These tabular data were compiled to document how key plant trait values change during plant development, particularly seedling stages, and in relation to soil moisture. An objective of our study was to answer three main research questions: (1) Do seedling trait values differ across early to late stages of seedling development and do those trajectories vary among plant species and functional types (i.e., forbs vs. grasses)?; (2) Does water availability influence seedling ontogenetic trait variation? and, if so, does this variation affect plant species drought performance?; and (3) Do seedling trait values at early stages of development differ from complied trait database values for species? These data represent key trait values, including specific leaf area, root:shoot ratio, specific root length, and root dry matter content of 20 – 62-day-old seedlings grown under low and high levels of water availability. These data were collected from July-October 2019 at the Research Greenhouse at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. These data were collected by U.S. Geological Survey staff and greenhouse assistants at Northern Arizona University using observations and destructive harvesting of plants in a greenhouse setting. These data can be used to understand variation in functional traits early in plant development to predict community level processes and ecosystem responses to environmental change and ecological restoration practices.

These data represent nuclear microsatellite data collected from four riparian plant species that occur in and around Grand Canyon National Park: Populus fremontii (POFR), Salix gooddingii (SAGO), Salix exigua (SAEX), and Prosopis glandulosa (PRGL). These data were collected for population genetic analysis to help inform native plant material development in Grand Canyon National Park. Leaf samples were collected at sites spanning 470 km of the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead and in tributaries. Known revegetation areas were not sampled. We aimed to collect leaf tissue from at least 15 individuals at each sample site. If there were fewer than 15 individuals per species at a site, leaf tissue was collected from every individual. Leaves were immediately dried and stored in silica gel. For P. fremontii, S. gooddingii, and P. glandulosa, total genomic DNA was extracted from dried leaf tissue using a high-molecular weight protocol with modifications. For S. exigua, DNeasy Plant Minikits were used. We amplified 9, 9, 11, and 13 loci for P. fremontii, S. gooddingii, S. exigua, and P. glandulosa, respectively. All loci were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fragment analysis processed on an ABI 3730xl Genetic Analyzer with GeneScan LIZ500 internal size standard. Allele fragment sizes were scored using GeneMarker v2.2.0. Loci that were missing more than 5% of values, were not polymorphic, or could not be reliably scored were omitted. Nine loci were included for P. fremontii, six for S. gooddingii, eight for P. glandulosa, and nine for S. exigua. All species are diploid, so each microsatellite locus has two values. Associated with the microsatellite data are labels delineating what collection site each individual came from, which genetic group each individual was assigned to during statistical analyses, and information about those sites. Specifically, sites are noted as being on the Colorado River or on a tributary to it, and inside or outside of the canyon rims.

These data represent nuclear microsatellite data collected from four riparian plant species that occur in and around Grand Canyon National Park: Populus fremontii (POFR), Salix gooddingii (SAGO), Salix exigua (SAEX), and Prosopis glandulosa (PRGL). These data were collected for population genetic analysis to help inform native plant material development in Grand Canyon National Park. Leaf samples were collected at sites spanning 470 km of the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead and in tributaries. Known revegetation areas were not sampled. We aimed to collect leaf tissue from at least 15 individuals at each sample site. If there were fewer than 15 individuals per species at a site, leaf tissue was collected from every individual. Leaves were immediately dried and stored in silica gel. For P. fremontii, S. gooddingii, and P. glandulosa, total genomic DNA was extracted from dried leaf tissue using a high-molecular weight protocol with modifications. For S. exigua, DNeasy Plant Minikits were used. We amplified 9, 9, 11, and 13 loci for P. fremontii, S. gooddingii, S. exigua, and P. glandulosa, respectively. All loci were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fragment analysis processed on an ABI 3730xl Genetic Analyzer with GeneScan LIZ500 internal size standard. Allele fragment sizes were scored using GeneMarker v2.2.0. Loci that were missing more than 5% of values, were not polymorphic, or could not be reliably scored were omitted. Nine loci were included for P. fremontii, six for S. gooddingii, eight for P. glandulosa, and nine for S. exigua. All species are diploid, so each microsatellite locus has two values. Associated with the microsatellite data are labels delineating what collection site each individual came from, which genetic group each individual was assigned to during statistical analyses, and information about those sites. Specifically, sites are noted as being on the Colorado River or on a tributary to it, and inside or outside of the canyon rims.

This dataset is from a precipitation manipulation experiment conducted at five grassland sites along an elevation gradient near Flagstaff, AZ. The data consist of pre- (1991 - 2015) and post-experimental (2016) treatment plant production and precipitation measurements. The plant production measurements were taken from satellite and hand-held spectroradiometer, in addition to plot-based harvests at the end of growing season.

This dataset is from a precipitation manipulation experiment conducted at five grassland sites along an elevation gradient near Flagstaff, AZ. The data consist of pre- (1991 - 2015) and post-experimental (2016) treatment plant production and precipitation measurements. The plant production measurements were taken from satellite and hand-held spectroradiometer, in addition to plot-based harvests at the end of growing season.

This dataset is from a precipitation manipulation experiment conducted at five grassland sites along an elevation gradient near Flagstaff, AZ. The data consist of pre- (1991 - 2015) and post-experimental (2016) treatment plant production and precipitation measurements. The plant production measurements were taken from satellite and hand-held spectroradiometer, in addition to plot-based harvests at the end of growing season.

This dataset is from a precipitation manipulation experiment conducted at five grassland sites along an elevation gradient near Flagstaff, AZ. The data consist of pre- (1991 - 2015) and post-experimental (2016) treatment plant production and precipitation measurements. The plant production measurements were taken from satellite and hand-held spectroradiometer, in addition to plot-based harvests at the end of growing season.

,Developing new cultivars with drought resilience is difficult for cotton breeders/geneticists, because there is a lack of knowledge of which traits to target for improvement. Morphological and agronomic data was collected from two cultivars representing different production regions [far west – ‘PhytoGen 72’ (PHY72) and midsouth – ‘Stoneville 474’ (STV474)] of the US. These data were used to evaluate which traits are associated with drought resilience under semi environmental control (greenhouse). The dataset includes twenty eight traits that were evaluated for two irrigation regimes during the six critical reproductive stages of 50 % squaring, 100 % squaring, 50 % flowering, peak bloom and early boll setting, advanced flowering and boll setting, and initial boll cracking. The published article, based on these data, showed that traits such as leaf temperature (peak bloom and early boll setting), chlorophyll fluorescence yield (50 % squaring), number of leaves (peak bloom and early boll setting), flowers (50 % flowering) bolls (peak bloom and early boll setting and initial boll cracking), and plant height (50 % squaring and peak bloom and early boll setting) as single targets or in combination, could be used in selection strategies for breeding and genetically improving cotton for drought resiliency.,

These data were compiled for a literature review exploring science that informs plant material sourcing and selection in the interior central and western United States. Objectives of our study were to compile and summarize scientific literature that informs plant material selection to synthesize the state of knowledge relevant to decision-making. These data represent scientific studies that inform plant material selection and associated information including study type, study area, Environmental Protection Agency Level III Ecoregions of the Continental United States, objectives/questions, and conclusions in relation to plant material sourcing. These data were collected from articles published between 1994-2024 in unforested water-limited ecosystems in the interior central and western United States. These data were collected by U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center researchers through a literature search in Google Scholar. These data can be used to explore and summarize the current state of scientific knowledge informing plant material selection in this study area and time period and as a basis for expanded literature reviews and analyses.