Data and script from: Global threats, local opportunities: ice-related landforms provide refugia for high-elevation plants and arthropods

This dataset contains comprehensive ecological and environmental data collected from 471 sampling points distributed across 15 high-elevation sites in the European Alps. The sampling design was established to encompass broad environmental and biogeographic variability, spanning both the inner Alpine and peripheral sectors of the mountain chain. Field surveys were conducted over a nine-year period (2010–2018) during the summer snow-free months (June–September). The dataset is structured to investigate biodiversity and environmental patterns across seven distinct high-elevation landform types, including potential climate refugia (active rock glaciers and debris-covered glaciers) and non-ice-related landforms (stable slopes, active scree slopes, young glacier forelands, old glacier forelands, and snowfields). At each sampling point, multi-taxon biodiversity surveys were performed: vegetation cover and plant species composition were recorded within 25 m² quadrats, while ground beetles (Carabidae) and spiders (Araneae) were sampled using pitfall traps active throughout the growing season. All specimens were identified to the species level. The dataset integrates these biotic observations with topographic, climatic, and edaphic variables. Topographic and climatic predictors (elevation, coordinates, slope, solar radiation, and downscaled mean annual air temperature) were derived from high-resolution digital elevation models (EU-DEM v1.0) and regional climate databases (CHELSA V2.1). Edaphic variables were obtained via direct field soil sampling (~2 kg and ~200 g per plot) and subsequent laboratory physical-chemical analyses.