This dataset contains potential activities of soil extra cellular enzyme measured from soil samples from the Phosphorus Limitation And ecosystem responses to Carbon dioxide Enrichment (PLACE). The enzyme activities measured are 1,4-β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, N-acetyl β-D-glucosaminidase, leucine aminopeptidase, and acid phosphatase. Soil samples were collected in Autumn 2018 and analysed in the laboratory at Wageningen University. The experimental design uses 35 cm x 35 cm turf mesocosms from a long term nutrient manipulation experiment. The original experiment is based at Wardlow Hay Cop in the Peak District, UK. Two adjacent P-limited grass lands on a limestone/ calcareous soil and an acidic soil have had nutrient manipulated for more than 20 years. In 2018 these mesocosms were exposed to either ambient CO2 (ca. 410 ppm) or 600 ppm.

All data were generated by the authors. Enzyme analyses were conducted in triplicate (technical replication) and activities of unknown samples were calculated in reference to known substrate standards. All calculations were checked for errors prior to acceptance.