Increasingly, ecological modellers are integrating paleodata with future projections to understand climate-driven biodiversity dynamics from the past through the current century. Climate simulations from earth system models are necessary to this effort, but must be debiased and downscaled before they can be used by ecological models. Downscaling methods and observational baselines vary among researchers, which produces confounding biases among downscaled climate simulations. We present unified datasets of debiased and downscaled climate simulations for North America from 21 ka BP to 2100AD, at 0.5° spatial resolution. Temporal resolution is decadal averages of monthly data until 1950AD, average climates for 1950–2005 AD, and monthly data from 2010 to 2100AD, with decadal averages also provided. This downscaling includes two transient paleoclimatic simulations and 12 climate models for the IPCC AR5 (CMIP5) historical (1850–2005), RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 21st-century scenarios. Climate variables include primary variables and derived bioclimatic variables. These datasets provide a common set of climate simulations suitable for seamlessly modelling the effects of past and future climate change on species distributions and diversity.
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Min & Max Temperature
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: mean minimum daily temperature, mean maximum daily temperature
ccsm3_22-0k_temp.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, PET & AET
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration.
ccsm3_22-0k_et.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Precipitation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: mean total monthly precipitation
ccsm3_22-0k_prcp.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Growing Degree Days
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: growing degree days, 5C & 0C.
ccsm3_22-0k_gdd.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Net Downward Longwave Radiation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean monthly net downward longwave radiation at surface
ccsm3_22-0k_lwn.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Downward Shortwave Radiation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean monthly downward shortwave radiation at surface.
ccsm3_22-0k_swd.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Upward Shortwave Radiation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean monthly upward shortwave radiation at surface.
ccsm3_22-0k_swu.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Water Vapor Pressure
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: mean monthly water vapor pressure
ccsm3_22-0k_vap.nc
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, Wind Speed
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean monthly wind speed
ccsm3_22-0k_wnd.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, Min & Max Temperature
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: mean minimum daily temperature, mean maximum daily temperature.
ecbilt_21-0k_temp.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, AET & PET
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration
ecbilt_21-0k_et.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, Precipitation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean total monthly precipitation
ecbilt_21-0k_prcp.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, Growing Degree Days
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: growing degree days, base 5C & 0C.
ecbilt_21-0k_gdd.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, Water Vapor Pressure
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean monthly water vapor pressure.
ecbilt_21-0k_vap.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, Downward Shortwave Radiation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean monthly downward shortwave radiation at surface.
ecbilt_21-0k_swd.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, Net Downward Longwave Radiation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variables: mean monthly net downward longwave radiation at surface
ecbilt_21-0k_lwn.nc
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, Upward Shortwave Radiation
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from EC-BILT (Timm & Timmermann, 2007). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and decadal resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to 20th century. Variable: mean monthly upward shortwave radiation at surface.
ecbilt_21-0k_swu.nc
CMIP5 NA Climates 1950-2005AD, Historical Scenario (1/2)
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 historical scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and represents a mean climatology for 1950-2005. Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 6 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models
historical1.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 1950-2005AD, Historical Scenario (2/2)
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 historical scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and represents a mean climatology for 1950-2005. Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 6 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models
historical2.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 4.5 Scenario (1/3)
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 4.5 Scenario (1/3)
the CMIP5 RCP4.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100 Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 4 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models.
rcp45_1.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 4.5 Scenario (2/3)
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 RCP4.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100 Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 4 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models.
rcp45_2.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 4.5 Scenario (3/3)
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 RCP4.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100 Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 4 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models.
rcp45_3.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 8.5 Scenario (1/3)
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 8.5 Scenario (1/3)
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 RCP4.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100 Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 4 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models.
rcp85_1.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 8.5 Scenario (2/3)
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 RCP8.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100. Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables and models are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 4 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models.
rcp85_2.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 8.5 Scenario (3/3)
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 RCP8.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100. Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. Multiple climatic variables and models are included in this file. To meet Dryad upload limits, this file holds data from 4 of 12 downscaled CMIP5 models.
rcp85_3.zip
CCSM3 NA Climates 22ka-0ka, TIFS
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and 500-year resolution for North America for 22,000 years ago to the 20th century. These TIFS were generated from the decadal-scale NetCDF data, and extracted as climatic summaries comprising 200-year bins and spaced 500 years apart. They are formatted for direct input into species distribution models. Multiple climate variables are included in this file.
ccsm3_22-0k_all_tifs.zip
EC-BILT NA Climates 21ka-0ka, TIFS
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from CCSM3 (Liu et al. 2009). Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and 500-year resolution for North America for 21,000 years ago to the 20th century. These TIFS were generated from the decadal-scale NetCDF data, and extracted as climatic summaries comprising 200-year bins and spaced 500 years apart. They are formatted for direct input into species distribution models.
ecbilt_21-0k_all_tifs.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 1950-2005AD, Historical Scenario, TIFS
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 historical scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and represents a mean climatology for 1950-2005. These TIFS were generated from the NetCDF data, and are formatted for direct input into species distribution models. Multiple climatic variables and models are included in this file.
cmip5_hist_1950-2005_all_tifs.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 4.5 Scenario, TIFS
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 RCP4.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100. Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. These TIFS were generated from the NetCDF data, and are formatted for direct input into species distribution models. Multiple climatic variables and models are included in this file.
cmip5_rcp4.5_2006-2100_all_tifs.zip
CMIP5 NA Climates 2010-2100AD, RCP 8.5 Scenario, TIFS
Downscaled and debiased paleoclimatic simulations from the CMIP5 RCP8.5 scenario. Downscaled to 0.5deg lat/lon and extracted at decadal intervals from 2010 to 2100. Downscaling follows same procedures as for paleoclimatic simulations. These TIFS were generated from the NetCDF data, and are formatted for direct input into species distribution models. Multiple climatic variables and models are included in this file.
cmip5_rcp8.5_2006-2100_all_tifs.zip