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

Prevention of gingivitis and treatment of periodontitis: Chlorhexidine gels and dental lasers

It is a universal advice from dental care professionals to brush twice daily with a fluoride dentifrice. It would be ideal to incorporate an effective anti-microbial agent such as chlorhexidine in a dentifrice formulation. A well-known side effect of chlorhexidine is tooth discoloration. Reduced concentrations have been suggested to decrease side effects. The low dosage 0.12% chlorhexidine dentifrice gel, which is available in the Netherlands, was the subject of two research projects as presented in this thesis. It appeared to be as effective as a regular dentifrice in the prevention of plaque accumulation and is therefore a poor alternative because it is does not contain fluoride. This thesis also shows that a 0.2% CHX mouthwash does provide a benefit which can be used in conjunction with a regular fluoride toothpaste. Lasers are used throughout the medical field for different indication and have been suggested as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in patients with periodontitis. Two research projects as presented in this thesis showed that there is no evidence to support the adjunctive use of the water cooled Nd:YAG laser. The effect of sub-gingival debridement as performed with manual and/or power-driven instruments in periodontitis patients as well as during periodontal maintenance care was not improved when followed by the application of this laser. An extensive literature review supported these findings. These results therefore support a firm statement to refute the use of laser technologies in non-surgical periodontal treatment based on the lack of clinical efficacy and the potential extra costs