Utkin et al.'s dataset on specific leaf area.

Area of Science:

• Plant Ecology
• Trait-based Ecology
• Forest Ecology

Background:

• Specific Leaf Area (SLA) is crucial for understanding plant growth strategies and environmental adaptation.
• Existing SLA data is limited in certain plant groups and regions, hindering comprehensive ecological research.
• A significant Russian dataset on forest plant SLA remained largely inaccessible to the international scientific community.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and digitize the comprehensive Russian dataset 'Surface areas of forest plants' to increase global accessibility.
• To provide a valuable resource for trait-based ecological analyses and studies on plant responses to environmental changes.
• To fill critical data gaps in Specific Leaf Area (SLA) information for gymnosperm species.

Main Methods:

• Translation of the Russian publication 'Surface areas of forest plants' (Utikin et al., 2008).
• Digitization of Specific Leaf Area (SLA) values for approximately 1100 gymnosperm species.
• Compilation of associated data including genera, families, SLA ranges, and responses to illumination.

Main Results:

• A digitized dataset of Specific Leaf Area (SLA) values for ~1100 gymnosperm species, spanning 562 genera and 139 families.
• Inclusion of historical SLA data collected between 1918 and 2006.
• Supplementary information on SLA ranges and environmental responses, along with ~200 references.

Conclusions:

• The translated and digitized dataset significantly expands the availability of Specific Leaf Area (SLA) data for ecological research.
• This resource facilitates trait-based analyses and comparative studies across diverse gymnosperm lineages.
• The data is freely available for research and educational purposes, promoting wider scientific collaboration.