On the importance of getting fine-scale temperature records near any surface

Abstract

Commentary on “SoilTemp: a global database of near-surface temperature” by Lembrechts et al.International audienceThe pressing need to identify the ecological consequences of climate changes boosted the development of macroecological approaches as well as climatological tools. Nevertheless, the major pitfall remains that the actual climatic conditions experienced by organisms in their microhabitat and across their home range are largely ignored. In this context, Lembrechts et al. (2020) are initiating a new global database of near-surface temperatures, especially focusing on above ground (up to 2 m) and below ground soil temperatures. This approach is welcome to assess the amplitude of microclimate change around the world and across biomes. Here, I extend this approach by highlighting that fine-scale temperature heterogeneity can be large over short times frames (minutes to hours) and short distances (centimeters to meters) in forest covers. This mosaic of microclimates likely influences the response of organisms to climate change. Further, the SoilTemp database could be expanded to the other interfaces with atmosphere