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- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(författare)
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TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
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| 2. |
- Walton, Lois, et al.
(författare)
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Digital Dance for People With Parkinson's Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Feasibility Study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Neurology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-2295. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Dance as a treatment to support physical, cognitive and emotional functioning, has gained increased acceptance as a healthcare intervention for people with Parkinson's Disease (PD). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been far reaching with devastating effects for at-risk populations. To find alternative and safe treatment delivery options during the pandemic has been of utmost importance. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the feasibility and the experience of digital dance for people with PD (Dance for PD©) and to examine change in self-reported quality of life, psychological health, subjective cognitive complaints and mental fatigue.Methods: 23 participants with PD (mean age 70) partook in 10-h weekly digital Dance for PD sessions. Feasibility outcome measures were assessed at post-test. Web-based questionnaires examining quality of life, subjective memory complaints, depression, anxiety and mental fatigue were administered at pre- and post-test. Moreover, nine participants partook in focus group discussions at post-test.Results: The results showed an acceptable feasibility to home-based digital Dance for PD, where 86% of the dance classes were completed, only minor negative side effects were reported (i.e., sore joints), and all experienced the dance classes as motivating and safe to do at home. The majority also reported positive effects on mood and physical functioning. The results from the questionnaires showed significant improvements in depressive symptoms (p = 0.006) and quality of life (p < 0.001) at post-test. In the focus groups, participants indicated that digital dance was a beneficial and enjoyable activity with a strong added value during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, they experienced that digital dance missed some important elements of live dance.Conclusions: This study showed that digital Dance for PD is feasible and holds promise as a viable and safe method to keep people with PD dancing even when physical meetings are not possible. Beyond the pandemic, digital dance could be applied to a wide variety of patient groups including rural populations and patients for whom transportation may not be feasible for practical or financial reasons.Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on 25/06/2021 with the following registration number: NCT04942392.
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