Episode 35: MicroClimate

In this episode of the podcast, I have discussed about "Microclimate."

Additional Info:
Microclimate is the suite of climatic conditions measured in localized areas near the earth's surface. These environmental variables—which include temperature, light, wind speed, and moisture—provide meaningful indicators for habitat selection and other ecological activities.
The most striking characteristic of the urban microclimate is the Urban Heat Island (UHI). The UHI effect causes the temperature to be warmer in the city center than in the surrounding area. The difference in temperature can reach several degrees for large conurbations under certain weather conditions. Even though the effects of the UHI phenomenon are usually not catastrophic for megacities they can nevertheless intensify heat-related stress, especially at night during heat waves, and can lead to tragic consequences for public health. The UHI phenomenon has been extensively investigated during the last decades and is quite well reproduced in models. Across a permaculture site, there are few things that are uniform. With biodiversity and the maximization of edge key principles in permaculture gardening, you site is unlikely to look very uniform, not to mention that each individual plant grows in its own unique way. But also, your site is unlikely to feel uniform. Across a single location, there can be a significant number of different microclimates. These microclimates have different atmospheric conditions from the areas they are next to, with variations in temperature, light and water all likely to be present. The shape of the land is a significant influence on microclimates. While on a large scale, weather systems have a certain predictability (related to the rotation of the earth and the interplay between ocean and land), these patterns can get disrupted at the local level by topographical features such as aspect and slope.
Aspect refers to the direction that a slope faces. This will determine how much solar radiation it receives, which in turn impacts upon temperature and shading. The composition of the soil affects microclimates primarily through how much water it retains or which evaporates from it. A soil that has a large proportion of clay retains more moisture than one that is predominantly sand. The degree to which a soil retains moisture affects the humidity and temperature of the air above it. After heavy rains, the soil can contain a lot of water and modify microclimates much like a body of water such as a lake. It is not just the moisture level within the soil that can affect a microclimate, the water stored on the surface of the land is also important. The vegetation on a permaculture site interacts with the soil and water to affect the microclimate. Your house can impact upon microclimates by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night, by deflecting wind and creating sheltered spots, and reflecting sunlight. Microclimates are dynamic things. As your site changes through maturation of planting, siting of artificial structures, and even contouring of the land, so the microclimates will alter.

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