δ-MedBioclim: A New Dataset Bridging Current and Projected Bioclimatic Variables for the Euro-Mediterranean Region

Abstract

This data descriptor presents δ-MedBioclim, a newly developed dataset for the Euro-Mediterranean region. This dataset applies the delta-change method by comparing the values of 25 General Circulation Models (GCMs) for the reference period (1981–2010) with their projections for future periods (2026–2050, 2051–2075, and 2076–2100) under the SSP1-RCP2.6, SSP2-RCP4.5, and SSP5-RCP8.5 scenarios. These anomalies are added to two pre-existing datasets, ERA5-Land and CHELSA, yielding resolutions of 0.1° and 0.01°, respectively. Additionally, this manuscript provides a ranking of GCMs for each major river basin within the study area to guide model selection. δ-MedBioclim includes, for all the aforementioned scenarios, monthly mean temperature, total monthly precipitation, and 23 bioclimatic variables, including 9 (biorm1 to biorm9) from the Worldwide Bioclimatic Classification System (WBCS) that are not available in other databases. It also provides two bioclimatic classifications: Köppen–Geiger and WBCS. This dataset is expected to be a valuable resource for modeling the distribution of Mediterranean species and habitats, which are highly affected by climate change. Dataset: http://dx.doi.org/10.18002/10612/24418. Dataset License: NC-ND 4.0 International