture was measured concurrently using soil cores collected from corresponding subplots.

Soil Texture Data: A subset of subplots was sampled for soil particle size distribution and organic matter content using the hydrometer method and loss-on-ignition analysis.

Ground Cover Surveys: Vegetation surveys were conducted at regular intervals, estimating the percent cover of living vegetation, crop residue, and bare ground using quadrat sampling.