f7b8e72f-9bbe-4a03-8140-fada73e95b8c English ISO/IEC 8859-1 (also known as Latin 1) dataset dataset NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg Lancaster LA1 4AP UK info@eidc.ac.uk https://eidc.ac.uk/ EIDC website The Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC) is the UK's national data centre for terrestrial and freshwater sciences. information pointOfContact 2026-02-13T10:38:58 UK GEMINI 2.3 WGS 84 Physiological, morphological and functional traits of encroaching and non-encroaching savanna trees under contrasting CO2 concentrations, water stress, and grass competition, South Africa, 2022 2026-02-04 publication https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/f7b8e72f-9bbe-4a03-8140-fada73e95b8c 10.5285/f7b8e72f-9bbe-4a03-8140-fada73e95b8c doi: Ripley, B., Simpson, K., Raubenheimer, S., Singini, E., Jones, E., Burgess, T., Carkeek, R., Cramer, M., Dixon, R., Field, K., Hawkins, H., Nell, R., Ngqiyaza, N., Pallett, N., Reynolds, L., Telford, E., Vetter, S., Lehmann, C., Osborne, C. (2026). Physiological, morphological and functional traits of encroaching and non-encroaching savanna trees under contrasting CO2 concentrations, water stress, and grass competition, South Africa, 2022. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre 10.5285/f7b8e72f-9bbe-4a03-8140-fada73e95b8c [This dataset is embargoed until January 4, 2027]. This dataset provides physiological, morphological, and functional trait measurements for twelve African savanna tree species belonging to the Vachellia and Senegalia genera (Fabaceae family). The data encompasses six species classified as encroaching (increasing in density in African savannas) and six non-encroaching species, facilitating comparative analysis of traits facilitating encroachment ability. The variables capture sapling responses to a factorial combination of environmental conditions, specifically atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, water availability, and interspecific grass competition. The dataset details plant performance under elevated CO2 versus ambient CO2 and contrasts well-watered and water-limited conditions. Furthermore, the data includes comparative metrics for trees grown with and without competition from the grass species Themeda triandra. All measurements were derived from saplings grown for 11 months in large pots containing local savanna soil within open-top chambers (Rhodes University Elevated CO2 Facility, Makhanda, South Africa), culminating in physiological assessments and destructive harvesting for morphological analysis. The work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (Grant NE/T000759/1). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/f7b8e72f-9bbe-4a03-8140-fada73e95b8c Kimberley Simpson University of Sheffield k.j.simpson@sheffield.ac.uk pointOfContact Ripley, B. Rhodes University b.ripley@ru.ac.za https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4546-2618 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Simpson, K. University of Sheffield k.j.simpson@sheffield.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6673-227X ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Raubenheimer, S. University of Michigan sraubs@umich.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7219-4631 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Singini, E. Rhodes University edith.singini@ru.ac.za https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6077-6623 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Jones, E. Rhodes University emmacjones@proton.me author Burgess, T. Rhodes University tebadibopape@gmail.com author Carkeek, R. Rhodes University rhc@sun.ac.za author Cramer, M. University of Cape Town michael.cramer@uct.ac.za https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0989-3266 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Dixon, R. Rhodes University rd.russelldixon@gmail.com author Field, K. University of Sheffield k.j.field@sheffield.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5196-2360 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Hawkins, H. University of Cape Town heidi.hawkins@uct.ac.za https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9334-0669 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Nell, R. Rhodes University rhysnell127@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6894-4137 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Ngqiyaza, N. Rhodes University np.ngqiyaza@gmail.com author Pallett, N. Rhodes University nitapallett123@gmail.com author Reynolds, L. Rhodes University liamreynolds73@gmail.com author Telford, E. University of Sheffield e.telford@sheffield.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1511-1083 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Vetter, S. Rhodes University s.vetter@ru.ac.za https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2063-5615 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Lehmann, C. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh clehmann@rbge.org.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6825-124X ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Osborne, C. University of Sheffield c.p.osborne@sheffield.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7423-3718 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author University of Sheffield EMAIL NOT PROVIDED owner Rhodes University EMAIL NOT PROVIDED owner University of Edinburgh EMAIL NOT PROVIDED owner NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk publisher NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk custodian Habitats and Biotopes theme GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication Climate and climate change Savanna encroachment Woody thickening Elevated CO2 Functional traits Drought Tree-grass competition otherRestrictions Embargoed otherRestrictions This resource is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence otherRestrictions If you reuse this data, you should cite: Ripley, B., Simpson, K., Raubenheimer, S., Singini, E., Jones, E., Burgess, T., Carkeek, R., Cramer, M., Dixon, R., Field, K., Hawkins, H., Nell, R., Ngqiyaza, N., Pallett, N., Reynolds, L., Telford, E., Vetter, S., Lehmann, C., Osborne, C. (2026). Physiological, morphological and functional traits of encroaching and non-encroaching savanna trees under contrasting CO2 concentrations, water stress, and grass competition, South Africa, 2022. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre https://doi.org/10.5285/f7b8e72f-9bbe-4a03-8140-fada73e95b8c textTable English utf8 biota 2021-12-01 2022-11-30 -18.281 52.385 -36.315 22.594 Comma-separated values (CSV) NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk distributor dataset dataset Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 Data Generation Process The data were generated through a controlled split-plot experiment conducted at the Rhodes University Elevated CO2 Facility (RUECF) in Makhanda, South Africa. Experimental Setup and Environmental Monitoring Data generation began with the establishment of pots in sixteen open-top chambers (OTCs) designed to impose specific environmental treatments. These treatments included manipulated atmospheric CO2 concentrations (ambient vs. elevated to ~550 ppm), water availability (automated daily irrigation vs. ambient rainfall), and interspecific competition (pots containing established Themeda triandra grass swards vs. bare soil). Cultivation of Biological Material The biological data component originated from twelve indigenous legume species (Vachellia and Senegalia spp.) selected based on their encroachment status. Seeds were heat-shocked to break dormancy, germinated and transplanted into the experimental OTCs. These saplings were grown under the assigned factorial treatment conditions for a period of 11 months (December 2021 - November 2022). Data Acquisition Final data collection was performed in two stages. In the month preceding harvest, physiological trait data were captured in situ. Subsequently, the experiment concluded with the destructive harvesting of all individuals. Morphological and functional trait data were then generated through the physical measurement and analysis of the harvested biomass.