2 Methods

2.1 AdaptWest

This is a spatial database that provides freely available climate data across North America. Some of the data relevant to the ABMI are their 30 year climate normals, multiple climate change models, and climate refugia models. In addition, we are able to use their ClimateNA software (v7.40) to create down-scaled predictions for any survey locations monitored by the ABMI.

For this analysis, we downloaded the 1-km 1961-1990 climate normal data and compared it to the current climate data used by the ABMI. In addition, we downloaded climate normal data for all years that were available (1971-2000, 1981-2010. 1991-2020) to understand how climate normals have shifted over time.

The AdaptWest climate normal data contains 33 bioclimatic variables, 6 of which are current used in the ABMI species habitat models.

Table 2.1: Definition of bioclimatic variables and if they are currently used in the ABMI species habitat models.

Variable Definition ABMI MAT Mean annual temperature (C) TRUE MWMT Mean temperature of the warmest month (C) TRUE MCMT Mean temperature of the coldest month (C) TRUE TD Difference between MCMT and MWMT, as a measure of continentality (C) FALSE MAP Mean annual precipitation (mm) TRUE MSP Mean summer (May to Sep) precipitation (mm) FALSE AHM Annual heat moisture index, calculated as (MAT+10)/(MAP/1000) TRUE SHM Summer heat moisture index, calculated as MWMT/(MSP/1000) FALSE DD_0 Degree-days below 0C (chilling degree days) FALSE DD5 Degree-days above 5C (growing degree days) FALSE DD_18 Degree-days below 18C FALSE DD18 Degree-days above 18C FALSE NFFD The number of frost-free days FALSE FFP Frost-free period TRUE bFFP The julian date on which the frost-free period begins FALSE eFFP The julian date on which the frost-free period ends FALSE PAS Precipitation as snow (mm) FALSE EMT Extreme minimum temperature over 30 years FALSE EXT Extreme maximum temperature over 30 years FALSE Eref Hargreave’s reference evaporation FALSE CMD Hargreave’s climatic moisture index FALSE MAR Mean annual solar radiation (MJ m-2 d-1) (excludes areas south of US and some high-latitude areas) FALSE RH Mean annual relative humidity (%) FALSE CMI Hogg’s climate moisture index (mm) FALSE DD1040 Degree-days above 10C and below 40C FALSE Tave_wt Winter (December to February) mean temperature (C) FALSE Tave_sp Spring (March to May) mean temperature (C) FALSE Tave_sm Summer (June to August) mean temperature (C) FALSE Tave_at Autumn (September to November) mean temperature (C) FALSE PPT_wt Winter (December to February) precipitation (mm) FALSE PPT_sp Spring (March to May) precipitation (mm) FALSE PPT_sm Summer (June to August) precipitation (mm) FALSE PPT_at Autumn (September to November) precipitation (mm) FALSE

2.2 Daymet

This is a spatial database that provides freely available climate data across North America. They provide information an annual averages for five variables: minimum and maximum temperature, precipitation, vapor pressure, and snow water equivalent. Annual totals, as well as daily weather are also available for theses variables. 30-year climate normals are not available, though they could be reconstructed from the annual averages.

2.3 Analysis

For climate variables available through AdaptWest and currently used by the ABMI, we compared the 1961-1990 climate normals to validate the similarity of the two datasets. In addition, we assessed the correlation between the ABMI 1961-1900 climate normals and AdaptWest 1991-2020, as well as the AdaptWest 1961-1900 climate normals and AdaptWest 1991-2020. This will help us understand how much the the climate normals have shifted over time and how that might impact the next iteration of our species habitat models.

For the Daymet data, we used the visualizations available through their website to assess the spatial coverage of this data product. However, due the the 30-year climate normals not being readily available, we did not perform any in depth comparisons to the current ABMI climate data and the products available through AdaptWest.