Plant diversity data following utility-scale solar energy development in the Mojave Desert, 2023-2024

These data were compiled to document changes to plant community composition following large-scale energy development. The objective of our study was to evaluate plant diversity responses to energy development at multiple scales, and to compare plant diversity within solar panel microsites. These data were collected between 2023 and 2024 in the Mojave Desert, approximately 50 km northeast of Las Vegas, NV (36°28'N, 114°45'W) on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey by field observation for the BLM. These data can be used to explore patterns of plant diversity across scales and within microsites at a large solar facility.