Database Report

Tree Biodiversity Network (BIOTREE-NET) -- Prospects for biodiversity research and conservation in the Neotropics

Luis Cayuela

GIVD Database ID: NA-00-002	Last update: 2018-11-09
Tree Biodiversity Network (BIOTREE-NET)	Web address: http://portal.biotreenet.com/
Database manager(s): Luis Cayuela (luis.cayuela@urjc.es)
Owner: Public
Scope: BIOTREE-NET is a network of forest inventory plots in southern Mexico and Central America. Its major goal is to promote biodiversity research and conservation in the tropics by stimulating data sharing and collaboration between scientists from different parts of the world.
Abstract: Biodiversity research and conservation efforts in the tropics are hindered by the lack of knowledge of the assemblages found there, with many species undescribed or poorly known. Our initiative, the Tree Biodiversity Network (BIOTREE-NET), aims to address this problem by assembling georeferenced data from a wide range of sources, making these data easily accessible and easily queried, and promoting data sharing. The database currently comprises ca. 50,000 tree records of ca. 5,000 species (230 in the IUCN Red List) from >2,000 forest plots in 11 countries. The focus is on trees because of their pivotal role in tropical forest ecosystems (which contain most of the world`s biodiversity) in terms of ecosystem function, carbon storage and effects on other species. BIOTREE-NET currently focuses on southern Mexico and Central America, but we aim to expand coverage to other parts of tropical America. The database is relational, comprising 12 linked data tables. We summarise its structure and contents. Key tables contain data on forest plots (including size, location and date(s) sampled), individual trees (including diameter, when available, and both recorded and standardised species name), species (including biological traits of each species) and the researchers who collected the data. Many types of queries are facilitated and species distribution modelling is enabled. Examining the data in BIOTREE-NET to date, we found an uneven distribution of data in space and across biomes, reflecting the general state of knowledge of the tropics. More than 90% of the data were collected since 1990 and plot size varies widely, but with most less than one hectare in size. A wide range of minimum sizes is used to define a `tree`. The database helps to identify gaps that need filling by further data collection and collation. Researchers are invited and encouraged to contribute data to BIOTREE-NET, and the data will soon become publicly available.
Availability: free online	Online upload: no	Online search: yes
Database format(s): PostgreSQL	Export format(s): MySQL, CSV file, plain text file
Plot type(s): normal plots	Plot-size range (m²): 100 to 54000
Non-overlapping plots: 2019	Estimate of existing plots: 2019	Completeness: 100%	Status: completed and continuing
Total no. of plot observations: 2019	Number of sources (biblioreferences, data collectors): 53	Valid taxa: 1188
Countries (%): MX: 65.8742; BZ: 1.584943; HN: 6.934126; SV: 3.368004; NI: 2.080238; CR: 10.20307; PA: 9.905894
Formations: Forest: 100% = Terrestrial: 100%
Guilds: only trees and shrubs: 100%
Plot size categories (%): < 1 m2: 0%; 1-10 m2: 0%; 10-100 m2: 0%; 100-1000 m2: 40.31699%; 1000-10000 m2: 53.93759%; >= 10000 m2: 5.547301%; unknowmn: 0%;
Environmental data (%): altitude: 0; slope aspect: 0; slope inclination: 0; microrelief: 0; surface cover other than plants (open soil, litter, bare rock etc.): 0; other soil attributes: 0; soil pH: 0; land use categories: 0; soil depth: 0
Performance measure(s): presence/absence only: 9.559188%; cover: 0%; number of individuals: 90.39128%; measurements like diameter or height of trees: 20.65379%; biomass: 0%; other: 0%
Geographic localisation: GPS coordinates (precision 25 m or less): 75%; point coordinates less precise than GPS, up to 1 km: 20%; small grid (not coarser than 10 km): 5%; political units or only on a coarser scale ( above 10 km): 0%
Sampling periods: before 1920: 0%; 1920-1929: 0%; 1930-1939: 0%; 1940-1949: 0%; 1950-1959: 0%; 1960-1969: 0.04952947%; 1970-1979: 0%; 1980-1989: 0.3962358%; 1990-1999: 32.73897873%; 2000-2009: 59.93066%; 2010-2019: 0%; unknown: 6.884596%
Information as of 2026-06-14; further details and future updates available from http://www.givd.info/ID/NA-00-002

Luis Cayuela* (luis.cayuela@urjc.es)
Departamento de Biología y Geología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Tulipán s/n, 28933 Madrid, SPAIN
* corresponding author