New Chinese database bridges global gaps in plant trait data

WUHAN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- From diverse shapes and sizes to complex dispersal mechanisms and defenses, seed traits hold the secrets to how plants adapt, reproduce, and survive. Yet, global plant trait databases have long faced a glaring disparity: far more is known about leaves than seeds.

Researchers from the Wuhan Botanical Garden (WBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have recently unveiled the Chinese Seed Trait Database, a comprehensive repository covering seed traits across all of China's climates and biomes.

The findings, published in the latest issue of the journal New Phytologist, address critical gaps in global seed trait data, which have historically been skewed toward regions like Western Europe and Brazil.

"China, a biodiversity hotspot, has been underrepresented in global databases despite its rich flora," said Chen Sichong, a professor from WBG and the study's corresponding author. "While some seed trait datasets for wild plants exist in China, they're often limited to specific regions or focus narrowly on traits like seed mass and size."

The database, curated entirely in English, overcomes language barriers that once hindered integration with major global databases. By consolidating nearly 700 Chinese-language sources, it boasts over 110,000 records spanning more than 100 seed traits for nearly 4,000 plant species across 214 families.

What sets it apart is its inclusion of precise geographical coordinates, enabling analyses across diverse climates, elevations, and biomes. The database captures traits critical to seed dispersal, establishment, and persistence -- ranging from morphological to phenological, physiological, and chemical attributes often missing in global repositories.

Morphological data reveal staggering variations -- seed mass alone spans 0.00006 to 157,000 milligrams, a range reflecting the dramatic diversity of China's flora. Equally valuable are underrepresented traits such as fruiting months, germination percentages, and seed counts per fruit, Chen said.

By standardizing previously fragmented data, the database tackles the global knowledge gap in plant functional traits. It offers a springboard for large-scale studies in botany, ecology and evolutionary biology.

"Our goal is to promote open data sharing, bridge fragmented knowledge, and contribute to a truly global picture of seed traits and plant reproductive strategies," said Chen. ■