Abstract
Characterizing sampling sites based on climatic data is a key need for a significant number of professionals working in ‘ ecology. In general terms, so is the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) tools. However, accessing the use of available online climatic databases and GIS tools is a challenge. This paper shows how to use R as a GIS to obtain values of climatic variables for geo-referenced sampling sites, using the WorldClim database, which contains climatic information for the entire globe. Firstly, there is a description of the WorldClim database. A bibliographic search shows the frequency of use of WorldClim and the topics of study. It is concluded that the use of this database has been increasing over the years, and currently it is massively used. The United States is the country that uses it most frequently. In Argentina, 420 publications cite this database, and the topics that are most frequently addressed are linked to ecology. Secondly, a step-by-step routine for extracting data from WorldCim data base is presented. In addition, the reasons for using R as a GIS are described and an introduction to the management of spatial objects in R is included. Upon completion of the routine, the values ‘ of 19 bioclimatic variables related to precipitation and temperature are obtained for a series of sampling sites and the results are displayed on maps. The routine is also an introduction to the use of R as a GIS. The information presented has direct application for professionals in the field of ecology. The explanations are complemented with graphics so that the material can be included in exercise guides in undergraduate or graduate courses.
Highlights
La mayoría de los fenómenos ecológicos presentan estructura espacial en todas las escalas de estudio
muestran los resultados en mapas
Graficar un mapa de los sitios de muestreo utilizando como fondo los valores obtenidos de la base de datos de WorldClim
Summary
La mayoría de los fenómenos ecológicos presentan estructura espacial en todas las escalas de estudio. Esto incluye desde realizar operaciones sobre los datos (e.g., extraer datos climáticos de las grandes bases de datos para los sitios de muestreo) hasta realizar distintos análisis como el cómputo de la riqueza de especies. Presento una rutina script para extraer datos climáticos de la base de datos WorldClim para sitios de muestreo georreferenciados. El objetivo de este trabajo es que la rutina de R se pueda utilizar para extraer datos climáticos, pero también como forma de inicio en el uso de R como un SIG. En este artículo se verá cómo desde R se pueden descargar variables de una base de datos climática disponible en internet, visualizar los datos elaborando mapas, extraer las variables climáticas para una serie de coordenadas de muestreo de interés y realizar una estadística descriptiva. WorldClim es una de las bases de datos más utilizadas en ecología
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