<scp>GLOSSAQUA</scp> : A global dataset of size spectra across aquatic ecosystems

Body size is a key trait in ecology due to its influence on metabolism and many other life-history traits that affect population and community responses to environmental variation as well as ecosystem properties. The size spectrum represents the relationship between abundance (or biomass) and body size, independent of species identity. Size spectrum parameters, such as the slope or intercept, have been applied extensively as indicators of ecological status across multiple ecosystem types. The GLOSSAQUA dataset includes data from mainly heterotrophic communities composed of single (e.g., zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, or fish) to multiple taxonomic groups (e.g., from primary consumers to apex predators, and phytoplankton to large zooplankton), across diverse spatial and temporal scales, from surveys in freshwater (43% studies), marine (52% studies) and brackish (5% studies) ecosystems. In total, we compiled a unique global dataset of 8459 size spectrum slopes or exponents, 5237 intercepts, and 4,497 linearity coefficients (i.e., defined by the R<sup>2</sup> of the linear fit of the size spectrum) from 127 articles and gray literature (i.e., unpublished datasets). The current dataset aims to help identify the main drivers shaping aquatic size spectrum parameters at a global scale and contribute to cross-ecosystem comparisons. GLOSSAQUA can serve to explore questions such as factors influencing spatial and temporal dynamics of community size structure, comparing the response of community size structure between natural versus human-impacted sites, and comparing global patterns in different aquatic ecosystems. We encourage researchers, especially those from underrepresented geographical areas (e.g., South Hemisphere and Asia) to fuel this dataset in the future. The dataset is provided under a CC-BY-NC-S4 4.0 license, and users are encouraged to cite this data paper when using the data.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Ecology
Published
2025-03-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70050
Primary Topic
Fish Ecology and Management Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

GLOSSAQUA : A global dataset of size spectra across aquatic ecosystems

Julia Reiss, Ignasi Arranz, Pitágoras Augusto Piana, Giovanna Collyer et al.
Ecology
Fish Ecology and Management Studies
article

GLOSSAQUA : A global dataset of size spectra across aquatic ecosystems

Julia Reiss, Ignasi Arranz, Pitágoras Augusto Piana, Giovanna Collyer, Javier Sánchez‐Hernández, Helen J. Warburton, Teofana Chonova, Matı́as Arim, Tadeu Siqueira, Victor S. Saito, Matías Zarucki, Wilson S. Serra, Charlotte Evangelista, Anderson Luís Maciel, Thomas Mehner, Dani Boix, Almir Manoel Cunico, Stéphanie Gascón, Xavier D. Quintana, James R. Junker, Aitor Larrañaga, Mauro Berazategui, Jordi Sala, Ioar de Guzmán, Lucía Rodríguez‐Tricot, David Cunillera‐Montcusí, Jordi Compte, Roger Paulo Mormul, Renee M. van Dorst, Jon S. Harding, Daniel M. Perkins, Carmen García‐Comas, Danielle Katharine Petsch, Éder André Gubiani, Dirceu Baumgartner, Jorge García‐Girón, Justin P. F. Pomeranz, Martin Gaedke, Ramiro Pereira‐Garbero, Zeynep Ersoy, Daniel R Hernández, Gilmar Baumgartner, Mercedes López‐Vázquez
article en

Abstract

Body size is a key trait in ecology due to its influence on metabolism and many other life-history traits that affect population and community responses to environmental variation as well as ecosystem properties. The size spectrum represents the relationship between abundance (or biomass) and body size, independent of species identity. Size spectrum parameters, such as the slope or intercept, have been applied extensively as indicators of ecological status across multiple ecosystem types. The GLOSSAQUA dataset includes data from mainly heterotrophic communities composed of single (e.g., zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, or fish) to multiple taxonomic groups (e.g., from primary consumers to apex predators, and phytoplankton to large zooplankton), across diverse spatial and temporal scales, from surveys in freshwater (43% studies), marine (52% studies) and brackish (5% studies) ecosystems. In total, we compiled a unique global dataset of 8459 size spectrum slopes or exponents, 5237 intercepts, and 4,497 linearity coefficients (i.e., defined by the R<sup>2</sup> of the linear fit of the size spectrum) from 127 articles and gray literature (i.e., unpublished datasets). The current dataset aims to help identify the main drivers shaping aquatic size spectrum parameters at a global scale and contribute to cross-ecosystem comparisons. GLOSSAQUA can serve to explore questions such as factors influencing spatial and temporal dynamics of community size structure, comparing the response of community size structure between natural versus human-impacted sites, and comparing global patterns in different aquatic ecosystems. We encourage researchers, especially those from underrepresented geographical areas (e.g., South Hemisphere and Asia) to fuel this dataset in the future. The dataset is provided under a CC-BY-NC-S4 4.0 license, and users are encouraged to cite this data paper when using the data.

EcologyVol. 106(3)
Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya (ES), Universidade Estadual de Maringá (BR), University of North Texas (US), University of London (GB), Colorado Mesa University (US), University of the Basque Country (ES), University of Potsdam (DE), Universidade Federal de São Carlos (BR), Universidad de la República de Uruguay (UY), Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (ES), University of Canterbury (NZ), Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (BR), Universitat de Girona (ES), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE), Universidade Estadual do Paraná (BR), Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (DE), Universidad CLAEH (UY), HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research (HU), Institut de Ciències del Mar (ES), Universidade Federal do Paraná (BR), Brunel University of London (GB), Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (CH), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), The University of Tokyo (JP), Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) (BR), Universidad de León (ES), University of Oulu (FI)
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 95%
Fish Ecology and Management Studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.