Soil moisture, temperature and bulk density and earthworm abundance and biomass along transects in arable fields and ley strips in farms in North Yorkshire, England

Data are presented on earthworm abundance with distance from hedgerows was recorded for arable fields and pasture leys at farms at Little Langton, Hutton Wandesley, Overton and Whenby, Yorkshire. Sampling was carried out 12 to 26th May 2016. Pits were excavated and soil hand sorted for earthworms. Mustard solution was then poured into the pit and any emerging earthworms collected. All earthworms were preserved in ethanol for identification using the Sims and Gerard Field studies key. At each pit the following measurements were also taken: soil moisture, soil temperature, soil bulk density. The samples were taken to determine the influence of leys on soil quality by Miranda Prendergast-Miller and colleagues as part of the SoilBioHedge project (Grant Reference NE/M017095/1) funded by the NERC Soil Security Programme. (Grant Reference NE/M017044/1).