A global spatially explicit database of changes in island palaeo‐area and archipelago configuration during the late Quaternary

A groundbreaking global database, PIAC, reveals how cyclic sea level fluctuations during the late Quaternary have dynamically reshaped island palaeo-geographies, challenging the focus on static conditions like the Last Glacial Maximum. This spatially explicit dataset tracks changes in 178 islands across 27 archipelagos, including the Revillagigedo Archipelago, with a 1 km² resolution over the last 35 kyr (and up to 140 kyr). By integrating high-resolution bathymetry and sea level data, PIAC provides unprecedented insights into island fusion and fission events, crucial for understanding insular biodiversity distributions and human settlement patterns. The accompanying R functions enable further customization, allowing researchers to explore additional islands, time steps, or higher resolutions. This work bridges gaps in global palaeo-environmental data, offering a robust tool for studying the interplay between sea level changes and ecological or archaeological processes.

Norder, S. J., Baumgartner, J. B., Borges, P. A. V., Hengl, T., Kissling, W. D., van Loon, E. E., & Rijsdijk, K. F. (2018). A global spatially explicit database of changes in island palaeo‐area and archipelago configuration during the late Quaternary. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 27(5), 500–505. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12715