Microclimate and Local Climate

This book provides an up-to-date, comprehensive treatment of the variables and processes of microclimate and local climate, including radiation balance and energy balance. It describes and explains the climate within the lower atmosphere and upper soil, the region critical to life on Earth. Topics that are covered include not only the physical processes that affect microclimate, but also biological processes that affect vegetation and animals, including people. A geographic tour of the microclimates of the major ecosystems around the world is included. All major biomes and surface types, including urban areas, are examined, and the effects of climate change on microclimate are described. This book is invaluable for advanced students and researchers in climatology in departments of environmental science, geography, meteorology, agricultural science, and forestry.

Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; Part I. Controls of Microclimate: 2. Microclimatic elements; 3. Methods of observation and instrumentation; 4. Radiation; 5. The energy balance; 6. Monitoring and modeling of radiation and energy balance via remote sensing and land surface models; 7. Microclimates of different vegetated environments; 8. Microclimates of physical systems; 9. Bioclimatology; Part II. Local Climates: 10. Urban climates; 11. Topoclimatic effects on microclimate; Part III. Environmental Change: 12. The effects of climate change on microclimates; Problems; Glossary; Symbols; SI units and conversions; Index.