This dataset was acquired as part of a NERC-funded Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) PhD Studentship at the University of Leicester and British Geological Survey between 2014-2018 [grant no. NE/L002493/1] (see also Emmings, 2018 unpublished PhD thesis). This research was conducted within the Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA) consortium. This dataset accompanies a manuscript titled "Late Palaeozoic Phytoplankton Blackout: A 100 Myr Record of Enhanced Primary Productivity". Co-authors and co-workers were: Joseph F. Emmings (University of Leicester, British Geological Survey); Sarah J. Davies (University of Leicester); Simon W. Poulton (University of Leeds); Michael H. Stephenson (British Geological Survey); Gawen R. T. Jenkin (University of Leicester); Christopher H. Vane (British Geological Survey); Melanie J. Leng (British Geological Survey, University of Nottingham) and Vicky Moss-Hayes (British Geological Survey). Nick Riley (Carboniferous Ltd) is thanked for sharing biostratigraphic expertise and assistance. Nick Marsh and Tom Knott are thanked for providing assistance during geochemical analyses. This dataset contains the following data (in Microsoft Excel format). 1) Fe species abundance data measured at the University of Leeds using the sequential extraction method of Poulton and Canfield (2005) and pyrite S extraction method of Canfield et al., (1986); 2) Total Fe, Si, Mn and Al major element concentrations (measured using x-ray fluorescence at the University of Leicester; XRF); 3) Total organic carbon (TOC) and inorganic C (MINC) data measured via Rock-Eval pyrolysis at the British Geological Survey; 4) Cu, Mo and U trace element concentration data (measured via XRF at the University of Leicester) and enrichment factors relative to Post-Archaean Average Shale (PAAS; Taylor and McLennan, 1985). Analyses were coupled on 99 sample powders from three positions in the Craven Basin and spanning ammonoid biozones P2c-d to E1c1. See also http://dx.doi.org/10.5285/9ceadcad-a93c-4bab-8ca1-07b0de2c5ed0 for additional sedimentological and geochemical data from Hind Clough, MHD4 and Cominco S9. These data were also interpreted together with 20 drill-core samples previously acquired from Hind Clough (‘HC01’ prefix). See http://dx.doi.org/10.5285/c39a32b2-1a30-4426-8389-2fae21ec60ad for further information regarding this drill-core dataset. References: Emmings, J. 2018. Controls on UK Lower Namurian Shale Gas Prospectivity: Understanding the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Organic Matter in Siliciclastic Mudstones. Unpublished PhD Thesis. University of Leicester. Poulton, S. W. & Canfield, D. E. 2005. Development of a sequential extraction procedure for iron: implications for iron partitioning in continentally derived particulates. Chemical Geology 214, 209-221, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2004.09.003. Canfield D., Raiswell R., Westrich J., Reaves CM, Berner RA. 1986. The use of chromium reduction in the analysis of reduced inorganic sulfur in sediments and shales. Chemical Geology, 54(1): 149-155. Taylor S, McLennan S. 1985. The Continental Crust: Its Composition and Evolution. Blackwell Scientific: London.

4 tables, and accompanying references, from paper entitled ‘Increased biomass and carbon burial 2 billion years ago triggered mountain building’. Tables record orogen depositional ages, deformation ages, Total Organic Carbon contents and organic carbon isotope compositions, for 20 orogens of Palaeoproterozoic age.

Terrestrial palaeo-environmental proxy data has been collected to examine orbital changes in wildfire activity in the Early Jurassic of the Mochras Borehole, Cardigan Bay Basin, Wales. To do this a high resolution charcoal abundance dataset was created and quantified in two size fractions, microscopic charcoal (10-125 µ) and macroscopic charcoal (>125 µ). To take potential changes in riverine influx and/or organic preservation in account on the charcoal abundance, palynofacies were analysed to document all terrestrial and marine organic particles present in the samples, and next to this, X-ray fluorescence data was gathered to assess detrital output. Mass spectrometry provided information on the carbonate and Total Organic Carbon content and bulk organic carbon isotopes. This information was used to look at changes in the lithology and the carbon cycle. Finally, clay mineralogical data was obtained to look at changes in the hydrological cycle in relation to wildfire activity. This dataset spans 951-934 mbs from the Mochras borehole, which is the time equivalent of ~350 kyr, in the Margaritatus Zone of the Upper Pliensbachian. The Mochras sediments have been deposited in the Cardigan Bay Basin, Wales. At the time of deposition, this location was positioned in the Laurasian Seaway at a paleolatitude of ~35°N. These datasets were obtained at a high resolution (10 cm) using X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, mass spectrometry and palynological preparations. This high resolution was acquired to analyse the presence of precessional orbital forcing on wildfire and the other proxy datasets. This data was collected, interpreted and analysed by Teuntje Hollaar, Claire Belcher, Stephen Hesselbo, Micha Ruhl, Jean-Franҫois Deconinck, Sarah Jane Baker and Luke Mander. The complete dataset presented in the published article file ‘Wildfire activity enhanced during phases of maximum orbital eccentricity and precessional forcing in the Early Jurassic’ has been included in this data file.

Concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC), total petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in 84 near-surface soils (5-20 cm depth) taken from a 255 km2 area of Glasgow in the Clyde Basin, UK, during July 2011. Total petroleum hydrocarbon ranged from 79-2,505 mg kg-1 (mean 388 mg kg-1; median 272 mg kg-1) of which the aromatic fraction was 13-74 % (mean 44 %, median 43 %) and saturates were 28-87 % (mean 56 %, median 57 %). Σ16 PAH varied from 2-653 mg kg-1 (mean 32.4 mg kg-1; median 12.5mg kg-1) and Σ31 PAH range was 2.47-852 mg kg-1 (mean 45.4 mg kg-1; median 19.0 mg kg-1). PCB tri-hepta range was 2.2-1052 mg kg-1 (mean 32.4 mg kg-1; median 12.7 mg kg-1) and the ΣPCB7 was 0.3-344 mg kg-1 (mean 9.8 mg kg-1; median 2.7 mg kg-1). This data is associated with the published research paper https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755691018000324 Kim, A.W., Vane, C.H., Moss-Hayes, V. Berriro, D.B., Fordyce, F., Everrett, P. Nathanail, P.C. 2018. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in urban soils of Glasgow, UK. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 108, 2-3, 231-248.