Organic compost belowground and floral diversity aboveground interactively shape natural enemies in urban gardens

# Organic compost belowground and floral diversity aboveground interactively shape natural enemies in urban gardens This dataset includes results from experimental manipulations of vermicompost treatments made to zucchini plants in 18 experiments performed over two years in urban school gardens. On each zucchini plant, we counted herbivorous pest insects, foliar-feeding omnivorous insects, and predatory arthropods. It also includes observational field surveys of floral resource richness (estimated at the family level) from the surrounding environment at each site. ## Description of the Data and file structure Missing data/Blank cells (when samples were lost or damaged) are noted as "n/a" throughout the data set. This spreadsheet contains four sheets: Sheet 1 (annual.means.without.outliers) contains annual mean estimates of floral resources, insects, and soils from each site, pooled across all sample dates for each experiment. This sheet excludes outlier insect counts from three plants (out of 620) where insect counts were at least 3 SD higher than the next highest observation; Sheet 2 (annual.means.with.outliers) contains annual mean estimates of floral resources, insects, and soils from each site, pooled across all sample dates for each experiment. This sheet includes all observations. Sheet 3 (insect.survey.2022) contains raw counts of insects observed on zucchini plants sampled on each sample date in 2022; Sheet 4 (insect.survey.2021) contains raw counts of insects observed on zucchini plants sampled on each sample date in 2021; Sheet 5 (plant.survey.2022) contains raw counts of plants and influorescences observed within 450 m^2 area surrounding experimental garden beds in 2022; Sheet 6 (plant.survey.2021) contains raw counts of plants observed observed within 450 m^2 area surrounding experimental garden beds in 2021; **Metadata:** **Descriptions of column headers:** treat: Experimental treatment (vermicompost and control) applied to each bed Year: Year field experiments were performed. Site: Name of each school where experimental gardens were established. herbivore: Anuual means of herbivorous insects counted on zucchini plants at each field site over all sample dates. omnivore: Anuual means of foliar-feeding omnivorous insects counted on zucchini plants at each field site over all sample dates. predator: Anuual means of predatory arthropods counted on zucchini plants at each field site over all sample dates. ant: Anuual means of ants counted on 8 zucchini plants at each field site over all sample dates. flower.count: Counts of influoresences observed within a 450 m^2 area surrounding experimental garden beds. flower.richness: Richness of blooming plants at the family level within a 450 m^2 area surrounding experimental garden beds. plant.richnes: Richness of plants at the family level within a 450 m^2 area surrounding experimental garden beds. non.bloom.rihcness: Richness of non-blooming ornamental plants at the family level within a 450 m^2 area surrounding experimental garden beds. %soil.N: percent total Nitrogen (organic and inorganic)in soil samples collected from each experimental gardenn bed. %leaf.N: percent Nitrogen in foliar tissues samples collected from 3 zucchini plants in each experimental garden bed. fruits: Annual mean counts of ripe zucchini fruits harvested from each experimental garden bed. date: Month/day/year observations were made. insect: Common name identification of insects observed in visual surveys on zucchini plants in experimental garden beds. count: Sum of insects observed onn visual surveys on zucchini plants in experimental garden beds. trophic guild: Categorical identifier of insects' trophic guild (predator, omnivore, generalist herbivore, specialist herbivore) trophic level: categorical identifier of insects' trophic level (herbivore, natural enemy) Missing data/Blank cells (when samples were lost or damaged) are noted as "n/a" throughout the data set.