Journal Article

Towards establishment of a centralized spider traits database

Privet, Kaïna, Herberstein, Marie E., Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba, Branco, Vasco Veiga, Wolff, Jonas O., Chichorro, Filipe, Haddad, Charles R., Isaia, Marco, Pekár, Stano, McLean, Donald James, Uhl, Gabriele, Aceves-Aparicio, Alfonso, Birkhofer, Klaus, Gonçalves-Souza, Thiago, Cardoso, Pedro, Krehenwinkel, Henrik, Pétillon, Julien, Audisio, Tracy Lynn, Mammola, Stefano, Nentwig, Wolfgang, Wong, Boon Hui, Urbano-Tenorio, Fernando, Scott, Catherine, Macías-Hernández, Nuria, Michalko, Radek, Lowe, Elizabeth C., Fukushima, Caroline Sayuri

2020

Overview

A main goal of ecological and evolutionary biology is understanding and predicting interactions between populations and both abiotic and biotic environments, the spatial and temporal variation of these interactions, and the effects on population dynamics and performance. Trait-based approaches can help to model these interactions and generate a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem functioning. A central tool is the collation of databases that include species trait information. Such centralized databases have been set up for a number of organismal groups but is lacking for one of the most important groups of predators in terrestrial ecosystems – spiders. Here we promote the collation of an open spider traits database, integrated into the global Open Traits Network. We explore the current collation of spider data and cover the logistics of setting up a global database, including which traits to include, the source of data, how to input data, database governance, geographic cover, accessibility, quality control and how to make the database sustainable long-term. Finally, we explore the scope of research questions that could be investigated using a global spider traits database.

• Publisher: American Arachnological Society,The American Arachnological Society
• Subject: [SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology / Analysis / Animal behavior / BETA-DIVERSITY / Biodiversity and Ecology / CLIMATE / comparative analysis / DISPERSAL / DRIVERS / ECOLOGY / Ecology, evolutionary biology / ecosystem functioning / Environmental Sciences / EVOLUTION / evolutionary biology / Evolutionary ecology / Functional diversity / functional ecology / governance / Phenotypic traits / Phenotypic traits, functional diversity, functional ecology, ecosystem functioning, evolutionary ecology, comparative analysis / Population biology / population dynamics / PRESENTED AT THE 21ST INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ARACHNOLOGY / quality control / SIZE / spiders / temporal variation