Soil and plant properties in a mesocosm experiment exposed to both new and aged plastic mulch film
https://doi.org/10.5285/c2d4f068-e6bb-4613-8c43-e96b0aae25e8
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This dataset comprises observations from treatments comparing conventional (LDPE) and biodegradable (PLA/PBAT) plastic mulch films in both new and field-weathered conditions. The dataset was generated from a controlled mesocosm experiment designed by researchers to investigate the effects of plastic mulch films on soil and plant systems. The data were collected during the experimental period and include measurements of soil properties, plant growth, nitrogen dynamics, greenhouse gas emissions, and microbial activity.
Plastic materials were applied to soil at three concentrations (0.05%, 0.5%, and 1.5% w/w) and as realistic size mixtures of macro-, meso-, and microplastic fractions (1:1:1). The experiment was conducted using radish (Raphanus sativus L.) grown under controlled mesocosm conditions.
Data were collected through a combination of soil sampling, plant measurements, and laboratory analyses. These include soil physicochemical properties (e.g. bulk density, moisture), plant biomass and nutrient uptake (including ¹⁵N fertiliser partitioning), greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. N₂O, CO₂), and indicators of microbial activity. The dataset captures responses across different plastic types, degradation states, and concentrations, providing a structured comparison of their effects under controlled conditions.
Further methodological details and experimental procedures are provided in the lineage field and the supporting documentation.
Plastic materials were applied to soil at three concentrations (0.05%, 0.5%, and 1.5% w/w) and as realistic size mixtures of macro-, meso-, and microplastic fractions (1:1:1). The experiment was conducted using radish (Raphanus sativus L.) grown under controlled mesocosm conditions.
Data were collected through a combination of soil sampling, plant measurements, and laboratory analyses. These include soil physicochemical properties (e.g. bulk density, moisture), plant biomass and nutrient uptake (including ¹⁵N fertiliser partitioning), greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. N₂O, CO₂), and indicators of microbial activity. The dataset captures responses across different plastic types, degradation states, and concentrations, providing a structured comparison of their effects under controlled conditions.
Further methodological details and experimental procedures are provided in the lineage field and the supporting documentation.
Publication date: 2026-05-06
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Format
Comma-separated values (CSV)
Spatial information
Study area
Spatial representation type
Tabular (text)
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
Provenance & quality
Plant:
- Biomass (root, bulb, shoot): Dry biomass weighed on 2-decimal scale. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel file, exported as csv.
- Height: Measured using measuring tape. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel file, exported as csv.
- Leaf chlorophyll content: Recorded using a SPAD meter. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel, exported as csv.
- C, N, P, K, S concentration: Measured using CN analyser and TXRF spectroscopy. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- 15N retention: Measured using CN analyser. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
Soil:
- pH and electrical conductivity: Measured using standard electrodes in a 1:2.5 soil:distilled water solution. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel file, exported as csv.
- Nutrients (ammonium, nitrate, phosphate, DOC): Measured using colorimetric methods on a 1:5 soil: 0.5 M K2SO4 (NH4, NO3) or 0.5M acetic acid (PO4) extracts. DOC determined using TOC analyser on a 1:5 0.5M K2SO4 extract. Data exported as Excel files, exported as csv.
- Cumulative N2O emissions: Data analysed using gas chromatography, exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- Cumulative 14CO2 respiration: Analysed using scintillation counter, data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- C, N, P, K, S concentration: Measured using CN analyser and TXRF spectroscopy. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- 15N retention: Measured using CN analyser. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
Plastic:
- FTIR spectra: Measured using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Data exported as csv.
- Biomass (root, bulb, shoot): Dry biomass weighed on 2-decimal scale. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel file, exported as csv.
- Height: Measured using measuring tape. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel file, exported as csv.
- Leaf chlorophyll content: Recorded using a SPAD meter. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel, exported as csv.
- C, N, P, K, S concentration: Measured using CN analyser and TXRF spectroscopy. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- 15N retention: Measured using CN analyser. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
Soil:
- pH and electrical conductivity: Measured using standard electrodes in a 1:2.5 soil:distilled water solution. Data recorded in paper notebook, transferred to Excel file, exported as csv.
- Nutrients (ammonium, nitrate, phosphate, DOC): Measured using colorimetric methods on a 1:5 soil: 0.5 M K2SO4 (NH4, NO3) or 0.5M acetic acid (PO4) extracts. DOC determined using TOC analyser on a 1:5 0.5M K2SO4 extract. Data exported as Excel files, exported as csv.
- Cumulative N2O emissions: Data analysed using gas chromatography, exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- Cumulative 14CO2 respiration: Analysed using scintillation counter, data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- C, N, P, K, S concentration: Measured using CN analyser and TXRF spectroscopy. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
- 15N retention: Measured using CN analyser. Data exported as Excel file, exported as csv.
Plastic:
- FTIR spectra: Measured using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Data exported as csv.
Licensing and constraints
This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence 
Cite this dataset as:
Graf, M.; Chadwick, D.R.; Jones, D.L. (2026). Soil and plant properties in a mesocosm experiment exposed to both new and aged plastic mulch film. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/c2d4f068-e6bb-4613-8c43-e96b0aae25e8
Correspondence/contact details
Other contacts
Publisher
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Rights holder
Bangor University