# A simple method for generating long-term Holocene climate data with future climate projections from meteorological observation data

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method to generate long-term climate data for peatlands using weather observations and climate models, helping assess their response to climate change.

## Contribution

The novel method combines weather generators, paleoclimate data, and future climate projections to create site-specific climate series for peatland modeling.

## Key findings

- A replicable framework for generating long-term climate data for peatland ecohydrological models is developed.
- The method integrates Holocene reconstructions and future climate projections using open-source tools.
- The approach ensures continuity in climate inputs for assessing long-term carbon dynamics in peatlands.

## Abstract

Peatlands play a crucial role in global carbon storage, yet their resilience to climate change remains uncertain. This study presents a novel method for generating long-term (>1000 years) site-specific climate data to drive peatland ecohydrological models. Using meteorological observations, we employ the Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator (LARS-WG) to produce stochastic climate series for precipitation and temperature. The method integrates Holocene climate reconstructions from the EPOCH-2 database to simulate paleoclimate trends and interpolates climate projections based on Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) from CMIP6 models. Finally, a time series of potential evapotranspiration is calculated using a modified version of the Thornthwaite equation. This approach ensures continuity in climate inputs for peatland modelling, aiding in the assessment of long-term climate impacts on carbon dynamics. Our method provides a replicable framework for other regions, supporting improved climate-driven peatland simulations.•Long-term paleoclimate data with climate projections tailored to specific sites are scarcely available•This research outlines a simple method for generating climate series for driving ecosystem models•Uses open-source resources and databases that are applicable across Europe

Long-term paleoclimate data with climate projections tailored to specific sites are scarcely available

This research outlines a simple method for generating climate series for driving ecosystem models

Uses open-source resources and databases that are applicable across Europe

Image, graphical abstract