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| Trait-based approaches advance ecological and evolutionary research because traits provide a strong link to
an organism’s function and fitness. Trait-based research might lead to a deeper understanding of the
functions of, and services provided by, ecosystems, thereby improving management, which is vital in the
current era of rapid environmental change. Coral reef scientists have long collected trait data for corals;
however, these are difficult to access and often under-utilized in addressing large-scale questions. We
present the Coral Trait Database initiative that aims to bring together physiological, morphological,
ecological, phylogenetic and biogeographic trait information into a single repository. The database houses
species- and individual-level data from published field and experimental studies alongside contextual data
that provide important framing for analyses. In this data descriptor, we release data for 56 traits for 1547
species, and present a collaborative platform on which other trait data are being actively federated. Our
overall goal is for the Coral Trait Database to become an open-source, community-led data clearinghouse
that accelerates coral reef research. | |
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