Data for: Development of an index for assessing the health of lowland drained agricultural peatland soils

Data was collected from a study area comprising fields under intensive agricultural and horticultural management in the East Anglian fens (52.3576° N, 0.2670° E). Samples collection was conducted in summer 2018 and winter 2020. Eight fields in were selected in 2018. Four sampling points for each field of 10 – 15 soil samples were taken using a soil corer in an 5m area surrounding the sampling point to a depth of 20cm and homogenised in-field using the cone and quarter method. Soil cores were collected to assess bulk density and mesofauna abundance. A separate pit at each location was excavated for analysis of earthworms and other soil invertebrates. Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) was conducted on four undisturbed soil slices extracted at the four sampling points in each field.
Soil samples r were divided into two. One sub-sample was air dried at <30 °C and sieved with a 2 mm screen. One sieved moist to 4 mm, stored at 4 °C. Soils were analysed for Water holding capacity, Microbial activity through Solvita Burst method, Ammonium and Nitrate concentrations using a Skalar Continuous Flow Analyser. The air-dried soils were analysed for pH, Organic matter, Extractable Phosphorus, Potassium and Magnesium, Particle size distribution, Particle, Cation exchange capacity was determined using the Compulsive Exchange method using differing molar strengths of Barium Chloride to displace cations. The extractants from the first Barium Chloride were analysed by ICP- OES analysis to examine Exchangeable Cations including; Calcium, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Nickle and Zinc.

数据源自对位于东安格利亚沼泽地区（北纬52.3576°，东经0.2670°）的密集农业和园艺管理农田的研究区域。样本收集于2018年夏季和2020年冬季进行。2018年选取了八个农田，在每个农田中，使用土壤钻头在距采样点5米范围内采集了10至15个土壤样本，深度为20厘米，并在田间采用锥形和四分法进行混合。土壤柱样被收集以评估土壤容重和中生动物丰度。在每个地点挖掘了单独的坑以分析蚯蚓和其他土壤无脊椎动物。在每个农田的四个采样点提取了四个未受干扰的土壤切片，进行了土壤结构视觉评估（VESS）。土壤样本被分为两部分：一部分在低于30°C的条件下空气干燥，并通过2毫米筛网筛选；另一部分筛选至4毫米，储存在4°C的环境中。土壤样本进行了水分保持能力、通过Solvita爆发法测定的微生物活性、使用Skalar连续流动分析仪测定的铵和硝酸盐浓度分析。空气干燥的土壤样本进行了pH值、有机物、可提取磷、钾和镁、粒径分布分析。通过使用不同摩尔浓度的氯化钡置换阳离子的强制交换法确定了阳离子交换能力。第一次氯化钡提取物通过ICP-OES分析进行了分析，以检查可交换阳离子，包括钙、铜、铁、钾、镁、镍和锌。