TropiRoot 1.0: Database of tropical root characteristics across environments.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Plant Biology
• Biodiversity Science

Background:

• Tropical ecosystems host immense vascular plant biodiversity, yet data on their functional diversity is limited.
• Understanding tropical functional diversity is crucial for global biodiversity patterns, but data gaps hinder progress.
• Existing global root trait databases lack comprehensive tropical data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a comprehensive database of tropical root characteristics, named TropiRoot 1.0.
• To bridge data gaps in tropical root trait information for global datasets.
• To facilitate research on root functional ecology and plant biogeography in tropical regions.

Main Methods:

• Compiled data from 104 new sources between 2020 and 2024 using Web of Science, Scopus, and expert knowledge.
• Standardized data columns using the Fine-Root Ecology Database (FRED) format for enhanced accessibility and compatibility.
• Extracted and quality-checked over 8000 rows of data on root biomass, morphology, dynamics, and chemistry across 25 countries.

Main Results:

• TropiRoot 1.0 database includes over 8000 rows of tropical root trait data, increasing FRED's tropical root data by 30%.
• Data covers root biomass, morphology, dynamics, mass fraction, architecture, anatomy, physiology, and chemistry from 25 countries.
• Ancillary soil and aboveground data were included where available, with standardized units for root characteristics.

Conclusions:

• TropiRoot 1.0 significantly enhances global root trait databases by filling a critical data gap for tropical regions.
• The database provides a valuable resource for evaluating hypotheses in root functional ecology and plant biogeography.
• This advancement will improve the representation of tropical forests in global vegetation models and inform conservation efforts.