AusTraits – ARDC

AusTraits is an emerging national data asset quantifying the traits of Australia’s flora, which comprises approximately 26,000 different plant species.

Functional and structural traits (such as leaf size, potential photosynthetic rate, maximum height, floral colour, floral symmetry) capture differences among species in their ecology, function, and evolution, and are crucial for advancing core research and applied outcomes in plant science.

Start date 1 January 2021

Expected completion date 30 June 2023

Investment by ARDC $500,000

Co-investment partners

Macquarie University

Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

UNSW

Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research

The University of Melbourne

Western Sydney University

EcoCommons

CSIRO

Landcare Research New Zealand

University of New England

Murdoch University

University of Arizona

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Australian Biological Resources Study

Parks Australia

Atlas of Living Australia

Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

Greening Australia

Lead node

1 Improved data coverage and quality

To broaden coverage of the resource, AusTraits v2.0 connects with two new datasets and research communities.

2 Improved data access

Data will be made available via existing biodiversity platforms including Flora of Australia, Atlas of Living Australia, and EcoCommons.

Core features

Access and discoverability

AusTraits v2.0 will be made available as an open access resource via existing biodiversity platforms

National coverage

AusTraits v2.0 will connect with two new datasets and research communities to provide comprehensive coverage of functional and structural traits across Australia’s flora.

Who is this project for?

Researchers
Research organisations
Government agencies

What does this project enable?

By delivering a research-ready resource, AusTraits will transform our ability to both understand and manage Australian vegetation. AusTraits will provide tangible impacts beyond academic research by liberating ecological data which can be used to create stronger conservation management, business investment and societal engagement with the environment.