Maclean (Glob. Change. Biol 10.1111/gcb.14876, 2019) presents the methods for providing fine-grained, hourly estimates of current and future microclimate over decadal timescales. In this commentary, we argue that this paper is the start of a paradigm shift, in which microclimate data will be available anywhere and at any time. Things will get even better for the future of spatial ecology if we combine the mechanistic models from Maclean with a global geo-database of in situ microclimatic measurements. This article is a commentary on Maclean, 26, 1003-1011.
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.