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- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(author)
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TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
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In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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. |
- Falster, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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AusTraits, a curated plant trait database for the Australian flora
- 2021
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In: Scientific Data. - : Nature Portfolio. - 2052-4463. ; 8:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We introduce the AusTraits database - a compilation of values of plant traits for taxa in the Australian flora (hereafter AusTraits). AusTraits synthesises data on 448 traits across 28,640 taxa from field campaigns, published literature, taxonomic monographs, and individual taxon descriptions. Traits vary in scope from physiological measures of performance (e.g. photosynthetic gas exchange, water-use efficiency) to morphological attributes (e.g. leaf area, seed mass, plant height) which link to aspects of ecological variation. AusTraits contains curated and harmonised individual- and species-level measurements coupled to, where available, contextual information on site properties and experimental conditions. This article provides information on version 3.0.2 of AusTraits which contains data for 997,808 trait-by-taxon combinations. We envision AusTraits as an ongoing collaborative initiative for easily archiving and sharing trait data, which also provides a template for other national or regional initiatives globally to fill persistent gaps in trait knowledge.
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3. |
- Wenk, Elizabeth Hedi, et al.
(author)
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Investment in reproduction for 14 iteroparous perennials is large and associated with other life-history and functional traits
- 2018
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In: Journal of Ecology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0022-0477 .- 1365-2745. ; 106:4, s. 1338-1348
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1. While theoretical models predict reproductive allocation (RA) should approach 100% of available energy as a plant ages, available empirical data suggest much lower RA values in perennial plants. In this study, we have two aims. First, we assess whether the discrepancy between theory and data arises from methodological differences in how growth and RA are calculated. Specifically, we hypothesize RA in older plants is large when compared to growth in leaf area, that is, after excluding turnover of stem and leaf tissues. Second, we hypothesize that species with cheap tissues or those that are shorter reach RA = 0.5 at a younger age.2. We measured investment in leaf, stem and reproduction on individuals from 14 co-occurring woody perennial iteroparous species. A fire chronosequence allowed us to use a space-for-time substitution to estimate RA schedules for each species, simultaneously measuring reproductive and vegetative production on individuals differing in age.3. For most (11 of 14) species, we found RA eventually reached 100% of available energy, with another two species reaching at least 80%. Increases in RA were associated with a decline in growth of leaf area. Comparing species, we found that species with cheap leaves reached RA = 0.5 sooner (they could be called fast-living), whereas delayed maturation and slower increases in RA were associated with greater maximum height.4. Synthesis. Explicitly accounting for the cost of leaf replacement leads to the high estimates of reproductive allocation in perennial plants predicted by theoretical models, limiting or even halting leaf area expansion. For some species, so much energy is allocated to reproduction that leaf area declines year-upon-year for multiple growing seasons preceding death. Connecting lifetime reproductive allocation schedules with leaf area expansion, leaf life span, and plant maximum height demonstrates how reproductive allocation schedules synthesize a plant's life-history strategy, making them a valuable tool for connecting plant traits and demography.
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