Data from: Cover crop composition, not diversity, drives agroecosystem multifunctionality and wheat yield
Data files
Sep 03, 2026 version files 89.18 KB
-
DRYAD_JAE_data_20260815.csv
41.52 KB
-
DRYAD_JAE_data_outliersremoved_20260815.csv
40.46 KB
-
README.md
7.20 KB
Sep 03, 2026 version files 89.18 KB
-
DRYAD_JAE_data_20260815.csv
41.52 KB
-
DRYAD_JAE_data_outliersremoved_20260815.csv
40.46 KB
-
README.md
7.21 KB
Abstract
Ecological concepts derived from perennial grasslands suggest multi-species cover crop mixtures maximize ecosystem function. However, legacy effects of diverse cover crops on agricultural soil properties, microorganisms, and crop yields remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we planted six species of cover crops individually, in functional group combinations (representing oilseeds, grasses, or legumes), or with all species combined (high diversity treatment). We then investigated how cover crop treatment affected winter wheat yield, soil biogeochemical properties, microbial community composition, and ecosystem multifunctionality. Contrary to our expectations, the high diversity treatment reduced wheat yield and minimally affected soil properties relative to the fallow control. We observed the greatest positive impact on agroecosystem multifunctionality and wheat yield in the oilseed + legume treatment. Soil pH was mediated by cover crop treatment and identified as the key factor influencing bacterial diversity and composition, while active microbial biomass during the preceding cover crop was the best predictor of subsequent winter wheat yield.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.pvmcvdp2f
Description of the data and file structure
Data was collected from experimental plots planted with six species of cover crops individually, in functional group combinations (representing oilseeds, grasses, or legumes), or with all species combined (high diversity treatment). We then investigated how cover crop diversity affected winter wheat yield, soil biogeochemical properties, microbial community composition, and ecosystem multifunctionality.
Files and variables
File: DRYAD_JAE_data_20260815.csv
Description: Full dataset, missing values are indicated by blank cells
Variables
- SimpleID: A simple numerical ID assigned to each sample
- BarcodeSequence: DNA barcode sequence associated with individual samples. The amplicon sequences are archived in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database (BioProject accession number: PRJNA1235280 and PRJNA1235307).
- Time: Time of sample collection (i.e., July 2019, July 2020, and July 2022)
- Crop: Cover crop treatment. For mixtures, oilseeds include sunflower and flax, grasses include oat and millet, legumes include spring pea and clover, and ‘All’ is the high diversity treatment which includes all six species of cover crops.
- Group: Cover crop functional group or functional group combination. Oilseed Grass: Sunflower, flax, oat, and millet; Oilseed Legume: Sunflower, flax, spring pea, and clover; Grass Legume: Oat, millet, spring pea, and clover; All: Sunflower, flax, oat, millet, spring pea, and clover.
- Species: Levels of diversity. None = Fallow (i.e. 0 species), Low = 1 species, Med = 4 species, and High = 6 species.
- Species_Num: Number of individual cover crop species in each treatment.
- trt_ctrl: Whether a sample is a cover crop treatment or a control (i.e., fallow).
- Yield: Winter wheat yield in July 2022, values are kg m-2
- pH : Soil pH
- VWC: Soil volumetric water content as measured in the field at the time of sample collection. Values are the average from three separate measurements per plot.
- Temp: Soil temperature in degrees Celsius
- Bulk Density: Bulk density averaged across blocks as measured at the beginning of the experiment
- GVM: Soil gravimetric moisture content as measured in the lab
- WHC: Soil 100% water holding capacity
- SIR: Substrate Induced Respiration (μg CO2-C g soil-1 hour-1)
- C_mineralization: Carbon mineralization (μg CO2-C g soil-1)
- MBC: Microbial biomass carbon (mg C g soil-1)
- MBN: Microbial biomass nitrogen (mg N g soil-1)
- MBCN: Microbial biomass C to N ratio
- DOC: Dissolved organic carbon (mg g soil-1)
- TDN: Total extractable N (mg g soil-1)
- SOC: Total soil organic carbon (kg C m-2)
- TN: Total soil nitrogen (kg N m-2)
- SCN: Soil C:N ratio
- Veg_biomass: Vegetative biomass for cover crop treatments in 2019 and 2020, and winter wheat in 2022 (kg m-2)
- Initial_inorg_N: Initial (start of 28-day incubation) soil inorganic N concentration (μg g soil-1)
- Final_inorg_N: Final (end of 28-day incubation) soil inorganic N concentration (μg g soil-1)
- Nitrification: Potential soil nitrification (ug NO3- g soil-1) determined after a 28-day soil incubation as the difference between initial and final inorganic N concentrations
- N_mineralization: Potential soil mineralization (μg NH4+ g soil-1) determined after a 28-day soil incubation as the difference between initial and final inorganic N concentrations
- Nitrification_Nmineralization: Ratio of nitrification to N-mineralization
File: DRYAD_JAE_data_outliersremoved_20260815.csv
Description: Data with outlier values removed
Variables
- SimpleID: A simple numerical ID assigned to each sample
- BarcodeSequence: DNA barcode sequence associated with individual samples. The amplicon sequences are archived in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database (BioProject accession number: PRJNA1235280 and PRJNA1235307).
- Time: Time of sample collection (i.e., July 2019, July 2020, and July 2022)
- Crop: Cover crop treatment. For mixtures, oilseeds include sunflower and flax, grasses include oat and millet, legumes include spring pea and clover, and ‘All’ is the high diversity treatment which includes all six species of cover crops.
- Group: Cover crop functional group or functional group combination. Oilseed Grass: Sunflower, flax, oat, and millet; Oilseed Legume: Sunflower, flax, spring pea, and clover; Grass Legume: Oat, millet, spring pea, and clover; All: Sunflower, flax, oat, millet, spring pea, and clover.
- Species: Levels of diversity. None = Fallow (i.e. 0 species), Low = 1 species, Med = 4 species, and High = 6 species.
- Species_Num: Number of individual cover crop species in each treatment.
- trt_ctrl: Whether a sample is a cover crop treatment or a control (i.e., fallow).
- Yield: Winter wheat yield in July 2022, values are kg m-2
- pH : Soil pH
- VWC: Soil volumetric water content as measured in the field at the time of sample collection. Values are the average from three separate measurements per plot.
- Temp: Soil temperature in degrees Celsius
- Bulk Density: Bulk density averaged across blocks as measured at the beginning of the experiment
- GVM: Soil gravimetric moisture content as measured in the lab
- WHC: Soil 100% water holding capacity
- SIR: Substrate Induced Respiration (μg CO2-C g soil-1 hour-1)
- C_mineralization: Carbon mineralization (μg CO2-C g soil-1)
- MBC: Microbial biomass carbon (mg C g soil-1)
- MBN: Microbial biomass nitrogen (mg N g soil-1)
- MBCN: Microbial biomass C to N ratio
- DOC: Dissolved organic carbon (mg g soil-1)
- TDN: Total extractable N (mg g soil-1)
- SOC: Total soil organic carbon (kg C m-2)
- TN: Total soil nitrogen (kg N m-2)
- SCN: Soil C:N ratio
- Veg_biomass: Vegetative biomass for cover crop treatments in 2019 and 2020, and winter wheat in 2022 (kg m-2)
- Initial_inorg_N: Initial (start of 28-day incubation) soil inorganic N concentration (μg g soil-1)
- Final_inorg_N: Final (end of 28-day incubation) soil inorganic N concentration (μg g soil-1)
- Nitrification: Potential soil nitrification (ug NO3- g soil-1) determined after a 28-day soil incubation as the difference between initial and final inorganic N concentrations
- N_mineralization: Potential soil mineralization (μg NH4+ g soil-1) determined after a 28-day soil incubation as the difference between initial and final inorganic N concentrations
- Nitrification_Nmineralization: Ratio of nitrification to N-mineralization
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- Amplicon sequences are archived in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database (BioProject accession number: PRJNA1235280 and PRJNA123530).
Data was derived from the following sources:
- This project: Cover crop composition, not diversity, drives agroecosystem multifunctionality and wheat yield