Invertebrate Herbivory Across a Natural Soil Temperature Gradient in Iceland

Environmental and herbivory data from 14 experimental soil plots in Iceland's Hengill valley, sampled from May to July 2017. The plots span a natural soil temperature gradient averaging 5-35 °C while sharing similar soil moisture, pH, and nutrient levels.

Use Cases

• Analyze relationships between soil temperature gradient and community-level invertebrate herbivory.
• Model species-level herbivory responses to environmental variables like soil moisture and pH.
• Investigate trophic interactions by correlating vegetation cover data with measured herbivory.
• Study invertebrate community dynamics across a controlled natural temperature experiment.

Strengths

• Data from 14 distinct experimental plots providing spatial replication.
• Sampling occurred across a defined 3-month period from May to July 2017.
• Plots span a significant temperature gradient (5-35 °C average) within a 1 km area.
• Environmental controls (soil moisture, pH, nutrients) are similar across plots, isolating temperature effects.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to 14 plots, which may constrain statistical power for complex models.
• Data is from a single geographic location (Hengill valley, Iceland) and one summer season, limiting generalizability.
• Specific column names, row counts, and data granularity (e.g., individual species counts) are not provided in the input.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre

Collection Method

Sampling at experimental soil plots in a natural geothermal gradient.

Time Range

May to July 2017

Freshness

null

Geography

Hengill geothermal valley, Iceland