Dataset of Soil Physical, Chemical, Biological, and Vegetation Attributes under CC and TILL Management in Semiarid Orchards

Data Collection and Sampling Design Soils and vegetation were sampled to compare two field management practices: cover cropping (CC) and tillage (TILL) in vineyards and olive groves. For each treatment, three independent replicates were established. At each replicate, one composite soil sample per depth (0–10 cm and 10–30 cm) was obtained by pooling six subsamples distributed across crop-relevant microsites (vine row vs. inter-row; tree canopy vs. inter-tree space). Bulk density and gravimetric moisture were measured from three undisturbed cores per depth and replicate. Vegetation cover was quantified from nine nadir digital photographs per treatment using a point-grid classification. Aboveground biomass was harvested from three 25 × 25 cm quadrats per treatment. Belowground biomass was sampled from the same quadrats using two soil cores (0–30 cm), later separated into 0–10 and 10–30 cm intervals. Analytical VariablesAir-dried, 2-mm-sieved soils were analyzed for physical (texture, bulk density, total porosity, available water), chemical (pH, EC, CaCO₃, extractable NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺, available P, SOM), and biological attributes (β-glucosidase activity). Texture followed the Bouyoucos hydrometer method; pH and EC were measured in soil–water suspensions; CaCO₃ by calcimetry; mineral N by water extraction and spectrophotometry; available P by Olsen extraction; SOM by wet oxidation; available water from pressure-plate determinations. Vegetation variables include percentage cover, aboveground biomass (dry weight, Mg ha⁻¹), and root biomass (dry weight) for both depth intervals. β-glucosidase activity was quantified spectrophotometrically following ISO 20130:2018. Scope of the DatasetThe dataset provides paired CC–TILL observations for all soil, vegetation, and enzymatic variables at two depths across multiple Mediterranean vineyard and olive-grove sites, enabling comparative assessments of management effects on soil physical, chemical, and biological functioning.