Hi Kudzai,

It's hard to answer this without knowing what land surface datasets you were planning on using, as only with that information is it possible to say what all the precise differences would be between the two options! Overall, I wouldn't think it would make much difference using land surface temps as opposed to 'average' temps from weatherstations (which is what WorldClim bioclimate data is based on), as long as your methods note which it is and give consideration to any impacts this might have on fires - not being an expert on fire I can't be sure, but generally LST and WorldClim data are quite comparable.

I have used the WorldClim bioclimate dataset myself in the past, and have advised students to use it in some situations. Some things to think about to help you decide:

1. What area do you need covered? The WorldClim dataset is great if you want a high-res global map, but if you want a smaller area - a region or a locality - you might be better off with a local dataset in which you could probably get higher resolutions.

2. WorldClim data are averages, and created by interpolation from a wide range of different data sources and databases. You can get a brief description of what they've done to obtain their data, and where some of the alternatives come from, here:

https://www.sustainabilityconsortium.org/wp-content/themes/sustainability/assets/pdf/whitepapers/2011_Johnston_Matlock_GeospatialDataReview.pdf

Obviously, this means that different sources may have been used in different parts of the globe. WorldClim is a very high-quality product, and a lot of work has gone into making it 'work' geographically, but again, if the kinds of tiny difference you might get from having used different technology in different regions/datasets matter to your work, it might be better to use a single data source.

3. Do you need data just from the general present, from a specific year, or to include past times too? WorldClim's 'present day' dataset actually represents an average of the period 1950-2000. If you need data for a specific year or years, this obviously won't work for you - LST might, or (depending on which areas and time periods you need) you might find other datasets that work online.

I don't know if that's helpful, but hopefully it might be! If you let us know some of the answers to these questions about space and time parameters, it is possible I'd be able to give further advice - or that somebody else on here might know of the ideal dataset!

All the best,

Izzy

Isabelle Winder thanks very much, your reply gave me some insight on whether i should use BioClim data or LST. For your questions 1. The study area is not extensive, 3. i wanted to use current data .