Skip to main content
Dryad

FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database

Cite this dataset

Ocampo-Zuleta, Korina; Pausas, Juli G.; Paula, Susana (2023). FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h18931zr3

Abstract

FLAMITS database contains 19,972 records of 40 flammability variables (classified according to the measured component of flammability). For each record, relevant details of the flammability experiment are included, such as the burning device, the ignition source, and the burned plant part. In addition, FLAMITS compiles taxonomic and functional data of the studied species and information on the study site (locality, geographic coordinates, biome, biogeographic realm, and fire activity). We compiled data from 295 studies located in 39 countries and distributed across 12 biomes worldwide over the last 62.5 years (1961 to 15th May 2023). The dataset has 1790 plant taxa from 186 families, 833 genera, and 1790 species.

README

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Title of Dataset

FLAMITS: A global database of plant flammability traits Access this

dataset on Dryad: https:// doi. org/ 10. 5061/ dryad. h1893 1zr3

2. Author Information

a) Principal Investigator. Contact Information Name: Korina Ocampo Zuleta. Institution: Universidad Austral de Chile. Email: korinaocampozuleta@gmail.com

b) Co-investigator. Contact Information Name: Susana Paula. Institution: Universidad Austral de Chile. Email: spaula.julia@uach.cl

c) Co-investigator. Contact Information Name: Juli G. Pausas. Institution: Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación. Email: juli.g.pausas@ext.uv.es

3. Date of the data collection: 1961 to 15th May 2023 (The last 62.5 years).

4. Spatial Location of data collection: We compiled data from 295 studies in 39 countries and distributed across 12 biomes worldwide.

5. Major Taxa and Level of Measurement: 1790 plant taxa from 186 families, 883 genera, and 1784 species.

6. Information about funding sources: Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Grant/Award Number:PIA/BASAL FB210006 and 21190817; Dirección de Investigación, Universidad Austral de Chile, Grant/Award Number: TD-2021-01; Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico, Grant/Award Number: 1190999; Generalitat Valenciana, Grant/Award Number: Promteo/2021/040.

SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION

1. Links to publications that cite or use the data: Ocampo-Zuleta, K., Pausas, J. G. & Paula, S.(2023). FLAMITS: A global database of plant flammability traits. Global Ecology and Biogeography. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13799

2. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data: None

3. Links/relationships to ancillary data sets: None

4. Was data derived from another source? No A. If yes, list source(s): NA

5. Recommended citation for this dataset: Ocampo-Zuleta, Korina; Pausas, Juli G.; Paula, Susana (2023). FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h18931zr3

DATA & FILE OVERVIEW

1. File list: the "data file", which includes the main data values and key information for their interpretation; the "taxon file", with the taxonomic and ecological description of the taxa included in the database; the "synonymy file", to relate the taxa names used in the database to the synonymous names used in the data source; the "site file", that includes details on the geographical location and ecological characteristics of the study sites; and the "source file", with the references used.

2. Relationship between files, if important: yes

3. Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: None

4. Are there multiple versions of the dataset? No

DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: data_file.csv

1. General description: each record consists of one flammability trait data (column: var_value) measured on a given taxa (taxon_name) obtained in a particular study (source_ID), usually for a specific location (site_ID) and a specific sampling time (sampling_time), with some indicated exceptions (i.e. averaged data from several locations or sampling times). The names of the flammability traits (and their units) were homogenized based on the description of the measurement, and assigned to one of the four flammability dimensions (flam_dimension): ignitability, combustibility, sustainability, and consumability. We included records of a semi-quantitative variable integrating the abovementioned flammability dimensions, which was classified as "integrated" in the flam_diension column. Relevant information on the flammability experiment was also systematized and included in the database the type of device used for the experimental burning (burning_device); the ignition source (ignition_source), the preheating method (i.e. treatment prior to exposure to the ignition source; preheating), the device used for measuring the temperature (temp_device), and the part of the organism burnt (plant_part). When available, FLAMITS also includes whether the fuel was alive or dead (fuel_type), whether the sample was pre-dried before the burning experiment or not (predrying), as well as the moisture content of the fuel (fuel_moisture) and the sampling period (sampling_time). In addition, it was indicated whether the specimens studied were taken from the native or from the non-native distribution range of the species (origin) according to the information of the study site and corroborated with global databases (i.e. Plants of the World Online). Finally, each record was linked to a unique identifier for the study site (site_ID) and another for the reference of the data source (source_ID).

2. Number of variables: 21

3. Number of cases/rows: 19,972

4. Variable List:

- ID: Unique record identifier (numeric)

- taxon_ID: Unique taxon identifier used in the "Taxa" file

- taxon_name: Taxon name without authority names. Complete names are provided in the "Taxa" file

- var_name: Flammability variable name (see definitions in Table 2)

- var_value: The numerical value of the flammability variable

- flam_dimension Measured flammability component (see definitions in Table 2): ignitability; combustibility; sustainability; consumability; integrated

- burning_device: Type of device used for the flammability test (see definitions in Table 2): burning bench; calorimeter; epiradiator; flat flame burner; ignition temperature tester; grill; infrared burner; muffle furnace; thermal analyser; wind tunnel

- ignition_source: Type of ignition source: flame; heater; flame + heater; sparkler

- ignition_source_desc: Description of the characteristics of the ignition source. ND = no data available

- preheating: Whether or not the samples were preheated before the combustion experiment: no; yes

- preheating_desc: Description of the procedures of preheating the sample before the exposure to the ignition source

- temp_device: Temperature measurement device: infrared camera; infrared thermometer; thermocolour pyrometer; thermocouple; ND (= no data available); NA (= not applicable)

- plant_part: Part of the plant burnt (see definitions in Table 2): bark; branches; cones; outer bark; inner bark; leaves; litter; roots; stems; twigs; whole plant; wood

- fuel_type: Type of fuel burnt: all; dead; live; ND (= no data available)

- predrying: Whether or not the samples were dried before the combustion experiment: no; yes

- fuel_moisture: Fuel moisture (in %) before the flammability test

- origin: Type of distribution range of the burnt specimens: non-native; native

- source_ID: Unique identifier used in the "Source" file to label the source from which the data were obtained. Complete references are listed in the "Source" file

- site_ID: Unique identifier used in the "Site" file to label the study sites. A description of the study sites is provided in the

"Site" file

- sampling_time: Period, season, or month of sampling. ND = no data available

- comments: Relevant comments

5. Definition variable List:

5.1 Flammability variable (var_name; for flam_dimension = Ignitability)

- Ignition frequency (%): Percentage of samples that ignited during the experimental burning. A sample is considered to be ignited when a flame appears after being exposed to an ignition source during a limited period of time (e.g., 10 s in Jaureguiberry et al., 2011 or 60 s in Americo et al., 2021) and if the sample sustains the flame after the ignition source has been removed (Valette, 1990)

- Flammability value: Index defined as a function of the ignition frequency and the mean ignition time score. A flammability of this type is declared low when the scores are 0 and 1, medium for scores 2 and 3, and high for scores 4 and 5 (Valette, 1990)

- Temperature at flaming (°C): Temperature of the sample (or of the surrounding air) at the beginning of the flame phase (i.e., when the flames appear and are maintained; Saura-Mas et al., 2010)

- Temperature at smoke (°C): Temperature of the sample (or of the surrounding air) at the beginning of the smoke phase (i.e., when the smoke appears; Saura-Mas et al., 2010)

- Temperature at smouldering (°C): Temperature of the sample (or of the surrounding air) at the beginning of the smouldering phase (i.e., when glowing occurs; Saura-Mas et al., 2010)

- Time to flaming (s): Time to the beginning of the flaming phase (i.e., when the flames appear and are maintained; Saura-Mas et al., 2010). Time measurements start when the sample is exposed to an ignition source (Cui et al., 2020; Krix et al., 2019) or when the sample reaches a given temperature (e.g., 60°C; Saura-Mas et al., 2010)

- Time to maximum heat release rate (s): Time elapsed since the beginning of the flaming phase up until the maximum heat release rate is reached (Dupuy et al., 2003)

- Time to maximum smoke density (s): Time elapsed since the exposure to the ignition source up until the maximum smoke density is reached (King, 1975)

- Time to smoke (s): Time to the beginning of the smoke phase (i.e., when the smoke appears; Saura-Mas et al., 2010). Time measurements start when the sample is exposed to an ignition source (Krix et al., 2019) or when the sample reaches a given temperature (e.g., 60°C; Saura-Mas et al., 2010)

- Time to smouldering (s): Time to the beginning of the smouldering phase (i.e., when the glowing occurs; Saura-Mas et al., 2010). Time measurements start when the sample is exposed to an ignition source (Krix et al., 2019) or when the sample reaches a given temperature (e.g., 60°C; Saura-Mas et al., 2010)

5.2 Flammability variable (var_name; for flam_dimension =

Combustibility)

- Calorific value (kcal/kg): The amount of energy released per unit of fuel biomass burnt (Shaha, 2018)

- Energy flux (kW/m²): The rate of energy release during combustion per surface area unit (see "heat release rate" definition for details; NIST, 2022)

- Energy release rate (kW): The rate of energy release during combustion. The value usually corresponded to the average heat release rate over the experimental burning (Belcher, 2016)

- Flame height (cm): Maximum flame height, estimated visually to the nearest centimeter (Santos et al., 2018)

- Flame intensity (kW/m): Maximum heat release rate per meter of fire front (Liodakis et al., 2011)

- Flame propagation: Number of opposite directions in which flames spread from the center of the sample (0 to 4; Ganteaume, 2018)

- Heat released per mass (°C s/g): Energy released as heat during the flame occurrence, estimated as the area under the temperature-time curve throughout the flaming duration divided by the fresh fuel biomass (Blackhall & Raffaele, 2019)

- Mass loss rate (g/s): Burnt biomass divided by the flaming duration (i.e., since the ignition to the flame extinction; Simpson et al., 2016)

- Mass loss rate per area (g/m2 s): Mass loss rate per area unit of the fuel sample (see "mass loss rate" definition for details; Ramadhan et al., 2019)

- Maximum energy flux (kW/m2): Maximum rate of energy release during combustion per surface area unit (White et al., 1996)

- Maximum energy release rate (kW): Maximum energy release rate obtained during the experimental burning (see "energy release rate" definition for details; Madrigal et al., 2011)

5.3 Flammability variable (var_name; for flam_dimension =

Combustibility)

- Maximum flame temperature (°C): Highest temperature measured in the flame during the sample burning (Cornwell et al., 2015)

- Maximum sample temperature (°C): Highest temperature measured in the sample during burning (Burger & Bond, 2015)

- Percentage rate of mass loss (%/s): Burnt biomass percentage divided by flaming duration (from ignition to flame extinction; de Freitas Rocha & Landesmann, 2016)

- Smoke release rate (m2/s): Volumetric smoke flow rate through the duct of a cone calorimeter (Dowbysz & Samsonowicz, 2021)

- Smoke specific extinction area (m2/kg): Instantaneous amount of smoke produced per mass unit of burnt sample in a cone calorimeter (Babrauskas, 2016)

- Temperature increase rate (°C/s): Maximum rate of temperature increase during flaming combustion (Page et al., 2012)

5.4 Flammability variable (var_name; for flam_dimension = Sustainability)

- Burning duration (s): Amount of time that the combustion is sustained; can be restricted to the flaming duration or it can also include the smouldering phase (Pausas et al., 2017)

- Flaming duration (s) Time elapsed from the appearance of the first visible flame until no more flames were seen (Grootemaat et al., 2015)

- Flaming duration per mass (s/g): Flaming duration standardized by the dry, pre-burning fuel mass (Grootemaat et al., 2017)

- Frequency of sustained flaming (%): Percentage of samples that maintained flames for (at least) a given time (e.g., 10 s in Weir & Scasta, 2014) or that propagated fire over (at least) a given distance (of 125 mm in Santana & Marrs, 2014)

- Rate of burning spread (cm/s): It expresses the speed of burning (by smouldering or flaming). It can be calculated by dividing the length of the sample that was burnt by the burning time (Jaureguiberry et al., 2011) or the time interval between the flaming front passage at two points of the sample (Pausas et al., 2017)

- Smoke duration (s): Amount of time over which smoke is emitted (Krix et al., 2019)

- Smouldering duration (s): Amount of time during which glowing occurs, usually measured as the time from the end of the last visible flame until the glowing phase died out (Grootemaat et al., 2015) or by subtracting flaming duration from the total burning duration (Gabrielson et al., 2012)

- Smouldering duration per mass (s/g): Smouldering duration standardized by the dry, pre-burning fuel mass (Grootemaat et al., 2017)

5.5 Flammability variable (var_name; for flam_dimension = Consumability)

- Burnt biomass (%): Post-burning sample weight related to its weight before the experimental burning (Liodakis & Antonopoulos, 2006). Note that the initial change in weight of a burnt sample corresponds to the evaporation of water and other gases

- Estimated burnt biomass (%): Visually estimated percentage of the fuel biomass or volume consumed by the fire (Burger & Bond, 2015)

- Total heat release (MJ/m2): Total heat produced by the burning fuel over the entire period of the experiment calculated by integrating the heat release rate curve vs. the time (Madrigal et al., 2009)

- Total smoke release (m²/m²): Smoke production in a cone calorimeter standardized by the burnt specimen's area unit (Östman et al., 1992)

5.6 Flammability variable (var_name; for flam_dimension = Integrated)

- Flammability index: Compound value of flammability obtained by adding standardized scores of the maximum sample temperature, the rate of burning spread, and the burnt biomass. It has a minimum possible value of 0 (no flammability) and a maximum value that would rarely exceed 3 (maximum flammability) (Jaureguiberry et al., 2011)

5.7 Burning device (burning_device)

- Burning bench: Device to perform flammability assays under laboratory conditions, where the samples are located on a surface or container (frequently a steel mesh) and exposed to a flame (e.g., from a lit, alcohol-soaked cotton, a Bunsen burner, etc.). Fireproof rings are included here (Cornwell et al., 2015)

- Calorimeter: Device for the measurement of the heat produced by a chemical reaction or a physical change, as well as its heat capacity. Types of calorimeters included are: bomb calorimeter, scanning calorimeter, microcalorimeter, mass loss calorimeter, and cone calorimeter (Toppr, 2022). The type of calorimeter used is specified in the "Comments" field

- Epiradiator: Device consisting of an electrical heating resistor (typically powered by 500 W) placed inside an opaque and impermeable silica case. The resistor is fixed to a refractory surface at the top of the case (i.e., the heating plate). The fuel is placed lying on the heating plate or at a certain distance above it to test the flammability initiated by (respectively) heat conduction or radiative heat, boosted (Valette, 1997) or not (Pausas et al., 2012) by a pilot flame

- Flat flame burner: Device with a movable platform where a radiating heating panel simulates the radiative heating ahead of the flame front in a wildfire and a flat blame burner provides the heat transfer by convection (Engstrom et al., 2004)

- Grill: Propane--butane gas barbecue for flammability measurements of large plant samples up to 70 cm in length: the sample is exposed to a blowtorch (10 s) after preheating at 150°C for 2 min (Jaureguiberry et al., 2011)

- Ignition temperature tester: A device equipped with a hot plate with a non-corrosive abrasion resistant surface (usually an aluminum plate) on which a layer of solid particles or powder of a specified thickness is deposited. It allows measurement of the minimum temperature of the hot plate that will result in combustion of the sample (i.e., resulting in a flame or incandescence; NRC, 1979)

- Infrared burner: A device that focuses a flame of a standard gas burner onto a ceramic tile with thousands of microscopic holes; this converts the heat of the flame into infrared energy (Dove, 2011)

- Muffle furnace: Furnace built with refractory materials that can reach temperatures above 350°C (Gilbson, 2022)

- Radiant panel: A device in which the sample (placed on a metal plate) is exposed to the heat flux emitted by a radiant panel and uses a pilot flame as ignition source (Overholt et al., 2014)

- Thermal analyzer: A device to study the properties of materials as they change with temperature using a set of techniques collectively known as thermal analysis. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) is one of those techniques frequently used to assess fuel flammability (Espectrometria, 2020)

- Outdoor wind tunnel: Device consisting of a fan and a tunnel several metres long placed in the ground, which is covered with sand. The fuel is placed on the sand and ignited from one end of the tunnel. The fan (controlled by an electronic system) is used to create an airflow that simulates the action of the wind inside the tunnel (cf. Madrigal et al., 2011)

- Scale wind tunnel: Device designed according to the Forced Ignition and Flame Spread Test (FIST), where samples are heated from above by a radiant panel. The pyrolyzates produced by the heated sample are carried to a Kanthal wire ignitor by a fixed airflow. Ignition occurs, when sufficient pyrolyzates are accumulated (Jolly et al., 2012)

DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: taxon_file.csv

1. General description: The "Taxon" file also includes the accepted taxa name and the taxonomic family following the APG IV and PPG I systems (APG IV et al., 2016; PPG I et al., 2016).Taxon names were first checked for misspellings and then we searched for synonymous names using the World Flora Online (WFO, 2022) and the Taxonomic Name Resolution Service (TNRS; Boyle et al., 2013). Notice that in some cases, the taxa were only determined at the genus level.

2. Number of variables: 16

3. Number of cases/rows: 1791

4. Variable List:

- taxon_ID: Unique taxon identifier (numeric)

- taxon_name: Currently accept species, subspecies, or variety names in World Flora Online (WFO) or the Taxonomic Name Resolution Service (TNRS)

- author: Authority for the taxon name

- group: Suprafamily taxonomic group: bryophyte; dicot; gymnosperm; lichen; monocot; pteridophyte

- family Angiosperm Phylogeny Group IV and Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I family

- genus: Genus, that is, the first part of the species binomial name

- species: The specific epithet, that is, the second part of the species binomial name

- lifespan: The period during which an individual of a species is alive and physiologically active: annual; perennial; variable

- growth_form: Morphology of the whole plant related to its size: bambusoid; climber; epiphyte; fern; forb; graminoid; large shrub; lichen; moss; palm-like;shrub; subshrub; tree

- woodiness: Presence and distribution of wood in the plant: fibrous; herbaceous; suffrutex; woody

- leaf_phenology: Phenology of leaves: deciduous; evergreen; semideciduous

- native_distrib: Known native distribution of the taxon by state, city, or country

- source_plant_ID: Unique identifier used in the "Source" file to label the source from which the lifespan and the growth form were obtained. Complete references are listed in the "Source" file

- source_leaf_ID: Unique identifier used in the "Source" file to label the source from which the leaf phenology was obtained. Complete references are listed in the "Source" file

- source_distrib_ID: Unique identifier used in the "Source" file to label the source from which the native range of the species was obtained. Complete references are listed in the "Source" file

5. Definition variable List:

5.1 Growth form (growth_form)

- Bambusoid: Perennial plant with fibrous stems arising from belowground, clonal structures (usually rhizomes). The stems lack or have only weak secondary growth, but their rapid vertical growth sometimes forms tree-sized canopies (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al., 2013)

- Climber: Plant that roots in the soil but relies, at least initially, on external support for its upward growth and leaf positioning (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al., 2013)

- Epiphyte: Plant that grows attached to the trunk or branch of a shrub or tree (or to anthropogenic supports) by aerial roots, usually without contact to the ground (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al., 2013)

- Forb: Broad-leaved herbaceous plant (Tavşanoğlu & Pausas, 2018). Herbaceous ferns, mosses, and lichens are included here Graminoid Herbaceous plant with a grass-like morphology (Tavşanoğlu & Pausas, 2018)

- Large shrub: Tall, woody plant that, under optimal conditions, may reach an arborescence structure (Tavşanoğlu & Pausas, 2018). It includes large shrubs or small trees

- Palmoid: Plant of variable size with a rosette-shaped canopy of typically large (often compound) leaves atop a thick, columnar, unbranched (or small-branched) stem of fibrous consistency (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al., 2013)

- Shrub: Dwarf woody plant (typically \<50 cm), including suffruticose (suffrutescent) plants (Tavşanoğlu & Pausas, 2018). Includes most chameaphytes Subshrub Plant with usually multiple, ascending, woody stems less than 0.5 m tall (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al., 2013)

- Tree: Very tall woody plant, frequently with one main, primary stem and a green canopy rarely touching the ground (Tavşanoğlu & Pausas, 2018)

DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Synonymy_file.csv

1. General description: The "Synonymous" file includes the accepted name and the name used in the corresponding reference.

2. Number of variables: 3

3. Number of cases/rows: 248

4. Variable List:

- original_name: Name given to the taxon in the data source

- taxon_name: Currently accept species, subspecies, or variety names in World Flora Online (WFO) or the Taxonomic Name Resolution Service (TNRS)

- taxon_ID: Unique taxon identifier used in the "Taxa" file

DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Site_file.csv

1. General description: The geographical description of each sampling site was compiled in the "Site" file, including latitude, longitude, country, and locality. Coordinates were either collected directly from the source or estimated from the sampling site. When the source did not provide detailed information on the sampling site (such as location or coordinates), the location (and the associated geographic data) where the burning experiment took place was included instead. The column named type was used to report whether the location corresponded to the sampling or the burning site. Using the coordinates, we specified the corresponding ecoregion (cf. Olson et al., 2001) and the fire activity of the location (cf. Pausas & Ribeiro, 2013).

2. Number of variables: 11

3. Number of cases/rows: 482

4. Variable List:

- site_ID: Unique identifier for the study sites (alphanumeric)

- source_ID: Unique identifier used in the "Source" file to label the data source. Complete references are listed in the "Source" file

- country: Country where the study was conducted

- locality: Location of the study site. ND = no data available

- type: Whether the location corresponds to the sampling site or to the site where the burning experiment was carried out: sampling; burning

- latitude: Latitude (in decimal degrees) of the study site

- longitude: Longitude (in decimal degrees) of the study site

- realm: Code for the corresponding biogeographical realm where the study area was located (cf. Olson et al., 2001, BioScience, 51, 933-938)

- biome: Code for the corresponding terrestrial biome where the study area was located (cf. Olson et al., 2001, BioScience, 51, 933-938)

- ecoreg: Code for the corresponding terrestrial ecoregion where the study area was located (cf. Olson et al., 2001, BioScience, 51, 933-938)

- fire: A dimensionless measurement of the average fire activity of the ecoregion of the study site (cf. Pausas & Ribeiro, 2013, Global Ecology and Biogeography, 22, 728-736)

5. Definition variable List:

5.1 Terrestrial biomes (biome, cf. Olson et al. 2001)

- 1: Tropical and subtropical moist, broadleaf forests (tropical and subtropical, humid): also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat, generally found in large, discontinuous patches centered on the equatorial belt and between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, TSMF are characterized by low variability in annual temperature and high levels of rainfall of more than 2,000 mm (79 in) annually. Forest composition is dominated by evergreen and semi-deciduous tree species.

- 2: Tropical and subtropical dry, broadleaf forests (tropical and subtropical, semihumid): Is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive several hundred millimeters of rain per year, they have long dry seasons that last several months and vary with geographic location. These seasonal droughts have great impact on all living things in the forest.

- 3: Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests (tropical and subtropical, semihumid): a tropical forest habitat type. hese forests are found predominantly in North and Central America and experience low levels of precipitation and moderate variability in temperature. Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests are characterized by diverse species of conifers, whose needles are adapted to deal with the variable climatic conditions.

- 4: Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests (temperate, humid): Broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions. These forests are richest and most distinctive in central China and eastern North America, with some other globally distinctive ecoregions in the Himalayas, Western and Central Europe, the southern coast of the Black Sea, Australasia, Southwestern South America and the Russian Far East.

- 5: Temperate coniferous forests (temperate, humid to semihumid): Temperate coniferous forests are found predominantly in areas with warm summers and cool winters, and vary in their kinds of plant life. In some, needleleaf trees dominate, while others are home primarily to broadleaf evergreen trees or a mix of both tree types. A separate habitat type, the tropical coniferous forests, occurs in more tropical climates.

- 6: Boreal forests/taiga (subarctic, humid): Generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, and larches.

- 7: Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands (tropical and subtropical, semiarid): The biome is dominated by grass and/or shrubs located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes. Tropical grasslands are mainly found between 5 degrees and 20 degrees in both North and south of the Equator.

- 8: Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands (temperate, semiarid):The predominant vegetation in this biome consists of grass and/or shrubs. The climate is temperate and ranges from semi-arid to semi-humid. The habitat type differs from tropical grasslands in the annual temperature regime as well as the types of species found here.

- 9: Flooded grasslands and savannas (temperate to tropical, fresh or brackish water inundated): Consisting of large expanses or complexes of flooded grasslands. These areas support numerous plants and animals adapted to the unique hydrologic regimes and soil conditions. Large congregations of migratory and resident waterbirds may be found in these regions.

- 10: Montane grasslands and shrublands (alpine or montane climate): The biome includes high elevation grasslands and shrublands around the world. Includes high elevation (montane and alpine) grasslands and shrublands, including the puna and páramo in South America, subalpine heath in New Guinea and East Africa, steppes of the Tibetan plateaus, as well as other similar subalpine habitats around the world.

- 11: Tundra (arctic climate): Is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine tundra, and Antarctic tundra. Tundra vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs, sedges, grasses, mosses, and lichens. Scattered trees grow in some tundra regions.

- 12: Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub or sclerophyll forests (temperate warm, semihumid to semiarid with winter rainfall): The biome is generally characterized by dry summers and rainy winters, although in some areas rainfall may be uniform. Summers are typically hot in low-lying inland locations but can be cool near colder seas. Winters are typically mild to cool in low-lying locations but can be cold in inland and higher locations. All these ecoregions are highly distinctive, collectively harboring 10% of the Earth's plant species.

- 13: Deserts and xeric shrublands (temperate to tropical, arid): Deserts and xeric shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome. coregions in this habitat type vary greatly in the amount of annual rainfall they receive, usually less than 250 millimetres (10 in) annually except in the margins.

- 14: Mangrove (subtropical and tropical, salt water inundated): Is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have special adaptations to take in extra oxygen and to remove salt, which allow them to tolerate conditions that would kill most plants.

5.2 Biogeographic realms (realm, cf. Olson et al. 2001)

- NA: Neartic: Covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico.

- PA: Paleartic: It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa.

- AT: Afrotropic: Includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopian Zone or Ethiopian Region.

- IM: Indomalay: It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia.

- AA: Australasia: Includes Australia, the island of New Guinea (comprising Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian province of Papua), and the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago, including the island of Sulawesi, the Moluccas (the Indonesian provinces of Maluku and North Maluku), and the islands of Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, and Timor, often known as the Lesser Sundas.

- NT: Neotropic: It includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone.

- OC: Oceania: Includes the islands of the Pacific Ocean in Micronesia, the Fijian Islands, the Hawaiian islands, and Polynesia. New Zealand, Australia, and most of Melanesia including New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia.

- AN: Antarctic: Includes Antarctica and several island groups in the southern Atlantic and Indian oceans.

DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Source_file.csv

1. General description: The "Source file" contains the references used

2. Number of variables: 4

3. Number of cases/rows: 397

4. Variable List:

- source_ID: Unique identifier for the data source (alphanumeric)

- data_type: Data type obtained from the source: flammability; complementary (e.g. life form, leaf phenology, species distribution)

- reference_type: Reference type: book; book section; conference paper; peer-reviewed article; preprint; technical report; thesis; web page

- reference: Full reference

Funding

Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Award: 21190817

Austral University of Chile, Award: TD-2021-01, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Desarrollo y Creación Artística,

Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Award: 1190999

Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Award: FB210006, PIA/BASAL

FocScales project, Award: Promteo/2021/040