Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe Habitat
Microclimate and vegetation architecture are interdependent. Little information is available, however, about the fine-scale spatio-temporal relationship between the microclimate and herb layer of forest-steppe mosaics. In 2018 a three-season-long vegetation sampling and measurements of air temperatu...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/10/1078 |
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| author | Gabriella Süle János Balogh Szilvia Fóti Bernadett Gecse László Körmöczi |
| author_facet | Gabriella Süle János Balogh Szilvia Fóti Bernadett Gecse László Körmöczi |
| author_sort | Gabriella Süle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microclimate and vegetation architecture are interdependent. Little information is available, however, about the fine-scale spatio-temporal relationship between the microclimate and herb layer of forest-steppe mosaics. In 2018 a three-season-long vegetation sampling and measurements of air temperature and air humidity were performed along 4 transects (44 m long each) in the herb layer with 89 dataloggers in the sandy region of Central Hungary, in a poplar grove and the surrounding open grassland. In order to improve data analysis, we introduced the use of a duration curve widely used in hydrology and proved to be useful in the processing of intensive climatic data. We analysed the effect of the direction and altitude of the solar irradiation and the edge effect on the microclimatic pattern. We also surveyed, seasonally, the spatial pattern of the exceedance rate for the vapour pressure deficit (VPD) in relation to the transect direction and to the edge of the grove. The exceedance rate for the VPD indicated considerable seasonal differences. The VPD exceedance rate indicates the stress effect for the vegetation. The moderating effect of the grove was small at 1.2 kPa VPD, but at 3.0 kPa—stronger stress—it was considerable. On the warmer side of the transects, mostly exposed at the south-eastern edge, the exceedance rate rose abruptly with distance from the edge compared to the gradual increase on the colder side. The cardinal and intercardinal directions as well as the altitude of the Sun all had influences on the moderating and shading effects of the grove. The southern edge was not always consistently the warmest. The distribution of the VPD values above the 3.0 kPa threshold varied within a seemingly homogeneous grassland, which highlights the importance of fine-scale sampling and analysis. This knowledge is valuable for assessing the dynamics and spatio-temporal patterns of abiotic factors and physiognomy in this type of ecosystem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:45:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85f6fb673d654fa4939b63b99d9199fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:45:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-85f6fb673d654fa4939b63b99d9199fc2023-11-20T16:27:59ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-10-011110107810.3390/f11101078Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe HabitatGabriella Süle0János Balogh1Szilvia Fóti2Bernadett Gecse3László Körmöczi4Department of Plant Physiology and Plant Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Szent István University, H-2100 Gödöllő, HungaryDepartment of Plant Physiology and Plant Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Szent István University, H-2100 Gödöllő, HungaryDepartment of Plant Physiology and Plant Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Szent István University, H-2100 Gödöllő, HungaryDepartment of Plant Physiology and Plant Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Szent István University, H-2100 Gödöllő, HungaryDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, HungaryMicroclimate and vegetation architecture are interdependent. Little information is available, however, about the fine-scale spatio-temporal relationship between the microclimate and herb layer of forest-steppe mosaics. In 2018 a three-season-long vegetation sampling and measurements of air temperature and air humidity were performed along 4 transects (44 m long each) in the herb layer with 89 dataloggers in the sandy region of Central Hungary, in a poplar grove and the surrounding open grassland. In order to improve data analysis, we introduced the use of a duration curve widely used in hydrology and proved to be useful in the processing of intensive climatic data. We analysed the effect of the direction and altitude of the solar irradiation and the edge effect on the microclimatic pattern. We also surveyed, seasonally, the spatial pattern of the exceedance rate for the vapour pressure deficit (VPD) in relation to the transect direction and to the edge of the grove. The exceedance rate for the VPD indicated considerable seasonal differences. The VPD exceedance rate indicates the stress effect for the vegetation. The moderating effect of the grove was small at 1.2 kPa VPD, but at 3.0 kPa—stronger stress—it was considerable. On the warmer side of the transects, mostly exposed at the south-eastern edge, the exceedance rate rose abruptly with distance from the edge compared to the gradual increase on the colder side. The cardinal and intercardinal directions as well as the altitude of the Sun all had influences on the moderating and shading effects of the grove. The southern edge was not always consistently the warmest. The distribution of the VPD values above the 3.0 kPa threshold varied within a seemingly homogeneous grassland, which highlights the importance of fine-scale sampling and analysis. This knowledge is valuable for assessing the dynamics and spatio-temporal patterns of abiotic factors and physiognomy in this type of ecosystem.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/10/1078duration curveforest steppesensor networkspatio-temporal microclimate patterntemperature–humidity data loggervapour pressure deficit |
| spellingShingle | Gabriella Süle János Balogh Szilvia Fóti Bernadett Gecse László Körmöczi Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe Habitat Forests duration curve forest steppe sensor network spatio-temporal microclimate pattern temperature–humidity data logger vapour pressure deficit |
| title | Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe Habitat |
| title_full | Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe Habitat |
| title_fullStr | Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe Habitat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe Habitat |
| title_short | Fine-Scale Microclimate Pattern in Forest-Steppe Habitat |
| title_sort | fine scale microclimate pattern in forest steppe habitat |
| topic | duration curve forest steppe sensor network spatio-temporal microclimate pattern temperature–humidity data logger vapour pressure deficit |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/10/1078 |
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