StoichLife: A Global Dataset of Plant and Animal Elemental Content

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Angélica L. González - , Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, Camden (Author)
  • Julian Merder - , Carnegie Institution of Science, Washington (Author)
  • Karl Andraczek - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Ulrich Brose - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Michał Filipiak - , Jagiellonian University in Kraków (Author)
  • W. Stanley Harpole - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Author)
  • Helmut Hillebrand - , University of Oldenburg, Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Author)
  • Michelle C. Jackson - , University of Oxford (Author)
  • Malte Jochum - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, University of Würzburg, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Shawn J. Leroux - , Memorial University of Newfoundland (Author)
  • Mark P. Nessel - , Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, Camden, Oklahoma State University (Author)
  • Renske E. Onstein - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Author)
  • Rachel Paseka - , National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (Author)
  • George L.W. Perry - , The University of Auckland (Author)
  • Amanda Rugenski - , University of Georgia (Author)
  • Judith Sitters - , Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-WARE Research Centre (Author)
  • Erik Sperfeld - , Federal Environmental Agency, Germany, University of Greifswald (Author)
  • Maren Striebel - , University of Oldenburg (Author)
  • Eugenia Zandona - , Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Author)
  • Jean Christophe Aymes - , Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (Author)
  • Alice Blanckaert - , University of Queensland (Author)
  • Sarah L. Bluhm - , University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Hideyuki Doi - , Kyoto University (Author)
  • Nico Eisenhauer - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Vinicius F. Farjalla - , Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Author)
  • James Hood - , Ohio State University (Author)
  • Pavel Kratina - , Queen Mary University of London (Author)
  • Jacques Labonne - , Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (Author)
  • Catherine E. Lovelock - , University of Queensland (Author)
  • Eric K. Moody - , Middlebury College (Author)
  • Attila Mozsár - , Balaton Limnological Research Institute (Author)
  • Liam Nash - , Queen Mary University of London (Author)
  • Melanie M. Pollierer - , University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Anton Potapov - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, University of Göttingen, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz (Author)
  • Gustavo Q. Romero - , State University of Campinas (Author)
  • Jean Marc Roussel - , Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (Author)
  • Stefan Scheu - , University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Nicole Scheunemann - , University of Göttingen, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History Görlitz (Author)
  • Julia Seeber - , EURAC Research, University of Innsbruck (Author)
  • Michael Steinwandter - , EURAC Research (Author)
  • Winda Ika Susanti - , University of Göttingen (Author)
  • Alexei Tiunov - , Russian Academy of Sciences, Joint Vietnam - Russia Tropical Science and Technology Research Center (Author)
  • Olivier Dézerald - , Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (Author)

Abstract

The elemental content of life is a key trait shaping ecology and evolution, yet organismal stoichiometry has largely been studied on a case-by-case basis. This limitation has hindered our ability to identify broad patterns and mechanisms across taxa and ecosystems. To address this, we present StoichLife, a global dataset of 28,049 records from 5,876 species spanning terrestrial, freshwater, and marine realms. Compiled from published and unpublished sources, StoichLife documents elemental content and stoichiometric ratios (%C, %N, %P, C:N, C:P, and N:P) for individual plants and animals. The dataset is standardized and, where available, includes information on taxonomy, habitat, body mass (for animals), geography, and environmental conditions such as temperature, solar radiation, and nutrient availability. By providing an unprecedented breadth of organismal stoichiometry, StoichLife enables the exploration of global patterns, ecological and evolutionary drivers, and context-dependent variations. This resource advances our understanding of the chemical makeup of life and its responses to environmental change, supporting progress in ecological stoichiometry and related fields.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number569
JournalScientific data
Volume12
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2025
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 40180992