The Tervuren xylarium Wood Density Database (TWDD)
Abstract
Wood density is a key plant property, indispensable for estimating forest biomass. Yet, despite tropical regions' substantial contributions to global tree diversity and carbon cycling, they remain underrepresented in wood density datasets such as the CIRAD and Global Wood Density Database (GWDD). To address this gap, we present the 'Tervuren xylarium Wood Density Database' (TWDD), containing 13,332 samples from 2,994 species, 1,022 genera, and 156 plant families across six continents (72% from Africa). TWDD offers direct measurements of oven-dry (oven-dry mass/oven-dry volume, all samples), air-dry (air-dry mass/air-dry volume, 6,408 samples), green (green mass/green volume, 1,657 samples), and basic wood density (oven-dry mass/green volume, 1,686 samples). Basic density was estimated for the remaining 11,646 samples via conversion from oven-dry density. TWDD closes a substantial wood density data gap, especially in Africa, adding 1,164 new species, 160 new genera, and 8 new plant families not included in GWDD or CIRAD datasets. The TWDD provides a critical resource for advancing research on forest community dynamics, ecosystem functioning, carbon cycling, and trait-based ecology worldwide.
Related
- Characterization of the Populus PLCP Gene Family and the Function of PtrXCP2A in Wood Formation
- Evidence for climate-mediated range expansion of hybrid wood ants
- Territorial African wood-doves respond differently to intruders with higher and lower frequency of songs
- Near-gapless genome of Sassafras tzumu provides insights into magnoliid evolution and cellulose synthase expansion associated with wood formation
- Peat-Free Composted Bark and Wood Fiber Blends for Container Ornamentals: Species-Dependent Growth and Quality Responses
BibTeX
@article{verbiest2026tervuren,
title = {{The Tervuren xylarium Wood Density Database (TWDD)}},
author = {William W. M. Verbiest and Pauline Hicter and Hans Beeckman and Daniel Wallenus and Bhély Angoboy Ilondea and Jean-François Bastin and Marijn Bauters and Jérôme Chave and Ruben de Blaere and Thalès de Hauleville and Tom de Mil and Maaike de Ridder and Cécile de Troyer and Corneille E. N. Ewango and Adeline Fayolle and Anaïs-Pasiphaé Gorel and Fabian Jörg Fischer and Asli Begum Kacamak and Christien Kimbuluma and Nestor K. Luambua and Félix Laurent and Kévin Liévens and Jean-Rémy Makana and François Malaisse and Mbusa Wasukundi and Michael Monnoye and Alfred Ngomanda and Franck Rodrigue Olouo Ambounda and Benjamin Toirambe and Cédric Otepa and Joris van Acker and Bes van den Abbeele and Jan van den Bulcke and Blanca van Houtte Alonso and Thierry Wankana and Brice Yannick Djiofack and Wannes Hubau},
journal = {Scientific Data},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1038/s41597-026-06563-2},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05741719v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The Tervuren xylarium Wood Density Database (TWDD)
AU - William W. M. Verbiest
AU - Pauline Hicter
AU - Hans Beeckman
AU - Daniel Wallenus
AU - Bhély Angoboy Ilondea
AU - Jean-François Bastin
AU - Marijn Bauters
AU - Jérôme Chave
AU - Ruben de Blaere
AU - Thalès de Hauleville
AU - Tom de Mil
AU - Maaike de Ridder
AU - Cécile de Troyer
AU - Corneille E. N. Ewango
AU - Adeline Fayolle
AU - Anaïs-Pasiphaé Gorel
AU - Fabian Jörg Fischer
AU - Asli Begum Kacamak
AU - Christien Kimbuluma
AU - Nestor K. Luambua
AU - Félix Laurent
AU - Kévin Liévens
AU - Jean-Rémy Makana
AU - François Malaisse
AU - Mbusa Wasukundi
AU - Michael Monnoye
AU - Alfred Ngomanda
AU - Franck Rodrigue Olouo Ambounda
AU - Benjamin Toirambe
AU - Cédric Otepa
AU - Joris van Acker
AU - Bes van den Abbeele
AU - Jan van den Bulcke
AU - Blanca van Houtte Alonso
AU - Thierry Wankana
AU - Brice Yannick Djiofack
AU - Wannes Hubau
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/08
JO - Scientific Data
DO - 10.1038/s41597-026-06563-2
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05741719v1
AB - Wood density is a key plant property, indispensable for estimating forest biomass. Yet, despite tropical regions' substantial contributions to global tree diversity and carbon cycling, they remain underrepresented in wood density datasets such as the CIRAD and Global Wood Density Database (GWDD). To address this gap, we present the 'Tervuren xylarium Wood Density Database' (TWDD), containing 13,332 samples from 2,994 species, 1,022 genera, and 156 plant families across six continents (72% from Africa). TWDD offers direct measurements of oven-dry (oven-dry mass/oven-dry volume, all samples), air-dry (air-dry mass/air-dry volume, 6,408 samples), green (green mass/green volume, 1,657 samples), and basic wood density (oven-dry mass/green volume, 1,686 samples). Basic density was estimated for the remaining 11,646 samples via conversion from oven-dry density. TWDD closes a substantial wood density data gap, especially in Africa, adding 1,164 new species, 160 new genera, and 8 new plant families not included in GWDD or CIRAD datasets. The TWDD provides a critical resource for advancing research on forest community dynamics, ecosystem functioning, carbon cycling, and trait-based ecology worldwide.
SN - 2052-4463
ER -