Data from: Big biology meets microclimatology: Defining thermal niches of ectotherms at landscape scales for conservation planning

Temperature profoundly affects ecology, a fact ever more evident as the
ability to measure thermal environments increases and global changes alter
these environments. The spatial structure of thermalscapes is especially
relevant to the distribution and abundance of ectothermic organisms but
the ability to describe biothermal relationships at extents and grains
relevant to conservation planning has been limited by small or sparse
datasets. Here, we combine a large occurrence database of >23,000
aquatic species surveys with stream microclimate scenarios supported by an
equally large temperature database for a 149,000-km mountain stream
network to describe thermal relationships for 14 fish and amphibian
species. Species occurrence probabilities peaked across a wide range of
temperatures (7.0–18.8 °C) but distinct warm- or cold-edge distribution
boundaries were apparent for all species and represented environments
where populations may be most sensitive to thermal changes. Warm-edge
boundary temperatures for a native species of conservation concern were
used with geospatial datasets and a habitat occupancy model to highlight
subsets of the network where conservation measures could benefit local
populations by maintaining cool temperatures. Linking that strategic
approach to local estimates of habitat impairment remains a key challenge
but is also an opportunity to build relationships and develop synergies
between the research, management, and regulatory communities. As with any
data mining or species distribution modeling exercise, care is required in
analysis and interpretation of results, but the use of large biological
datasets with accurate microclimate scenarios can provide valuable
information about the thermal ecology of many ectotherms and a
spatially-explicit way of guiding conservation investments.