Ancient Reef Traits, a database of trait information for reef-building organisms over the Phanerozoic

Trait-based approaches are increasingly relevant to understand ecological and evolutionary patterns. A comprehensive trait database for extant reef corals is already available and widely used to reveal vulnerabilities to environmental disturbances including climate change. However, the lack of similar trait compilations for extinct reef builders prevents the derivation of generalities from the fossil record and to address similar questions. Here we present the Ancient Reef Traits Database (ARTD), which aims to compile trait information of various reef-building organisms in one single repository. ARTD contains specimen-level data from both published and unpublished resources. In this first version, we release 15 traits for 505 genera and 1129 species, comprising a dataset of 17,841 trait values of Triassic to mid-Holocene scleractinian corals, the dominant reef-builders in the modern ocean. Other trait data, including for other reef-building organisms, are currently being collated.

Automated summary

Trait-based approaches are important for understanding ecological and evolutionary patterns. A comprehensive trait database for extant reef corals exists, but there is a need for similar compilations of traits for extinct reef builders. The Ancient Reef Traits Database (ARTD) aims to fill this gap by compiling trait information of various reef-building organisms into a single repository.