Data Sheet 4_Gastrodia elata production areas in China: climate and distribution changes (

A geospatial dataset documents the historical and projected distribution of the medicinal herb Gastrodia elata in China from A.D. 25 to 2100. It was created by Shiyan Liu and last updated in May 2026. The data combines historical records from ancient texts with future climate projections to model suitable growing areas.

Use Cases

• Modeling future suitable cultivation zones for Gastrodia elata based on climate projections.
• Analyzing historical shifts in medicinal plant distribution linked to climate fluctuations and human activities.
• Assessing the impact of the Little Ice Age and modern global warming on traditional crop ranges.
• Informing wild cultivation area adjustments for authentic medicinal herbs in response to climate change.

Strengths

• Covers an extensive temporal range from A.D. 25 to 2100.
• Integrates historical data from ancient Chinese herbal texts and local chronicles.
• Uses the MaxEnt model for simulating present and future (2081–2100 AD) distribution areas.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The dataset is small (1.1 MB), potentially limiting the granularity of spatial or temporal data.

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Historical data compiled from ancient texts; contemporary and future data modeled using MaxEnt.

Time Range

A.D. 25–2100

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-14 14:04:49; freshness should be verified.

Geography

China