Climatic variables and ecological modelling data for birds, amphibians and reptiles in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (Portugal-Spain)

Abstract

Climate change has been widely accepted as one of the major threats for global biodiversity, and understanding its potential effects on biodiversity distribution is crucial to optimise conservation planning in future scenarios under global change. Providing detailed climatic data at both spatial and temporal scales and integrating this information in species distribution models could contribute to predicting potential changes in biodiversity distribution, and consequently, to develop efficient management and biodiversity conservation planning. The provision of such data becomes even more important in regions with high levels of biodiversity, currently suffering from climatic and landscape changes. The Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (Portugal-Spain), one of the most relevant reserves for wildlife in Europe, is a perfect example of a highly diverse region from both an ecological and socio-economical point of view, suffering from synergistic processes of rural land abandonment and climatic instabilities that currently threat local biodiversity. As such, providing detailed current and future climatic data and framework information about the potential effects of climate change on local biodiversity becomes urgently needed to optimise local conservation planning.Herein, we provide a complete dataset of state-of-the-art historical and future climate model simulations, generated by global-regional climate model chains, with climatic variables resolved at a high spatial resolution (1×1 km) over the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica. Additionally, a complete series of distribution models for 207 species (168 birds, 24 reptiles and 15 amphibians) under future (2050) climate change scenarios is delivered, which constitute framework data for improving local conservation planning in the reserve.

Keywords

• biodiversity
• climate change
• climate models
• cons