FUTRES

For much of the tree of life, data on functional trait diversity and distributions are grossly incomplete. These trait data form links between the evolutionary history of organisms, their assembly into communities, and the functioning of ecosystems, with the need for functional trait data outstripping the speed at which they can be collected. Digitized paleo- and neo- biocollections records contain a trove of trait data measured directly from individuals, but this content remains hidden and highly heterogeneous, impeding discovery and use. Similarly, legacy trait data from decades of studies are locked in publication tables, plots, supplementary flat files, and unpublished author spreadsheets. The initial stage of FuTRES was a proof-of-concept that targeted body length and mass data found in already digitized specimen records, demonstrating that large scale extraction, harmonization, and re-provisioning of specimen-level trait data are possible. The critical next steps are to extend..