RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Global Root Traits (GRooT) Database
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2020.05.17.095851
DO 10.1101/2020.05.17.095851
A1 Nathaly Guerrero-Ramirez
A1 Liesje Mommer
A1 Grégoire T. Freschet
A1 Colleen M. Iversen
A1 M. Luke McCormack
A1 Jens Kattge
A1 Hendrik Poorter
A1 Fons van der Plas
A1 Joana Bergmann
A1 Thom W. Kuyper
A1 Larry M. York
A1 Helge Bruelheide
A1 Daniel C. Laughlin
A1 Ina C. Meier
A1 Catherine Roumet
A1 Marina Semchenko
A1 Christopher J. Sweeney
A1 Jasper van Ruijven
A1 Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes
A1 Isabelle Aubin
A1 Jane A. Catford
A1 Peter Manning
A1 Adam Martin
A1 Rubén Milla
A1 Vanessa Minden
A1 Juli G. Pausas
A1 Stuart W. Smith
A1 Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia
A1 Christian Ammer
A1 Bradley Butterfield
A1 Joseph Craine
A1 Johannes H.C. Cornelissen
A1 Franciska T. de Vries
A1 Marney E. Isaac
A1 Koen Kramer
A1 Christian König
A1 Eric G. Lamb
A1 Vladimir G. Onipchenko
A1 Josep Peñuelas
A1 Peter B. Reich
A1 Matthias C. Rillig
A1 Lawren Sack
A1 Bill Shipley
A1 Leho Tedersoo
A1 Fernando Valladares
A1 Peter van Bodegom
A1 Patrick Weigelt
A1 Justin P. Wright
A1 Alexandra Weigelt
YR 2020
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/05/19/2020.05.17.095851.abstract
AB Motivation Trait data are fundamental to quantitatively describe plant form and function. Although root traits capture key dimensions related to plant responses to changing environmental conditions and effects on ecosystem processes, they have rarely been included in large-scale comparative studies and global models. For instance, root traits remain absent from nearly all studies that define the global spectrum of plant form and function. Thus, to overcome conceptual and methodological roadblocks preventing a widespread integration of root trait data into large-scale analyses we created the Global Root Trait (GRooT) Database. GRooT provides ready-to-use data by combining the expertise of root ecologists with data mobilization and curation. Specifically, we (i) determined a set of core root traits relevant to the description of plant form and function based on an assessment by experts, (ii) maximized species coverage through data standardization within and among traits, and (iii) implemented data quality checks.Main types of variables contained GRooT contains 114,222 trait records on 38 continuous root traits.Spatial location and grain Global coverage with data from arid, continental, polar, temperate, and tropical biomes. Data on root traits derived from experimental studies and field studies.Time period and grain Data recorded between 1911 and 2019Major taxa and level of measurement GRooT includes root trait data for which taxonomic information is available. Trait records vary in their taxonomic resolution, with sub-species or varieties being the highest and genera the lowest taxonomic resolution available. It contains information for 184 sub-species or varieties, 6,214 species, 1,967 genera and 254 families. Due to variation in data sources, trait records in the database include both individual observations and mean values.Software format GRooT includes two csv file. A GitHub repository contains the csv files and a script in R to query the database.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.