Global root traits (GRooT) database
Global Ecology and Biogeography, vol. 30, pp. 25–37
Abstract
Abstract Motivation Trait data are fundamental to the quantitative description of 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 (a) determined a set of core root traits relevant to the description of plant form and function based on an assessment by experts, (b) maximized species coverage through data standardization within and among traits, and (c) 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 were derived from experimental studies and field studies. Time period and grain Data were recorded between 1911 and 2019. Major taxa and level of measurement GRooT includes root trait data for which taxonomic information is available. Trait records vary in their taxonomic resolution, with subspecies or varieties being the highest and genera the lowest taxonomic resolution available. It contains information for 184 subspecies or varieties, 6,214 species, 1,967 genera and 254 families. Owing to variation in data sources, trait records in the database include both individual observations and mean values. Software format GRooT includes two csv files. A GitHub repository contains the csv files and a script in R to query the database.
Authors 49
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Nathaly R. Guerrero‐Ramírez corresponding
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research · University of Göttingen
Affiliation as printed
Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology University of Goettingen Göttingen Germany
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Wageningen University & Research
Affiliation as printed
Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier · Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale · Université de Toulouse
Affiliation as printed
Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station CNRS University of Toulouse III Moulis France
Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station, CNRS, University of Toulouse III, Moulis, France
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Affiliation as printed
Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge Tennessee USA
Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Center for Tree Science The Morton Arboretum Lisle Illinois USA
Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois, USA
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German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research · Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Affiliation as printed
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry Jena Germany
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Macquarie University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde New South Wales Australia
IBG‐2: Plant Sciences Forschungszentrum Jülich Jülich Germany
Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
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Affiliation as printed
Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity Institute of Biology Leipzig University Leipzig Germany
Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research · Freie Universität Berlin
Affiliation as printed
Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB) Berlin Germany
Institute of Biology Freie University Berlin Berlin Germany
Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
Institute of Biology, Freie University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Wageningen University & Research
Affiliation as printed
Soil Biology Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
Soil Biology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Noble Research Institute Ardmore Oklahoma USA
Noble Research Institute, Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA
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German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research · Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Affiliation as printed
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden Martin Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg Halle Germany
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Botany University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Plant Ecology Albrecht‐von‐Haller Institute for Plant Sciences University of Goettingen Göttingen Germany
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · École Pratique des Hautes Études · Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier · Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Affiliation as printed
CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Manchester Manchester United Kingdom
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Manchester Manchester United Kingdom
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Wageningen University & Research
Affiliation as printed
Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Florida International University
Affiliation as printed
International Center of Tropical Biodiversity Florida International University Miami Florida USA
International Center of Tropical Biodiversity, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
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Canadian Forest Service · Natural Resources Canada
Affiliation as printed
Great Lakes Forestry Centre Canadian Forest Service Natural Resources Canada Sault Ste Marie Ontario Canada
Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Geography King’s College London London United Kingdom
Department of Geography, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre
Affiliation as printed
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Frankfurt am Main Germany
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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University of Toronto · University of Toronto Scarborough
Affiliation as printed
Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada
Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Affiliation as printed
Area de Biodiversidad y Conservación Universidad Rey Juan Carlos Spain
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Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg · Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biology, Ecology and Biodiversity Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences University of Oldenburg Oldenburg Germany
Department of Biology, Ecology and Biodiversity, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Centre d'Investigacions sobre Desertificació
Affiliation as printed
Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación CIDE‐CSIC Valencia Spain
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Nanyang Technological University · Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Affiliation as printed
Asian School of Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
Asian School of Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia Aachen Environmental Biology Department Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)
Affiliation as printed
Environmental Biology Department Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Environmental Biology Department, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones University of Goettingen Göttingen Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Jonah Ventures Boulder Colorado USA
Jonah Ventures, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Systems Ecology Department of Ecological Science Faculty of Science Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The Netherlands
Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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University of Toronto · University of Toronto Scarborough
Affiliation as printed
Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada
Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Wageningen University & Research
Affiliation as printed
Environmental Science Group Wageningen University & Research Wageningen The Netherlands
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Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Affiliation as printed
Department of Geography Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Plant Sciences University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Lomonosov Moscow State University
Affiliation as printed
Faculty of Biology Moscow State Lomonosov University Moscow Russia
Faculty of Biology, Moscow State Lomonosov University, Moscow, Russia
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Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications · Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB
Affiliation as printed
CREAF Cerdanyola del Vallès Catalonia Spain
CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF‐CSIC‐UAB Bellaterra Catalonia Spain
CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
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University of Minnesota · Western Sydney University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Forest Resources University of Minnesota St Paul Minnesota USA
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
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Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research · Freie Universität Berlin
Affiliation as printed
Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB) Berlin Germany
Institute of Biology Freie University Berlin Berlin Germany
Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
Institute of Biology, Freie University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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University of California, Los Angeles
Affiliation as printed
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Quebec Canada
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University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden · University of Tartu
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences University of Tartu Tartu Estonia
Natural History Museum University of Tartu Tartu Estonia
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
Natural History Museum, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales
Affiliation as printed
National Museum of Natural Sciences MNCN, CSIC Madrid Spain
National Museum of Natural Sciences, MNCN, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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Peter M. van Bodegom Aachen Environmental Biology Department Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)
Affiliation as printed
Environmental Biology Department Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Environmental Biology Department, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology University of Goettingen Göttingen Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Biology Department Duke University Durham North Carolina USA
Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research · Leipzig University
Affiliation as printed
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity Institute of Biology Leipzig University Leipzig Germany
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany