Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, calcium ions, total phosphorus, total suspended solids, and chlorophyll-a were measured monthly from May 2006 until August 2013 in the water column of six gravel pit shallow lakes (Beeston, Church, Clifton, Coneries, Tween, and Main) located at the Attenborough Nature Reserve, UK (52.883, -1.233). Temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH were measured at 0.5 m depth using a YSI 600QS-O-M multiparameter attached to a 650MDS data logger during the daytime (09:00-17:00). The remaining parameters were quantified in depth-integrated water samples. Total phosphorus was measured via a standard colorimetric technique, and calcium ions were measured via ion chromatography following filtration through a pre-weighted Whatman GF/C filter paper (1.2 μm pore size). Total suspended solids were quantified by weighing after filtration, and chlorophyll-a was measured by spectrophotometric analysis. See all the details in Cross et al. 2014.