SoilTemp: A global database of near‐surface temperature
Authors: Lembrechts Jonas J. , Aalto Juha , Ashcroft Michael B. , De Frenne Pieter , Kopecký Martin , Lenoir Jonathan , Luoto Miska , Maclean Ilya M. D. , Roupsard Olivier , Fuentes‐Lillo Eduardo , García Rafael A. , Pellissier Loïc , Pitteloud Camille , Alatalo Juha M. , Smith Stuart W. , Björk Robert G. , Muffler Lena , Ratier Backes Amanda , Cesarz Simone , Gottschall Felix , Okello Joseph , Urban Josef , Plichta Roman , Svátek Martin , Phartyal Shyam S. , Wipf Sonja , Eisenhauer Nico , Pușcaș Mihai , Turtureanu Pavel D. , Varlagin Andrej , Dimarco Romina D. , Jump Alistair S. , Randall Krystal , Dorrepaal Ellen , Larson Keith , Walz Josefine , Vitale Luca , Svoboda Miroslav , Finger Higgens Rebecca , Halbritter Aud H. , Curasi Salvatore R. , Klupar Ian , Koontz Austin , Pearse William D. , Simpson Elizabeth , Stemkovski Michael , Jessen Graae Bente , Vedel Sørensen Mia , Høye Toke T. , Fernández Calzado M. Rosa , Lorite Juan , Carbognani Michele , Tomaselli Marcello , Forte T'ai G. W. , Petraglia Alessandro , Haesen Stef , Somers Ben , Van Meerbeek Koenraad , Björkman Mats P. , Hylander Kristoffer , Merinero Sonia , Gharun Mana , Buchmann Nina , Dolezal Jiri , Matula Radim , Thomas Andrew D. , Bailey Joseph J. , Ghosn Dany , Kazakis George , de Pablo Miguel A. , Kemppinen Julia , Niittynen Pekka , Rew Lisa , Seipel Tim , Larson Christian , Speed James D. M. , Ardö Jonas , Cannone Nicoletta , Guglielmin Mauro , Malfasi Francesco , Bader Maaike Y. , Canessa Rafaella , Stanisci Angela , Kreyling Juergen , Schmeddes Jonas , Teuber Laurenz , Aschero Valeria , Čiliak Marek , Máliš František , De Smedt Pallieter , Govaert Sanne , Meeussen Camille , Vangansbeke Pieter , Gigauri Khatuna , Lamprecht Andrea , Pauli Harald , Steinbauer Klaus , Winkler Manuela , Ueyama Masahito , Nuñez Martin A. , Ursu Tudor‐Mihai , Haider Sylvia , Wedegärtner Ronja E. M. , Smiljanic Marko , Trouillier Mario , Wilmking Martin , Altman Jan , Brůna Josef , Hederová Lucia , Macek Martin , Man Matěj , Wild Jan , Vittoz Pascal , Pärtel Meelis , Barančok Peter , Kanka Róbert , Kollár Jozef , Palaj Andrej , Barros Agustina , Mazzolari Ana C. , Bauters Marijn , Boeckx Pascal , Benito Alonso José‐Luis , Zong Shengwei , Di Cecco Valter , Sitková Zuzana , Tielbörger Katja , van den Brink Liesbeth , Weigel Robert , Homeier Jürgen , Dahlberg C. Johan , Medinets Sergiy , Medinets Volodymyr , De Boeck Hans J. , Portillo‐Estrada Miguel , Verryckt Lore T. , Milbau Ann , Daskalova Gergana N. , Thomas Haydn J. D. , Myers‐Smith Isla H. , Blonder Benjamin , Stephan Jörg G. , Descombes Patrice , Zellweger Florian , Frei Esther R. , Heinesch Bernard , Andrews Christopher , Dick Jan , Siebicke Lukas , Rocha Adrian , Senior Rebecca A. , Rixen Christian , Jimenez Juan J. , Boike Julia , Pauchard Aníbal , Scholten Thomas , Scheffers Brett , Klinges David , Basham Edmund W. , Zhang Jian , Zhang Zhaochen , Géron Charly , Fazlioglu Fatih , Candan Onur , Sallo Bravo Jhonatan , Hrbacek Filip , Laska Kamil , Cremonese Edoardo , Haase Peter , Moyano Fernando E. , Rossi Christian , Nijs Ivan 
Published: April 2020

Current analyses and predictions of spatially explicit patterns and processes in ecology most often rely on climate data interpolated from standardized weather stations. This interpolated climate data represents long‐term average thermal conditions at coarse spatial resolutions only. Hence, many climate‐forcing factors that operate at fine spatiotemporal resolutions are overlooked. This is particularly important in relation to effects of observation height (e.g. vegetation, snow and soil characteristics) and in habitats varying in their exposure to radiation, moisture and wind (e.g. topography, radiative forcing or cold‐air pooling). Since organisms living close to the ground relate more strongly to these microclimatic conditions than to free‐air temperatures, microclimatic ground and near‐surface data are needed to provide realistic forecasts of the fate of such organisms under anthropogenic climate change, as well as of the functioning of the ecosystems they live in. To fill this critical gap, we highlight a call for temperature time series submissions to SoilTemp, a geospatial database initiative compiling soil and near‐surface temperature data from all over the world. Currently, this database contains time series from 7,538 temperature sensors from 51 countries across all key biomes. The database will pave the way toward an improved global understanding of microclimate and bridge the gap between the available climate data and the climate at fine spatiotemporal resolutions relevant to most organisms and ecosystem processes.