Specific leaf area observation dataset in China from 2005 to 2022

In this dataset, 2632 specific leaf area (SLA) records of 1056 species are collected from 82 published papers from 2005 and 2022 in China. The dataset includes two parts: data file and citation information file, the data file includes identity, plant functional type, latitude and longitude, Latin name, SLA and reference, the citation information file is a detailed description of the references. The dataset combines the SLA observations under the influence of light, soil moisture, leaf age and other factors, that can provide data support for the studies of plant responses to climate change. In addition, due to the lack of accurate latitude and longitude in some literature, the location information of corresponding SLA observations is missing.