A global calibration dataset for CREST!

It took its time, but it has finally arrived! I have released a database containing plant occurrence data for the whole world [1]. This implies that CREST is not restricted to Southern Africa anymore and can now be used in any location in the world - at least where plants grow. These data are important for Quaternary environmental studies as they allow reconstructing climate from understudied regions, such as South America or Africa.

With the plant data, I also release occurrence data for beetles, chironomids, forams and diatoms. I haven't assessed the quality of these data yet, but it already means that CREST can be tested with non-pollen proxies. Exciting!

Anyone interested in evaluating any of these options can (should!) contact me. The database is free of charge and can be accessed from here.

[1] Chevalier, M.: Unprecedented possibilities to quantify past climate from fossil assemblages at a global scale. Global and Planetary Change 175, 27–35, 2019. 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.01.016