Fine-Root Ecology Database (FRED): A Global Collection of Root Trait Data with Coincident Site, Vegetation, Edaphic, and Climatic Data, Version 1

To address the need for a centralized root trait database, we are compiling the Fine-Root Ecology Database (FRED) from published literature and unpublished data. FRED Version 1 (FRED 1.0) currently houses more than 70,000 observations of root traits and their associated site, vegetation, edaphic, and climatic conditions from across the globe (see image below, which shows the more than 1000 distinct locations associated with observations in FRED 1.0). Data collection is ongoing and will continue for the foreseeable future. The more than 300 root traits currently housed in FRED 1.0 are described in detail here. FRED is focused on fine roots (less than 2 mm), as coarse roots are studied using different methodology, often at very different scales, and have different traits and trait interpretations.