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

Sledování změny jakosti masného výrobku v závislosti na technologii výroby

Vysočina salami is the best known and the most widespread product of durable heat-treated meat products in the Czech Republic. Chemical, physical, microbiological and sensory parameters were examined for this product depending on salt content (2 % or 1,6 %) and grain size (1 mm, or 2 mm). There was found no difference that would be important from a technological point of view during comparing the fine and coarser grain in the Vysočina salami. By comparing differently salty products, lower salt content could cause manufacturing problems. By reducing the salt content, the drying time was prolonged, and the colour stability deteriorated. It is advisable to reduce the salt content to the lowest possible level in order to improve the health aspect of the consumption of meat products but at the same time the technological characteristics of the production are not affected. Finally, salt is important for the taste of the product. This was clearly demonstrated in sensory analysis. The analysis shows the Vysočina salami with 2 % salt addition has been more palatable to the consumer

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

10.1111/gcb.14904GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY261119-18