TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

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

Genetic and phenotypic trends for growth traits of buffaloes in Brazil

The objectives this paper were to estimate genetic parameters and genetic and phenotypic trends of birth weight (BWT) and weights adjusted to 205 (WT205), 365 (WT365) and 550 (P550) days of age of beef buffaloes born from 1985 to 2003 in Brazil. For BWT and WT205 the model included direct and maternal genetic and maternal environment as random effects and contemporary and genetic groups as fixed effects. For WT365 and WT550 the same model was used except without direct maternal and maternal environmental effects. The genetic and phenotypic trends were estimated by regression of means of dependent variables on birth year of animals. Regressions were obtained by using two methodologies: 1) linear regression; and 2) non-parametric splined regression. The direct heritability estimates were 0.09, 0.45, 0.46 and 0.58 for BWT, WT205, WT365 and WT550, respectively. The direct genetic trends from linear regression were 0.01, 0.23, 0.58 and 1.40 kg per year for PN, WT205, WT365 and WT550, respectively (P<0.001 for all). Phenotypic trends were strongly positive while genetic trends were consistently positive but small. Genetic parameters indicate potential for increased rate of genetic change with full implementation of genetic improvement programs

Univariate and bivariate distribution of growth traits in beef buffaloes from Brazil

The aim of this study was to analyze the weight at birth (BW) and adjusted at 205 (W205), 365 (W365) and 550 (W55O) days in beef buffaloes from Brazil, using two approaches: parametric, by normal distribution, and non-parametric, by kernel function, and thus estimating the genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlation among traits. Information of 5,169 animals at birth (BW), 3,792 at 205 days (W205), 3.883 at 365 days (W365) and 1,524 at 550 days of age (W550) were used. The birth weight distribution presented an evident discrepancy in relation to the normal distribution. However, W205, W365 and W550 presented normal distributions. The birth weight presented weak genetic, environmental, and phenotypic associations with the other weight measurements. On the other hand, the weight traits at 205, 365, 550 days of age showed a high genetic correlation

Genetic and environmental effects over milk production of buffalo cows in Brazil

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the relevance of environmental and genetics effects on milk production of buffalo cows in Brazil. The data were based on the Buffalo Genetic Improvement Program - PROMEBUL, using information of 1,911 cows (107 Jafarabadi, 101 Mediterranean, 1,056 Murrah and 647 crossbred females) with parturition between 1982 and 2003. The mathematic model for evaluating milk production included the fixed effects of herd, parturition year (1982 to 2003) and month (January to December), calf&rsquo;s sex (male or female), genetic group (Jafarabadi, Mediterranean, Murrah, and crossbreed), number of milking (one or two), lactation order (1 to 12) and duration of lactation (as a linear effect). The mean milk production in herds was 1,590.36 &plusmn; 609.25 kg. All sources of variation were significant (P<0.05) for the studied characteristics, except calf&rsquo;s sex. The mean milk production per genetic group was 1,651.4; 1,592.2; 1,578.3 and 1,135.5 kg, for Murrah, Mediterranean, Crossbred and Jafarabadi, respectively. The duration of lactation was the most important source of variation over milk production, followed by the year of parturition, herd, parturition order, genetic group and month of parturition

Efeito da inclusão da covariância genética aditiva direta-materna no modelo de análise sobre a magnitude das estimativas de parâmetros e valores genéticos preditos para ganho de peso na raça Brangus Effect of genetic direct-maternal covariance inclusion in the model of analizys on the estimate of parameters and predicted genetic values for weight gain in Brangus breed

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o efeito da inclusão da covariância entre o efeito genético aditivo direto e o materno (covd-m) no modelo de análise, sobre o valor das estimativas de parâmetros genéticos e de valores genéticos preditos (VG) para ganho médio diário do nascimento à desmama (GMDND) e da desmama ao sobreano (GMDDS), na raça Brangus (5/8 Angus x 3/8 Nelore). Foram analizados 28.949 registros de desempenho para GMDND e 11.884 para GMDDS, coletados no período entre 1986 e 2002. Os componentes de (co)variância foram obtidos pelo método REML. Para GMDND, foi utilizado um modelo animal que considerou como aleatórios o efeito, genético aditivo direto, o materno e o residual, e como fixos os efeitos de grupo de contemporâneos à desmama (Gc²05) e da interação fração gênica Nelore-Angus do touro e da vaca (FGNA), além das covariáveis idade da vaca ao parto (ID) e idade do bezerro à desmama. Para GMDDS, o modelo foi o mesmo, apenas substituindo Gc²05 por grupo de contemporâneos ao sobreano (GC550) e ID por idade ao sobreano. O ambiente permanente da vaca foi considerado como efeito aleatório em ambos os modelos. O teste da razão de verossimilhança mostrou não haver diferença significativa, em nível de 5% de probabilidade, entre os modelos adotados para ambas as características. As herdabilidades diretas variaram de 0,14 &plusmn; 0,03 a 0,21 &plusmn; 0,03 e as maternas de 0,00 &plusmn; 0,01 a 0,15 &plusmn; 0,02, sendo o valor das estimativas menor quando a covd-m foi considerada no modelo, para GMDND. As correlações entre o valor genético aditivo direto e o materno foram negativas tanto para GMDND (-0,25 &plusmn; 0,12) quanto para GMDDS (-0,77 &plusmn; 0,19). A correlação de ordem ("rank correlation"), entre a classificação dos VG dos animais, preditas pelos dois modelos, foram 0,89 para GMDND e 0,98 para GMDND, sugerindo que pode ocorrer, alteração, embora pequena, na ordem de classificação dos animais em relação a GMDND.<br>The objective of this research was to study the effect of accouting for the covariance between the additive genetic direct and the maternal effects (covd-m) on the estimates of genetic parameters and on predictions of genetic values (VG), for average daily gain from birth to weaning (GMDND) and from weaning to 550 days of age (GMDDS). They were analyzed 28,949 records for GMDND and 11,884 for GMDDS of a Brangus breed population (58 Angus x 3/8 Nellore), collected from 1986 to 2002. The (co)variance components were obtained by REML. In the animal model for GMDND, the additive genetic direct and maternal and residual effects were considered as random, and the effects of contemporaneous group at weaning (Gc²05), the interaction of the Nellore-Angus breed genetic percentage of the bull and cow (FGNA) and the covariables, age of the cow at birth (IV) and age at weaning (ID) as fixed effects. For GMDDS, the model was the same, except that Gc²05 was substituted by contemporaneous group at 550 days of age (CG550) and ID by age at 550 days. In both models, permanent environmental effect of the cow was considered as a random effect. The heritabilities estimated for direct genetic effects ranged from 0.14 &plusmn; 0.03 to 0.21 &plusmn; 0.03 and for maternal effects from 0.00 &plusmn; 0.01 to 0.15 &plusmn; 0.02, the estimates had smaller values when covd-m was included in the model for GMDND. The correlations between genetic direct and maternal effects were negative -0.25 &plusmn; 0.12 (GMDND) and -0.77 &plusmn; 0.19 (GMDDS). The likelihood ratio test showed that there is no significant diference, at 5% significance level, between the adopted models for boths characteristics. The rank correlation between the VG predicted by the two models, were 0.89 for GMDND and 0.98 for GMDND, suggesting that a slight change in the rank of the animals can happen, for GMDND

Tendências ambientais e genéticas para caracteristicas produtivas de bovinos da raça Nelore

The objective this work were estimates the genetic parameters, direct an maternal effects to pre weaning gain and days to gain 160 kg, daily average gain after weaning and days to gain 240 kg after weaning and evaluated the genetic and environmental trends in Nellore cattle. The estimates of variances components and genetic values were made with MTDFREML program, animal model. The model used to pre weaning estimates was included the random effects direct and maternal and the correlations between than, environmental permanent dam effect, which fixed effect used contemporaneous group and age of dam in the parturition which a covariate (Linear and quadratic). For post weaning characteristic used the same model without maternal and environmental permanent dam effect. The genetic and environmental trends were estimates using the regression analysis of genetic value by year and contemporaneous group by year. The heritability coefficient to direct, maternal and the correlations direct maternal, environmental proportion of total variance and phenotypic variance to gain pre weaning, D160 and gain pos weaning and D240 were 0.13 ± 0.02, 0.17± 0.03, 0.09 ± 0.016, 0.14 ± 0.01; 0.06 ± 0.03, 0.06 ± 0.02, ., .; -0.36 ± 0.17, -0.43 ± 0.14, ., .; 2,888.77, 0.01262, 52,356.94, 0.01374; and, 3,653.68, 0.01645, 57,278.94 and 0.01604 respectively. The direct genetic trend and environmental trend were positive showing gain in the fell years. Perhaps, the maternal genetics trends were negative. The maternal ability need careful to not make an inverse selection to this trait.Este trabalho teve como objetivo estimar os parâmetros genéticos dos efeitos direto e materno das características ganho em peso pré-desmame (GPND), dias para ganhar 160 kg (D160), dias para ganhar 240 kg (D240) e ganho médio diário na fase pós-desmama (GPDS) e estimar as tendências genética e ambientais em bovinos da raça Nelore. As estimativas das (co)variâncias e valores genéticos foram obtidos por meio de modelos animal uni-característico, usando o aplicativo MTDFREML. Na fase de cria o modelo utilizado incluiu os efeitos aleatórios genéticos direto e materno e a correlação entre estes e o efeito de ambiente permanente de vaca, além do efeito fixo de grupo contemporâneo e da co-variável idade da vaca ao parto (efeito linear e quadrático). Para características pós-desmame, utilizou-se modelo semelhante, porém sem incluir o efeito materno e de ambiente permanente de vaca. As tendências genetica e ambiental foram estimadas por meio da análise de regressão do valor genetico de cada animal sobre o ano de nascimento e do valor estimado para cada um dos grupos de contemporâneos sobre o ano de nascimento. Os coeficientes de herdabilidades, direta e materna, e a correlação direta materna estimadas foram 0,13 ± 0,02; 0,06 ± 0,03 e -0,36 ± 0,17, para D160; e, 0,17 ± 0,03, 0,06 ± 0,02 e -0,43 ± 0,14 para GPND. Já para D240 e GPDS os coeficientes de herdabilidades diretas foram 0,09 ± 0,02 e 0,14 ± 0,01, respectivamente. A tendência genética direta e tendencia ambiental foram positivas revelando ganho genético com o passar dos anos. No entanto a tendência materna foi negativa. Vale ressaltar a necessidade de acompanhamento da habilidade materna como ferramenta complementar para não se fazer seleção negativa para esta característica

TRY plant trait database, enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, ahawnatomical, 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