Data on paired leaf Na and root Na content across global terrestrial ecosystems

Based on a field investigation following the consistent method, we compiled a regional dataset of the Na content in paired leaves (Na_Leaf) and roots (Na_Root), which included 2183 species from 72 natural ecosystems in China. We also synthesized literature data on paired NaLeaf and NaRoot contents across global terrestrial ecosystems at the species level. First, we used ISI Web of Science (https://webofscience.clarivate.cn/wos) and Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com) for a 1970–2024 literature search with the following keywords: “sodium” OR “Na” OR “mineral element” OR “beneficial element” AND “leaf and root” OR “plant organ” AND “forest” OR “grassland” OR “desert.” Second, we screened all literature and extracted leaf and root Na contents based on the following criteria: (i) reported paired observations of NaLeaf and NaRoot from mature individuals; (ii) plants were collected from terrestrial ecosystems, specifically forests, grasslands, and deserts; and (iii) plants were sampled in the field rather than through greenhouse experiments. Third, ancillary information, including the species name, life form (tree, shrub, and herb), vegetation type (forest, grassland, and desert), and geographical location (latitude and longitude), was collected. Data from multiple years at the same sampling site were averaged to ensure independence of observations. When data were only available as figures, the GetData Graph Digitizer (http://www.getdata-graph-digitizer.com) was used. Overall, 70 independent publications were included. The final global dataset contained 175 paired measurements of NaLeaf and NaRoot from 169 species (56 families) spanning 70 sites worldwide.Please find more information in the paper by Guo et al., (2024) in Global Ecology and Biogeography.