Scientific reviews now make it possible to bring together data produced in different countries to address global issues.
However, it is essential that this data – some of which was collected several years ago – remains accessible and can be reused.
A study published on 24 August 2026 in PNAS en est un bel exemple.
It brings together data on 742 plant species from 24 studies carried out across six continents.
The aim was to compare the characteristics of plants in old-growth grasslands with those in grasslands that have developed following disturbance to an old-growth grassland (crops, soil tillage, etc.).
Thierry Dutoit and Elise Buisson, from the IMBE, contributed to this study using data collected by five of their PhD students. This data accounts for more than 20 % of the data used in this global synthesis.
The results show that plants in secondary grasslands are generally larger and have leaves with a higher nitrogen content and a greater leaf area. They are therefore better adapted to rapid growth and the acquisition of resources. Conversely, plants in established grasslands are better adapted to conserving resources.
Remarkably, These differences may persist for more than a century after the destruction of the original grasslands. In particular, they could permanently alter the functioning of ecosystems and accelerate the nutrient cycle.
These results highlight the’the importance of preserving historic grasslands and suggest ways to restore their biodiversity.
The study also shows the’the importance of retaining data generated during research.
But simply storing data is not always enough: Maintaining links between PhD students and their supervisors is also essential.
These exchanges help us to better understand historical data and to retrieve information that is not always available in databases.
This study thus illustrates how data collected locally can, several years later, contribute to scientific research carried out on a global scale.
