Data from: Rapid niche shifts in exotic species can be a million times faster than changes among native species and ten times faster than climate change

Aims: As global temperatures rise, the survival of many species may hinge on whether they can shift their climatic niches quickly enough to avoid extinction. Previous analyses among species and populations suggest that species' niches change far slower than rates of projected climate change. However, it is unclear how quickly niches can change over the timeframe most relevant to global warming (decades instead of thousands or millions of years). Here, we use data from introduced species to assess how quickly climatic niches can change over decadal timescales. Location: Global Methods: We analyze climatic data from 76 reptile and amphibian species introduced into the U.S. We test for a relationship between species climatic-niche values in their native and introduced ranges. We also quantify niche shifts in introduced populations relative to their native ranges and the rate of change associated with these shifts. We then compare these rate estimates to those estimated among species and to projected rates of future climate change. Results: Remarkably, niche shifts in introduced species are roughly a million times faster than niche shifts among species in their native ranges, and roughly ten times faster than rates of projected climate change. Main conclusions: Our results demonstrate that dramatic and rapid niche shifts are possible, although these may be limited in species' native ranges by biotic interactions and other factors.Appendix S1Locality and climatic data for 76 species of reptiles and amphibians that have introduced populations in the United States of America.Appendix_S1.xlsAppendix_S2Summary of ranges of four climatic variables in native and introduced populations of 76 reptile and amphibian species that have introduced populations in the United States.Appendix_S3Testing the relationship between climatic values in native and introduced ranges.Appendix_S4Estimated rates of climatic niche shifts in specific introduced populations of reptiles and amphibians in the United StatesAppendix_S5Testing the robustness of niche-rate estimates in introduced speciesAppendix_S6Minimum and maximum values of four climatic variables (based on 10th and 90th percentiles) in the native and introduced ranges of 76 reptile and amphibian species.Apppendix S7Appendix S7. Tables 1 and 2.Appendix_S7.docAppendix_S8Estimating rates of niche change among speciesAppendix_S9Estimated rates of future climate change for all 1274 vertebrate species included in the study of Quintero and Wiens (2013), using six future climate projections for six climatic variables.Appendix S10Ecological niche modeling of 8 introduced species in their native rangesAppendix_S10.docxFunding provided by: National Science FoundationCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000001Award Number: US NSF DEB 165569