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Abstract Animal trait data are scattered across several datasets, making it challenging to compile and compare trait information across different groups. For plants, the TRY database has been an unwavering success for those ecologists interested in addressing how plant traits influence a wide variety of processes and patterns, but the same is not true for most animal taxonomic groups. Here, we introduce ZooTraits, a Shiny app designed to help users explore and obtain animal trait data for research in ecology and evolution. ZooTraits was developed to tackle the challenge of finding in a single site information of multiple trait datasets and facilitating access to traits by providing an easy‐to‐use, open‐source platform. This app combines datasets centralized in the Open Trait Network, raw data from the AnimalTraits database, and trait information for animals compiled by Gonçalves‐Souza et al. (2023,Ecology and Evolution13, e10016). Importantly, the ZooTraits app can be accessed freely and provides a user‐friendly interface through three functionalities that will allow users to easily visualize, compare, download, and upload trait data across the animal tree of life—ExploreTrait,FeedTrait, andGetTrait. By usingExploreTraitandGetTrait, users can explore, compare, and extract 3954 trait records from 23,394 species centralized in the Open Traits Network, and trait data for ~2000 species from the AnimalTraits database. The app summarizes trait information for numerous taxonomic groups within the Animal Kingdom, encompassing data from diverse aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and various geographic regions worldwide. Moreover, ZooTraits enables researchers to upload trait information, serving as a hub for a continually expanding global trait database. By promoting the centralization of trait datasets and offering a platform for data sharing, ZooTraits is facilitating advancements in trait‐based ecological and evolutionary studies. We hope that other trait databases will evolve to mirror the approach we have outlined here.
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Online toolkits for collaborative and inclusive global research in urban evolutionary ecology
Abstract Urban evolutionary ecology is inherently interdisciplinary. Moreover, it is a field with global significance. However, bringing researchers and resources together across fields and countries is challenging. Therefore, an online collaborative research hub, where common methods and best practices are shared among scientists from diverse geographic, ethnic, and career backgrounds would make research focused on urban evolutionary ecology more inclusive. Here, we describe a freely available online research hub for toolkits that facilitate global research in urban evolutionary ecology. We provide rationales and descriptions of toolkits for: (1) decolonizing urban evolutionary ecology; (2) identifying and fostering international collaborative partnerships; (3) common methods and freely‐available datasets for trait mapping across cities; (4) common methods and freely‐available datasets for cross‐city evolutionary ecology experiments; and (5) best practices and freely available resources for public outreach and communication of research findings in urban evolutionary ecology. We outline how the toolkits can be accessed, archived, and modified over time in order to sustain long‐term global research that will advance our understanding of urban evolutionary ecology.
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- PAR ID:
- 10517777
- Author(s) / Creator(s):
- ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Ecology and Evolution
- Volume:
- 14
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 2045-7758
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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