Increasing PEcAn Modularity - Refactoring the Trait-Meta-analysis-Configuration Pipeline

This project aims to refactor the core PEcAn workflow by decoupling heavy computational logic from disk I/O. Currently, data is passed via hidden .RData files, making the system difficult to test and maintain. I will modularize the Trait-Meta-analysis-Configuration chain to allow for in-memory data passing while maintaining data provenance as an opt-in persistence feature. Key deliverables include a "pure" version of get.trait.data.pft(), a standalone design matrix generator, and updated PDA/SDA workflows to support the new modular architecture, ensuring a more transparent and testable pipeline for ecological modeling.