Pollinator data from calcareous grassland, heathland and woodland sites in Dorset, UK, 2017-2018

Original sites were identified from work by Professor Ronald Good, an eminent Dorset botanist who undertook an extensive botanical survey of Dorset from 1931 to 1939. The archive is publically available through the Dorset Environmental Records Centre. Sites were selected from those sites identified by Good as being calcareous grassland, heathland or woodland in 1930s. The subsampling approach used a variety of data sources, to identify current habitat types, including the UK Land Cover Map 2007, Natural England’s Priority Habitat Inventory and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), survey data from Horsfall, the Dorset Heathland survey and information on the Higher Level Stewardship schemes.

Sample squares (50m x 50m plots) were randomly assigned within the original Good survey area prior to visit using ArcGIS. Pollinator abundance was recorded by walking two 50m transects at a steady pace. All butterflies were recorded to species level within a 5m imaginary box along the transect, in flight or nectaring. Bees, hoverflies, flies and beetles were also recorded to species whilst foraging within a 2m box along the 50m transect. All transects were walked within fixed weather criteria, these consisted of dry calm conditions with a minimum of 13 degC temperature, between 13-16 degC no more than 40% cloud cover; and wind speeds not exceeding 5 on the Beaufort scale. Transects were only walked within the time window of 10:00 to 16:00, when the above criteria were met.

Data were collected by experienced field ecologists, the same ecologists carried out all surveys. Data are consistent and reliable. Data were recorded into a spreadsheet as recorded in the field. Data were checked for any anomalies.

This dataset is included in the following collections

Data from provision of ecosystem services across habitat degradation gradient