A dataset on leaf functional traits of a pioneer species (Pyracantha fortuneana) in the karst region of Guizhou, Southwest China

Understanding the responses of leaf functional traits of plants to environmental changes is crucial for revealing plant adaptation strategies. Leaf trait databases have emerged as a crucial tool for plant adaptation and a wide range of ecological studies. However, there is still a lack of large-scale leaf trait data for specific species and habitats, and few regional-scale studies have been reported on plants leaf traits in the Karst area. Here, we collected 8,120 leaves from 406 individuals of Pyracantha fortuneana, a pioneer species widely distributed in the karst region of Guizhou Province, at 93 sampling sites distributed in the karst region of Guizhou, Southwest China. We measured and calculated nine morphological traits (e.g., leaf fresh weight, dry weight, length, width, area, and specific leaf area) and six chemical traits (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content and their stoichiometry ratios). Soil samples were also collected from the 93 sites to determine soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus content. This dataset, named "A dataset on leaf functional traits of a pioneer species (Pyracantha fortuneana) in the karst region of Guizhou, Southwest China" includes 6 Sheets in Excel format: (1) descriptions of functional traits, (2) geographic information and brief environmental descriptions of sampling sites, (3) measured data morphological traits of 8,120 leaves, (4) carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content and their stoichiometry of 406 Pyracantha fortuneana individuals, (5) soil total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus content of 93 sampling sites, and (6) mean values of morphological traits at each sampling site. This dataset provides a solid foundation for quantifying the variation of leaf functional traits and their responses to the environment in the karst region, and can also serve as a valuable resource for other large-scale studies on plant functional traits.