Data for Crumb rubber microplastics alter soil water dynamics and plant biomass allocation in soybeans

This dataset supports a greenhouse experiment examining the effects of crumb rubber, a recycled tire product commonly used in artificial turf fields, on soil and plant function. Soybeans (Glycine max) were grown in soils containing increasing proportions of crumb rubber (0%, 16.6%, 33.3%, and 50% by weight). Measured variables include germination, plant height, chlorophyll content, soil respiration, biomass production, water loss, root allocation, and elemental composition of soils and plant tissues over a 21-day growth period. The dataset also includes zinc concentrations in soils and plant tissues across the crumb rubber gradient. These data were used to assess how crumb rubber influences plant performance, soil function, water dynamics, and trace metal accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems.