Introducing VecTraits

By: Samuel Rund and Samraat Pawar

After two years of pandemic-time work, we are proud to formally release the VecTraits database for you to explore.

VecTraits is a unique (and we believe, much needed) database that seeks to fill a major gap in Vector-Borne Disease ecology: Data on functional trait variation of vectors.

We’ve worked really hard on the VecTraits interface to make it easy to explore and visualize datasets - as opposed to just presenting data as large tables. This should make it easier for you to find the data you need.

Here is an example of a dataset as visualized in our system:

You’ll notice the system attempts to graph the data. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” When possible and relevant, a map of where the samples were collected is also provided. The “Experimental Information,” “Data Source,” and “Notes” section lets you quickly and easily determine if a dataset is relevant to your needs.

The “Data” section shows only columns that change across the rows - no more scrolling through multiple columns to figure out what experimental variables were changing in an experiment!

Below the “Data” table, you will find the download button to download the data for your analysis (an API is coming soon). The “Additional Information” table shows values for all columns that are consistent among all the rows in the dataset.

Happy data exploring!