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

Designing A Circular Economy Board Game to Engage the Banksia Community with Climate Resilience Efforts

The goal of this project was to design an interactive game that highlights the principles of circular economies to assist Banksia Gardens Community Services (BGCS) in educating and engaging the community in Broadmeadows in climate resilience planning. To design our game, the team researched factors that make games educational and enjoyable by playing various genres of games, including serious games. Our game incorporates features and resources of the area surrounding BGCS, including the community garden, Heat Haven, Food Forest, and shipping containers. Several iterations of prototype testing were conducted to obtain our final product. The game board, its components, as well as the instruction booklet, were shared through a website and also presented to our sponsor, BGCS

Small-Size Soccer Robots

The Small Size Soccer Robots MQP is an interdisciplinary first-year project that aims to design, fabricate, and test a multi-robot system for the international RoboCup Soccer League, targeting the Small Size League competitions. This project unites Robotics Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering teams to develop a team of small autonomous robots adept at playing soccer with a golf ball. The Small Size League highlights intelligent multi-robot/agent collaboration and control within a dynamic environment, employing a hybrid centralized/distributed system. The project encompasses various tasks, such as designing, fabricating, and integrating the robot's structural and electromechanical components, including the chassis, ball control, and drive systems. The team also designs, assembles, and implements the robot's electrical circuits, featuring the processor, motor controllers, solenoids, and power distribution, while developing corresponding firmware for seamless integration. Additionally, the team crafts software to govern robot movement and execute strategic game tactics, ensuring a competitive performance in the RoboCup Small Size League

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

10.1111/gcb.14904GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY261119-18