HERBase: A collection of understorey herb vegetation plots from Amazonia

ABSTRACT Understorey herbs form a diverse and understudied plant assemblage in tropical forests. Although several studies research teams have long been dedicated to the study of this conspicuous vegetation component Amazonia, no effort unify data has undertaken date. In contrast trees other life forms for which major compilations already exist, unified database is still lacking. Part problem defining what herb how effectively sample assemblages. article, we describe HERBase, an exhaustive compilation published unpublished on inventories Amazonia. We also structure, functioning, guidelines curation integration HERBase. were able compile information from 1381 plots all six Amazonian geographic regions. Based dataset, discuss sampling knowledge gaps, priority areas new collections, recommend protocols facilitate future. This novel provides unique biodiversity repository understorey that will enable community ecology biogeography.