Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bcc2fqzt1

Description of the data and file structure

This dataset includes microclimate, vegetation and soil data from an ongoing study of agrivoltaic systems in the Southeastern United States. Data collection began in April 2023. Baseline soil samples were collected in April 2023 & April 2024. Vegetation samples were collected throughout the 2023 and 2024 growing season (~March through November). Microclimate data was collected continuously from April 2023 to 2025. There are three treatment areas: mowed + PV (M), sheep grazed + PV (G) and grazed without PV (R). Within the array, data is collected across distinct micro-zones relative to the PV modules. Throughout the following data files, micro-zones are abbreviated as follows:

U – under

W – western drip edge

W-tilt – edge of the western drip edge closest to Under (defined where panel is fully tilted)

W-stow – edge of the western drip edge closest to Between (defined where panel is stowed at horizontal)

B – between

E – eastern drip edge

E-tilt – edge of the eastern drip edge closest to Under (defined where panel is fully tilted)

E-stow – edge of the eastern drip edge closest to Between (defined where panel is stowed at horizontal)

Files and variables

Bancroft_Precipitation_2023-25.csv - Daily precipitation (mm) by micro-zone. Measured within PV array at canopy-level with METER group ATMOS 41.

Bancroft_SoilMoistureTemperature_2023-25.csv - Daily mean soil moisture (column title: WC) (cm3/cm3) and temperature (column title: temp) (C) values, averaged from 15-minute data. Data are presented by treatment (grazed (G), mowed (M), reference (R)), plot number, depth, and micro-zone. Data is collected using TEROS 11 soil moisture and temperature sensors from METER group.

Bancroft_SolarRadiation_2023-25.csv - Daily 15-minute solar radiation data (W/m2). Data by micro-zone (measured within PV array at canopy-level with METER group ATMOS 41, and on flux tower).

BancroftBaseline23_SoilSummaryData.csv - Soils data by treatment, zone, and depth, including: total_rocks_g - total rock mass > 2mm in sample, in grams; dry_soil_g - total oven dry soil mass (g); bulk_density_gcm3 - soil bulk density calculated from dry soil mass and core volume, g/cm3; C_percent - soil carbon concentration (%), from elemental analyzer; N_percent - soil nitrogen concentration (%), from elemental analyzer; CN - carbon to nitrogen ratio, calculate from carbon and nitrogen concentrations; pH - soil pH; Clay_per - soil texture clay composition (%); Sand_per - soil texture sand composition (%); rootC_g - root carbon mass (g), based on ash-free dry matter of root mass >2mm sieved from soil sample; rootC_kg/ha - root carbon stocks (kg/ha) calculated from root carbon mass.

CTFS23-24_Biomass.csv - Biomass data for each sampling date by treatment, plot, and zone. “pre_post” indicates whether the sampling was pre or post management event (i.e. pre or post grazing/mowing). “B” in the pre_post column indicates the initial baseline sampling that was done in April 2023 when the experimental treatments were established. bio_gm2 - total above ground standing biomass (g/m2), based on dried mass of sample clipped to ground level in a 0.25 m2 quadrant.

CTFS23-24_Litter.csv - Litter data for each sampling date (g/m2). “pre_post” indicates whether the sampling was pre or post management event (i.e. pre or post grazing/mowing). “B” in the pre_post column indicates the initial baseline sampling that was done in April 2023 when the experimental treatments were established.  lit_gm2 - plant litter mass (g/m2), based on dried plant litter material collected from soil surface in a 0.25 m2 quadrant.

CTFS23-24PlotANPP.csv - Above ground net primary productivity (g/m2) by plot and zone for the grazed and mowed treatments from 2023 and 2024. Columns include treatment (G = grazed, M = mowed), plot (numeric id, 9 randomly located plots per treatment), year (2023 or 2024), pre1 (standing biomass, g/m2 at the first sampling point of the season), rg1 through rg4 (biomass regrowth (g/m2) between sampling events. Some plots were sampled fewer times than others, in which case the value is 0), and anpp, which is the sum of pre1 and all of the rg values, in g/m2. 

FunctionalGroups2023-2025.csv - Mean functional group cover (%) by treatment for 2023-2025. Data averaged over all plots within a treatment and zone. Functional groups include: annual forbs, annual grasses, bare ground, legumes, perennial cool season (C3) and perennial warm season (C4) grasses. Values were estimated using the Daubenmire method with a 0.25 m2 quadrant. Data was collected in April of each year. Zone for the reference site is listed as "X" since outside of the array, micro-zones do not apply.

Grazed_ver06_US_GA_002_2023-05-10_2025-10-16.csv and Mown_ver06_US_GA_003_2023-05-10_2025-10-16.csv - Half hourly readings of weather variables and carbon flux data of eddy covariance tower at grazed and mowed sites, respectively. Each treatment site covered approximately 12 hectares and was centered around an eddy covariance (EC) flux tower (height of 6.73 m) equipped with a sonic anemometer (Gill Windmaster), a gas sampling enclosure (Quanterra’s Vaisala QTS100), a weather station (Vaisala WXT535), and a four-component radiometer (Hukseflux NR01), a soil heat flux plate (Hukseflux HFP01) and soil moisture/temperature sensor (Meter Teros11). Each treatment site was bounded approximately by the 80th percentile of the flux footprint.

Code/software

Data can be viewed with any free csv editor.