Species are characterized by their behavioral, physiological and ecological attributes, which determine their role in ecosystems. In turn, ecosystems and their functions are defined by the species that inhabit them. Thus, evaluating the functional diversity and distributions of species is of utmost importance to studies of biogeography, community ecology, macroevolution, and conservation. The functional diversity of species are determined by traits such as diet, foraging strata, trophic level, activity cycle, litter size, generation length, habitat breadth and body mass. While there has been a recent growth of information regarding the vertebrate taxa of Madagascar, this information is not always easy to access (non-digitized), and is often fragmented by taxon, location, trait, or combinations thereof. Here, we present the Malagasy Animal trait Data Archive (MADA), a compilation of these and other functional traits, representing the ecological and geographical diversity of all 214 extant mammal and 242 bird species of Madagascar. Data were collected from extensive literature reviews. This Archive is currently limited by select cases of missing data, errors, and uncertainty in the literature; however, it represents the most comprehensive collection of functional trait data of Malagasy mammals and birds to date. The structure of the database allows for different levels of information (and specificity) in each entry and organization by taxon, range, bioclimate and trait. MADA will be continuously updated as new data become available. Potential uses of MADA include ecological research on the trait or trophic structure of communities, inquiries regarding the mechanisms of community assembly, comparative studies of functionally (dis)similar species, and conservation efforts concerned with the loss of ecosystem function. Madagascar is simultaneously home to one of the most exclusive, diverse, and endangered faunas of the world, making MADA a uniquely valuable resource for biodiversity science and conservation. No copyright restrictions are associated with this dataset. We would appreciate that researchers cite this paper if using all or part of the datasets.

1. Edge effects are among the most significant consequences of forest fragmentation. Therefore, understanding the impacts of edge creation on biodiversity is crucial for forest management and biological conservation. 2. In this study, we used trait-based and phylogenetic approaches to examine the effects of fragmentation on components of diversity and above-ground biomass of rainforest tree communities in Madagascar in forest edge vs. interior habitats. 3. Tree communities in forest edges showed lower phylogenetic diversity relative to those in interior habitats, suggesting that some clades may be more vulnerable to environmental filtering than others. Functional diversity was also significantly lower on the edge for productivity traits, but not for dispersal traits. Tree communities in the forest edge showed higher divergence of dispersal traits and lower divergence in productivity traits than expected by chance, while functional diversity in interior forest did not differ from random expectations. This suggests separate mechanisms affect productivity traits vs. dispersal traits in edge habitat. 4. There was no significant difference in above-ground biomass between edge and interior habitats, suggesting that edge effects have not yet negatively influenced the forest’s potential for carbon storage. However, these changes may not have occurred yet, given the slow turnover of tree communities. 5. Synthesis and applications: Our results highlight the role of edge effects in the erosion of functional and phylogenetic diversity of highly diverse tree communities. While above-ground biomass did not appear to be affected by forest edge in our study, we suggest long-term monitoring of forests for potential changes in ecosystem functioning. Given the prevalence of forest fragmentation globally, these findings indicate the need for more holistic biodiversity studies to better understand local consequences of forest fragmentation.11-Jul-2017