15 research outputs found

    TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

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    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

    TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

    Get PDF
    This article has 730 authors, of which I have only listed the lead author and myself as a representative of University of HelsinkiPlant 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.Peer reviewe

    TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

    Get PDF
    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

    TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

    Get PDF
    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

    TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

    Get PDF
    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

    Cushion-plant protection determines guild-dependent plant strategies in high-elevation peatlands of the Cordillera Real, Bolivian Andes

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    The functional trait composition of plant communities reflects the influence of ecological constraints on their assembly. In high-elevation peatlands of the Andes, multiple abiotic and biotic stresses are exerted on herbaceous plant communities. We hypothesized that dominant cushion-plant species found in these ecosystems strongly influence the dynamics of their subordinate plants by providing protection against external stress. To test the hypothesis, we addressed the variation of functional traits reflecting how subordinate plants invest in durable tissues and develop below and above the canopy of two cushion-plant species dominating the ecosystem, with varying intensity of herbivore pressure. We expected different functional composition of plants living below (understory stratum) and above (emergent stratum) the canopy, related to cushion-plant protection. In addition, we considered the functional composition of basic morphological guilds, forbs and graminoids, as they invest differently in plant development and respond differently to herbivore pressure. We found contrasted functional compositions among morphological guilds and according to the position relatively to cushion-plant canopy. These variations support a protective influence of cushion-plants on subordinate plants for both strata, with investment into less costly leaves and a larger stature when protection is greater, depending on cushion-plant species and cushion-plant height. External stress mainly affected emergent plants and led to different responses according to the guild. Graminoids showed avoidant strategy, while forbs shifted from avoidant to tolerant strategy with increasing herbivore pressure. Both between-species and intraspecific trait variations contributed to explain functional changes of guilds, but the relative contributions depended on morphological guild and stratum. A basic trade-off in physiological and morphological variability determined different relative contribution in forbs and graminoids. While functional ecology classically focuses on the composition of spatially delimited communities, we here underline the need to address separately the functional composition and assembly dynamics of distinct guilds making a community. In addition, our survey is the first to investigate the functional ecology of high-elevation tropical peatlands and provides novel insights into vegetation ecology in this stressful ecosystem

    MĂ©todos para estudiar el efecto del cambio climĂĄtico sobre los bofedales y sus servicios ambientales inherentes

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    Algunas especies de plantas, dispuestas en forma de cojines, dominan y determinan el funcionamiento y la resiliencia de los humedades altoandinos (bofedales) frente al cambio climĂĄtico y al derretimiento de los glaciares. Se tiene la hipĂłtesis de que estas especies fundadoras influyen sobre el ambiente biĂłtico y abiĂłtico de las comunidades de plantas que habitan en los cojines. Se elaborĂł un esquema de meta-comunidad para investigar las dinĂĄmicas de las comunidades asociadas a dos especies de cojĂ­n dominantes. #Oxychoe andina (OA) y #Distichia muscoides (DM). En base a la composiciĂłn funcionaly florĂ­stica, se propone un marco conceptual para evaluar la relativa influencia del filtro en base al nicho (en inglĂ©s: niche-based filtering) en contraste con los factores ambientales de OA y DM, la limitaciĂłn de dispersiĂłn y la estocasticidad demogrĂĄfica al conjunto de la comunidad. Los procesos del filtro en base al nicho pueden ser identificadas y se selecciona un conjunto de especies relevantes para el anĂĄlisis. Se propone un muestreo a mĂșltiples escalas para abordar los efectos de la limitaciĂłn de dispersiĂłn sobre las dinĂĄmicas de estos ecosistemas. Conjuntamente al supuesto bĂĄsico del filtro en base al nicho, que bĂĄsicamente diferencia las dinĂĄmicas de comunidad de los cojines de OA y DM, algunas covariantes ambientales tambiĂ©n influyen de forma secundaria a la dinĂĄmica de comunidades en los cojines de OA

    CESTES - a global database for metaCommunity Ecology: Species, Traits, Environment and Space

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    Item does not contain fulltextCESTES is a global live database for metaCommunity Ecology: Species, Traits, Environment and Space. It compiles 80 datasets from trait-based studies. Each dataset includes four matrices: species community abundances or presences/absences across multiple sites, species trait information, environmental variables and spatial coordinates of the sampling sites. CESTES presents a harmonized structure and covers a diversity of ecosystem types (marine, terrestrial, freshwater), taxonomic groups (plants, vertebrates, invertebrates...), geographical regions, and spatial scales.nul
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