Data from: Modest enhancements to conventional grassland diversity improve the provision of pollination services

1. Grassland for livestock production is a major form of land use throughout Europe and its intensive management threatens biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in agricultural landscapes. Modest increases to conventional grassland biodiversity could have considerable positive impacts on the provision of ecosystem services, such as pollination, to surrounding habitats. 2. Using a field-scale experiment in which grassland seed mixes and sward management were manipulated, complemented by surveys on working farms and phytometer experiments, the impact of conventional grassland diversity and management on the functional diversity and ecosystem service provision of pollinator communities were investigated. 3. Increasing plant richness, by the addition of both legumes and forbs, was associated with significant enhancements in the functional diversity of grassland pollinator communities. This was associated with increased temporal stability of flower–visitor interactions at the community-level. Visitation networks revealed pasture species Taraxacum sp. (Wigg.) and Cirsium arvense (Scop.) to have the highest pollinator visitation frequency and richness. 4. Increased sward richness was associated with an increase in the pollination of two phytometer species; Fragaria × ananassa and Silene dioica, but not Vicia faba. Enhanced functional diversity, richness and abundance of the pollinator communities associated with more diverse neighbouring pastures were found to be potential mechanisms for improved pollination. 5. Synthesis and applications. A modest increase in conventional grassland plant diversity with legumes and forbs, achievable with the expertise and resources available to most grassland farmers, could enhance pollinator functional diversity, richness and abundance. Moreover, our results suggest that this could improve pollination services and consequently surrounding crop yields (e.g. strawberry) in agro-ecosystems.,Field experiment plant-pollinator data 20112011 pollinator survey data from the field experiment (North Wyke Wide-scale Enhancement of Biodiversity Project) including dates, grassland plot treatments, survey times, plant species and the associated visiting pollinator species. Each row shows a plant-pollinator interaction.Field experiment poll data 2011.xlsxFarm pollinator data 20122012 grassland pollinator survey data across 10 farms (20 fields). Each row shows a plant-pollinator interaction surveyed on the fields of each farm.Farm poll data 2012.xlsxFarm plant data 20122012 grassland plant survey data (species level) across 10 farms (20 fields). Transect monitoring.Farm plant-pollinator data 20132013 pollinator survey data (species level) across 10 farms (one field per farm). Each row represents a plant-pollinator interaction.Farm poll data 2013.xlsxFarm plant survey data 20132013 grassland plant survey data (species level) across 10 farms (one field per farm). Transect monitoring.Farm plant data 2013.xlsxVicia faba seed count and weight (phytometer experiment)Phytometer experiment measuring pollination of bean plants via seed set in relation to the adjacent grassland.Bean seed count and weight.xlsxFragaria × ananassa fruit class and weight (phytometer experiment)Phytometer experiment measuring pollination of Fragaria × ananassa plants via fruit class and weight in relation to the adjacent grassland.Strawberry fruit class and weight.xlsxSilene dioica seed count (phytometer experiment)Phytometer experiment measuring pollination of Silene dioica plants via seed set in relation to the adjacent grassland.Red campion seed number.xlsx,