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AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds

Ecology Letters · 2022 · Vol. 25(3) · pp. 581–597

Joseph A. Tobias✉(University of Oxford)Catherine Sheard(University of Bristol)Alex L. Pigot(University of Oxford)Adam J. M. Devenish(Imperial College London)Jingyi Yang(Imperial College London)Ferran Sayol(University College London)Montague H. C. Neate‐Clegg(University of Utah)Nico Alioravainen(Natural Resources Institute Finland)Thomas Weeks(Natural History Museum)Robert A. Barber(Imperial College London)Patrick A. Walkden(Natural History Museum)Hannah E. A. MacGregor(University of Bristol)Samuel E. I. Jones(Royal Holloway University of London)Claire Vincent(UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre)Anna G. Phillips(Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre)Nicola M. Marples(Trinity College Dublin)Flavia Montaño‐Centellas(Universidad Mayor de San Andrés)Victor Leandro‐Silva(Universidade Federal de Pernambuco)Santiago Claramunt(University of Toronto)Bianca Darski(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul)Benjamin G. Freeman(University of British Columbia)Tom P. Bregman(University of Oxford)Christopher R. Cooney(University of Sheffield)Emma C. Hughes(University of Sheffield)J. R. Elliot(University of Sheffield)Zoë K. Varley(Natural History Museum)Nicholas R. Friedman(Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University)Heiko Korntheuer(Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)Andrea Corrales‐Vargas(Universidad Nacional)Christopher H. Trisos(University of Cape Town)Brian C. Weeks(American Museum of Natural History)Dagmar M. Hanz(Goethe University Frankfurt)Till Töpfer(Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig)Gustavo A. Bravo(Harvard University)Vladimír Remeš(Charles University)Larissa Nowak(Goethe University Frankfurt)Lincoln Silva Carneiro(Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi)Amilkar J. Moncada R.(Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza Catie)Beata Matysioková(Palacký University Olomouc)Daniel T. Baldassarre(State University of New York at Oswego)Alejandra Martínez‐Salinas(Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza Catie)Jared D. Wolfe(Michigan Technological University)Philip M. ChapmanBenjamin G. Daly(University of Oxford)Marjorie C. Sorensen(University of Guelph)Alexander Neu(Goethe University Frankfurt)Michael A. Ford(University of Cape Town)Rebekah J. Mayhew(University of Stirling)Luís Fábio Silveira(Universidade de São Paulo)David Kelly(Trinity College Dublin)Nathaniel N. D. Annorbah(University of Environment and Sustainable Development)Henry S. Pollock(Illinois Department of Natural Resources)Ada Grabowska-Zhang(University of Oxford)Jay P. McEntee(Missouri State University)Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez(University of the Philippines Los Baños)Camila G. Meneses(University of the Philippines Los Baños)Marcia C. Muñoz(University of La Salle)Luke L. Powell(Universidade do Porto)Gabriel A. Jamie(University of Cape Town)Thomas J. Matthews(Universidade dos Açores)Oscar W. Johnson(Louisiana State University)Guilherme Renzo Rocha Brito(Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina)Kristof Zyskowski(American Museum of Natural History)Ross Crates(Australian National University)Michael Harvey(The University of Texas at El Paso)Maura Jurado Zevallos(Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina)Peter A. Hosner(University of Copenhagen)Tom Bradfer‐Lawrence(University of Stirling)James M. Maley(Occidental College)F. Gary Stiles(Universidad Nacional de Colombia)Hevana S. Lima(Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia)Kaiya L. Provost(American Museum of Natural History)Moses Chibesa(Copperbelt University)Mmatjie MashaoJeffrey T. Howard(Louisiana State University)Edson Mlamba(National Museums of Kenya)Marcus A.H. Chua(George Mason University)Bicheng Li(Shanghai Science and Technology Museum)María Isabel GómezNatalia C. García(Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas)Martin Päckert(Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden)Jérôme Fuchs(Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)Jarome R. Ali(Princeton University)Elizabeth P. Derryberry(University of Tennessee at Knoxville)Monica L. Carlson(Princeton University)Rolly C. Urriza(National Museum of the Philippines)Kristin E. Brzeski(Michigan Technological University)Dewi M. Prawiradilaga(Indonesian Institute of Sciences)Matt J. Rayner(University of Auckland)Eliot T. Miller(Cornell University)Rauri C. K. Bowie(Museum of Vertebrate Zoology)René‐Marie Lafontaine(Institute of Natural Sciences)R. Paul Scofield(Canterbury Museum)Yingqiang Lou(Chinese Academy of Sciences)Lankani Somarathna(National Hospital of Sri Lanka)Denis Lepage(Birds Canada)Marshall Illif(Cornell University)Eike Lena Neuschulz(Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre)Mathias Templin(Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre)D. Matthias Dehling(Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research)Jacob C. Cooper(University of Kansas)Olivier S. G. Pauwels(Institute of Natural Sciences)Kangkuso Analuddin(Universitas Halu Oleo)Jon Fjeldså(University of Copenhagen)Nathalie Seddon(University of Oxford)Paul R. Sweet(American Museum of Natural History)Fabrice DeClerck(CGIAR)Luciano N. Naka(Universidade Federal de Pernambuco)Jeffrey D. Brawn(Illinois Department of Natural Resources)Alexandre Luis Padovan Aleixo(University of Helsinki)Katrin Böhning‐Gaese(Goethe University Frankfurt)Carsten Rahbek(University of Copenhagen)Susanne A. Fritz(Goethe University Frankfurt)Gavin H. Thomas(Natural History Museum)Matthias Schleuning(Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre)

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Abstract

Functional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology and ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional traits to drive theoretical advances and refine models of global change can only be fully realised when species-level information is complete. Here we present the AVONET dataset containing comprehensive functional trait data for all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, and information on range size and location. Raw morphological measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals of 11,009 extant bird species sampled from 181 countries. These data are also summarised as species averages in three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with a global phylogeny, geographical range maps, IUCN Red List data and the eBird citizen science database. The AVONET dataset provides the most detailed picture of continuous trait variation for any major radiation of organisms, offering a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the evolutionary origins, structure and functioning of biodiversity.

Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies Species Distribution and Climate Change Plant and animal studiesEcologyRange (aeronautics)TraitIUCN Red ListBiodiversityBiologyExtant taxonEvolutionary ecologyTaxonomic rankMacroecology