Phenotypic rates of change evolutionary and ecological dataset (PROCEED) version 5.0

Wild populations must continuously respond to environmental changes or
they risk extinction. Those responses can be measured as phenotypic rates
of change which can allow us to predict contemporary adaptive
responses, some of which are evolutionary. About two decades ago, a
database of phenotypic rates of change in wild populations was
compiled. Since then, researchers have used (and expanded) this
database to examine phenotypic responses to specific types of
human disturbance. Here, we updatedthe database adding 5675 new
estimates of phenotypic changes. Using this newer version of the database,
now containing 7338 estimates of phenotypic change, we revisit the
conclusions of four published articles. We then synthesize the expanded
dataset to compare rates of change across different types of human
disturbance. Analyses of this expanded database suggests that: I.
a small absolute difference in rates of change exists between human
disturbed and natural populations, II. harvesting by humans results in
higher rates of change than other types of disturbances, III. introduced
populations have increased rates of change, and IV. body size does not
increase through time. Thus, findings from earlier analyses have largely
held-up in analyses of our new database that encompass a much
larger breadth of species, traits, and human disturbances. Lastly, we use
new analyses to explore how various types of human disturbances
affect rates of phenotypic change, and we call for this database to serve
as a stepping stone for further analyses to understand patterns of
contemporary phenotypic change.