title: The Coral Trait Database, a curated database of trait information for coral species from the global oceans.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Joshua S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Madin
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Kristen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Center for Macroecology, Evolution &Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark.
authors.forename: Magnus Heide
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Andreasen
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.|Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB #3, Townsville MC, Townsville 4810, Australia.
authors.forename: Tom C L
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Bridge
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian, Washington, District Of Columbia 20013, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cairns
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.|College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Sean R
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1537-0859
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.affiliation: Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York 10460, USA.
authors.forename: Emily S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Darling
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9814-092X
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Falster
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, USA.
authors.forename: Erik C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Gates
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harmer
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.|College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Mia O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Hoogenboom
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore.
authors.forename: Danwei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Center for Macroecology, Evolution &Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sally A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5380-7041
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kosnik
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Chao-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.|Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB #3, Townsville MC, Townsville 4810, Australia.
authors.forename: Janice M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lough
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lovelock
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Osmar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Luiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Julieta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizerek
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pandolfi
authors.affiliation: Environmental Technologies, Coastal &Freshwater Group, The Cawthron Institute, Nelson 7010, New Zealand.|Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pochon
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Morgan S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pratchett
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, USA.
authors.forename: Hollie M
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2322-3269
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Putnam
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: T Edward
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stat
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum Network, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Carden C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Widman
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Baird
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa; D057894:Coral Reefs; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017753:Ecosystem; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010802:Phylogeny