Prairie Biomass Chemistry and Biomethane Potential, Iowa and Missouri, 2023–2024

This dataset contains compositional and biochemical measurements of prairie biomass collected to evaluate the native grassland species as feedstocks for anaerobic digestion. Biomass from 14 prairie species, including grasses and forbs, was sampled from three sites in Iowa and Missouri across two harvest periods (summer and fall). The dataset includes results from biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays, elemental analysis, extractives analysis using water and ethanol solvents, and lignin and structural carbohydrate characterization. Together, these data quantify differences in biomass chemistry and methane yield across species, plant functional groups, harvest timing, and location. The dataset supports comparative analyses of prairie biomass quality, evaluation of trade‑offs between bioenergy performance and ecological diversity, and policy‑relevant metrics such as adjusted cellulosic content used in renewable fuel standards.