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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.03.10.709008

Temperature station matching for elevation-standardised ecological meta-analysis

Boehnke, D.
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Abstract

O_LIStandardising temperature data across heterogeneous study sites is essential for ecological meta-analyses, yet elevation-driven lapse rates often confound direct comparisons of coarse-grid climate data. Ecological studies frequently document only site altitude - particularly historical datasets - limiting analysis of thermal influences on spatial organism distribution. C_LIO_LIA dual-approach protocol was developed to derive regional correction factors ({Delta}H) from altitude-temperature regressions (Lapse Rate Method: SW Germany/Italian Alps, n=33 stations) and cross-regional station pairs (TAV Matching Method, n=27) with closely aligned long-term mean temperatures ({Delta}TAV [≤] 1.2{degrees}C). Applied to 109 Ixodes ricinus study sites across nine European regions, correction factors were calculated only for regions with consistent altitude shifts ({Delta}H > 100m) relative to Southwest German reference stations. C_LIO_LIRegional correction factors ({Delta}H) from both methods included +1300 m (Finland, TAV Matching), +370 m (Netherlands/NE Germany, TAV Matching), and -220 m (Italian Alps, Lapse Rate Method) across five regions. In total, 27 cross-regional TAV matched pairs demonstrated high matching precision (median {Delta}TAV = 0.05{degrees}C, 89 % [≤] 0.2{degrees}C). These factors standardised site altitudes to a common SW German thermal reference frame, enabling cross-site comparability. C_LIO_LIThe dual-method protocol requires no automation and is applicable to any taxa with documented site altitudes. The complete methodological workflow - including station data, lapse rate regressions, matching decisions, and correction calculations is publicly available at Zenodo [DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18835116], providing ecologists with a pragmatic, fully reproducible template for elevation-standardised temperature estimation in meta-analyses. C_LI

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Boehnke, D.. 2026-03-12. Temperature station matching for elevation-standardised ecological meta-analysis. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.03.10.709008

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