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Journal article
ShareTrait : Towards interoperable and reusable individual trait‐based data in ectotherms
Functional ecology, Early View
2025
Abstract
More and more data on species traits are being collected and made openly available. Despite these efforts, effective syntheses of trait data to comprehend how species respond to and affect their environment are hampered by inadequate standards for publishing the data and the associated metadata, which limits the interoperability and reuse of data across studies.
We have developed ShareTrait ( https://sharetrait.org/ ), a novel initiative that consolidates individual‐level trait data and associated metadata in an interoperable and reusable format, enabling standardised and integrated use. As a proof‐of‐concept, we initially focus on three core traits of ectotherms: metabolic rate, development time and fecundity. These traits, measurable in almost all animals, are fundamental to an organism’s overall fitness.
ShareTrait enables researchers to share their (meta)data with the research community. To date, researchers from diverse fields have contributed 28,692 individual‐level data records to ShareTrait. These records originated from 45 datasets and are just the tip of the iceberg of existing data, highlighting the potential of ShareTrait to be a valuable community resource for meta‐analyses and comparative approaches.
Future directions of ShareTrait will focus on accumulating more records, expanding to cover more traits, including those measurable at the population level, and partnering with journals in relevant fields (ecology, physiology, evolution) to make sharing standardised trait data part of the standard publication process.
We envision ShareTrait, along with its digital infrastructure and comprehensive metadata, to be a catalyst for collating trait data across species. ShareTrait can streamline research efforts, minimise duplication and empower researchers to explore patterns and broader ecological, evolutionary and physiological questions among taxa (e.g. via meta‐analyses and comparative approaches). This way, ShareTrait will unlock new frontiers in trait‐based approaches, enhancing our understanding of species–environment relationships.
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Details
- Title
- ShareTrait : Towards interoperable and reusable individual trait‐based data in ectotherms
- Authors/Creators
- Félix P. Leiva - Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und MeeresforschungJacintha Ellers - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamMatty P. Berg - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamRaimon Cuxart-Erruz - Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergDiego R. Barneche - Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTim M. Blackburn - Zoological Society of LondonLuis E. Castañeda - University of ChileSteven L. Chown - Monash UniversityJuan Diego Gaitán-Espitia - University of Hong KongPaulina Gebauer - Universidad de Los LagosDaniel F. Gomez Isaza - Murdoch University, Harry Butler InstituteIan C. W. Hardy - University of HelsinkiAdam Hermaniuk - University of BiałystokAndrew G. Hirst - Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea ResearchSarah Jorissen - KU LeuvenTamar Keasar - Oranim Academic College of EducationJoris M. Koene - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamCécile Le Lann - Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, EvolutionIrene Martorelli - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamCarlos Molinet - Austral University of ChileEdwin J. Niklitschek - Universidad de Los LagosBrunno F. Oliveira - Fondation Pour la Recherche Sur la BiodiversitéBrett Olivier - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamGermán Orizaola - Universidad de OviedoNatalie Pilakouta - University of St AndrewsK. S. Shameer - University of CalicutMilad Shokri - University of SalentoRobby Stoks - Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea ResearchKevin Tougeron - University of MonsCristina Tuni - University of TurinIris L. E. van de Pol - Radboud University NijmegenNatalie E. van Dis - University of HelsinkiBertanne Visser - Gembloux Agro-Bio TechJoost J. Vogels - Bargerveen Foundation Nijmegen The NetherlandsCraig White - School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria AustraliaNicholas C. Wu - Murdoch University, School of Environmental and Conservation SciencesWilco C. E. P. Verberk - Radboud University Nijmegen
- Publication Details
- Functional ecology, Early View
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.
- Identifiers
- 991005814047507891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Harry Butler Institute; Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability; School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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