WorldClim - Global Climate Data, Version 1.4 (Release 3)

WorldClim is a set of global climate layers (climate grids) with a spatial resolution of about 30 arc-second (1 square kilometer). The data layers were generated through interpolation of average monthly climate data from weather stations. Variables included are monthly total precipitation, and monthly mean, minimum and maximum temperature, and 19 derived bioclimatic variables. Bioclimatic variables are biologically meaningful variables that are often used in ecological niche modeling (e.g., BIOCLIM, GARP). The bioclimatic variables represent annual trends (e.g., mean annual temperature, annual precipitation) seasonality (e.g., annual range in temperature and precipitation) and extreme or limiting environmental factors (e.g., temperature of the coldest and warmest month, and precipitation of the wet and dry quarters). The WorldClim interpolated climate layers were made using: (1) major climate databases compiled by the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN), the FAO, the WMO, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), R-HYdronet, and a number of additional minor databases for Australia, New Zealand, the Nordic European Countries, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, among others. Where possible, input data were restricted to records from the 1950–2000 period. After removing stations with errors, the database consisted of precipitation records from 47,554 locations, mean temperature from 24,542 locations, and minimum and maximum temperature for 14,835 locations; (2) The SRTM elevation database (aggregeated to 30 arc-seconds, 1 km); and (3) The ANUSPLIN software for interpolating noisy multi-variate data using thin plate smoothing splines. Latitude, longitude, and elevation were used as independent variables. The data can be used for mapping and spatial modeling in a GIS or with other computer programs. For a complete description, see: Hijmans, R.J., S.E. Cameron, J.L. Parra, P.G. Jones and A. Jarvis, 2005. Very high resolution interpolated climate surfaces for global land areas. International Journal of Climatology 25: 1965-1978.

WorldClim是一套全球气候图层（气候网格），空间分辨率约30弧秒（即1平方公里）。该数据集的图层通过对气象站点的月度平均气候数据进行插值生成，涵盖的变量包括月总降水量、月均温、月最低温与月最高温，以及19个衍生生物气候变量（bioclimatic variables）。
生物气候变量是具有生物学意义的指标，常被应用于生态位建模（如BIOCLIM、GARP），其表征了年度气候趋势（如年均温、年降水量）、季节波动特征（如温度与降水的年极差），以及极端或限制性环境因子（如最冷/最热月均温、湿季与干季降水量）。
WorldClim的插值气候图层基于以下三项内容构建：（1）由全球历史气候学网络（Global Historical Climatology Network, GHCN）、联合国粮食及农业组织（FAO）、世界气象组织（WMO）、国际热带农业中心（International Center for Tropical Agriculture, CIAT）、R-HYdronet，以及澳大利亚、新西兰、北欧国家、厄瓜多尔、秘鲁、玻利维亚等地区的多个小型辅助数据库整合的主流气候数据集；在可行范围内，输入数据限定为1950-2000年时段的观测记录。经剔除存在错误的站点后，该数据库包含47554个点位的降水记录、24542个点位的均温记录，以及14835个点位的最低与最高温记录；（2）分辨率重采样至30弧秒（1公里）的SRTM数字高程数据库；（3）使用薄板平滑样条法对多变量噪声数据进行插值的ANUSPLIN软件，插值过程中以纬度、经度与高程作为自变量。
该数据集可用于地理信息系统（GIS）或其他计算机程序中的制图与空间建模。完整的数据集说明可参阅：Hijmans, R.J., S.E. Cameron, J.L. Parra, P.G. Jones and A. Jarvis, 2005. 全球陆地区域超高分辨率插值气候表面. 《国际气候学杂志》25卷：1965-1978.