Data from "Every little helps: the functional role of individuals in assembling any plant community, from the richest to monospecific ones"

Abstract

Spectral and functional data used for massive phenotyping using Vis-NIR spectrometry. Visible and Near Infrared absorbance spectra were collected in July 2020 using the LabSpec 4 Standard-Res Lab Analyzer (Malvern Panalytical) from 1-4 sets of ten Pinus sylvestris needles for 170 trees in a forest stand located at the tree-line of the Guadarrama National Park (1900 m asl; Lat. 40.81, Long. -3.95). Average absorbance spectrum of each needle set is included as a row in the Spectral Data sheet. For this sample set, we used a constant spectral resolution value of 1 nm, which produced 2151 spectral points between 350 and 2500 nm. Needle sets were functionally characterized through three functional traits (LT – Leaf Thickness, SLA – Specific Leaf Area and LDMC – Leaf Dry Matter Content) which were measured according to standardized protocols (Cornelissen et al., 2003). Specifically, for each set, we weighed ten fresh well-developed needles using a microbalance (Mettler Toledo MX5, Columbus, OH; weight uncertainty ±1 μg). Projected surface area of ten needles was estimated with a digital scanner (Epson Perfection 4870) and WinFolia software (Régent Instruments, QC, Canada). The needles were then oven-dried at 60°C for 72 hours, and weighed to obtain dry mass. We also estimated leaf thickness using a dial thickness gauge (Mitutoyo Co., Aurora, IL, USA).</div