DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8931zcs2t
title: Multispecies grasslands produce more yield from lower nitrogen inputs across a climatic gradient

description: High-yielding forage grasslands frequently comprise low species diversity
 and receive high inputs of nitrogen fertilizer. To investigate
 multispecies mixtures as an alternative strategy, the 26-site
 international ‘LegacyNet’ experiment systematically varied the diversity
 of sown grasslands using up to six high-yielding forage species (grasses,
 legumes, and herbs), managed under moderate nitrogen inputs. Multispecies
 mixtures outyielded two widely used grassland practices: a grass
 monoculture with higher nitrogen fertilizer, and a two-species
 grass-legume community. High yields in multispecies mixtures were driven
 by strong positive grass-legume and legume-herb interactions. In warmer
 sites, the yield advantage of legume-containing multispecies mixtures over
 monocultures and the high-nitrogen grass increased. Improved design of
 grassland mixtures can inform more environmentally sustainable forage
 production and may enhance adaptation of productive grasslands to a
 warming climate.
description: # Multispecies grasslands produce more yield from lower nitrogen inputs
 across a climatic gradient Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.8931zcs2t](10.5061/dryad.8931zcs2t) ## Description of the
 data and file structure Data was collected from the grassland ley phase of
 the LegacyNet network of experiments. A 26-site consortium spanning 15
 countries with the aim of testing the benefits of multispecies grassland
 leys within crop rotations. Files description:
 OMalleyetal_analysis_data.csv - .csv file containing growing season yield
 data from all 26 sites. OMalleyetal_analysis_metadata.csv - .csv file
 containing descriptions of the variables contained in the
 OMalleyetal_data.csv file. OMalleyetal_analysis_code.sas - .sas program
 containing all the code required to read in the data and fit the model.
 OMalleyetal_Data_S1.xlsx - .xlsx file containing site information from the
 experimental ley at the 26 sites ("Data" sheet) and metadata
 ("Metadata" sheet). #### Files and variables **File:
 OMalleyetal_analysis_code.sas** **Description:** .sas program containing
 all the code required to read in the data and fit the model in the
 manuscript "Multispecies grasslands: more yield from lower nitrogen
 inputs across an environmental gradient".  The SAS program was
 written in SAS for Windows version 9.4 (SAS software copyright © 2020 SAS
 Institute Inc.). Steps to run the code and reproduce the modelling
 results: 1. Download and save the data file
 "OMalleyetal_analysis_data.csv". 2. In PROC IMPORT replace the
 "Path to file" text with the path to the saved data file
 "OMalleyetal_analysis_data.csv". 3. Select Run -&gt; Submit to
 run the code. **File: OMalleyetal_analysis_data.csv**
 **Description:** .csv file containing growing season yield data from all
 26 sites **Variables** * Site_id: A unique identifier for each site in the
 LegacyNet experiment * Plot: Plot number * Community: Unique identifier
 for each community with the same sown proportions of species G1-H2 at the
 same nitrogen (N) application level * NHigh: 0 = plot is treated with a
 moderate level of N application. 1 = A monoculture of G1 treated with a
 high level of N application * G1: Sown proportion of grass 1 * G2: Sown
 proportion of grass 2 * L1: Sown proportion of legume 1 * L2: Sown
 proportion of legume 2 * H1: Sown proportion of herb 1 * H2: Sown
 proportion of herb 2 * GH: (G1xH1)^0.7816041^ + (G1xH2)^0.7816041^ +
 (G2xH1)^0.7816041^+ (G2xH2)^0.7816041^ * GL: (G1xL1)^0.7816041^ +
 (G1xL2)^0.7816041^ + (G2xL1)^0.7816041^+ (G2xL2)^0.7816041^ *
 HL: (H1xL1)^0.7816041^ + (H1xL2)^0.7816041^ + (H2xL1)^0.7816041^ +
 (H2xL2)^0.7816041^ * GG: (G1xG2)^0.7816041^ * HH: (H1xH2)^0.7816041^ *
 LL: (L1xL2)^0.7816041^ * t_c: Mean daily temperature centered across sites
 * Yield: Total yield for each plot annualised to one full growing season
 in tonnes per hectare per growing season **File:
 OMalleyetal_analysis_data_metadata.csv** **Description:** .csv file
 containing descriptions of the variables contained in the
 OMalleyetal_analysis_data.csv file **File: OMalleyetal_Data_S1.xlsx**
 **Description:** .xlsx file containing detailed site information
 ("Data" sheet) and metadata ("Metadata" sheet). **Data
 sheet variables:** * Site_id: A unique identifier for each site in the
 LegacyNet experiment * Country: Name of the country where the site was
 located * Lat: Latitude in decimal degrees of the location of the site *
 Long: Longitude in decimal degrees of the location of the site * G1: Grass
 1 species name where *L. perenne - Lolium perenne, P. pratense - Phleum
 pratense, B. inermis - Bromus inermis, F. krasanii - Festulolium krasanii*
 * G2: Grass 2 species name where *L. perenne - Lolium perenne, P. pratense
 - Phleum pratense, F. arundinacea - Festuca arundinacea, E. dahuricus -
 Elymus dahuricus, D. glomerata - Dactylis glomerata* * L1: Legume 1
 species name where *T. pratense - Trifolium pratense, O. viciifolia -
 Onobrychis viciifolia, L. corniculatus - Lotus corniculatus* * L2: Legume
 2 species name where *T. repens - Trifolium repens, M. sativa - Medicago
 sativa, L. corniculatus - Lotus corniculatus* * H1: Herb 1 species name
 where *C. intybus - Cichorium intybus, S. divaricata - Saposhnikovia
 divaricata* * H2: Herb 2 species name where *P. lanceolata - Plantago
 lanceolata, S. divaricata - Saposhnikovia divaricata, P. asiatica -
 Plantago asiatica* * Sow_date: Sowing date of the experimental ley *
 Duration: Duration of the experimental ley in months * HarvestN: Total
 number of harvests conducted during the experimental ley * N_mod: Moderate
 N rate applied to plots in kg per hectare per annum * N_high: High N rate
 applied to plots in kg per hectare per annum * Av_temp: Mean daily
 temperature in degrees Celsius across the ley period (from the date of
 establishment to the final harvest)  * Av_precip: Mean daily precipitation
 in millimetres across the ley period (from the date of establishment to
 the final harvest)