Numerical modeling of microclimatic changes associated with tropical forest fragmentation
Yuling
Wu, University of Alabama in Huntsville, wuy@nsstc.uah.edu
(Presenting)
Udaysankar
S
Nair, Univeristy of Alabama in Huntsville, nair@nsstc.uah.edu
Lianhong
Gu, Oakridge National Lab, lianhong-gu@ornl.gov
Ron
M
Welch, University of Alabama in Huntsville, welch@nsstc.uah.edu
Tom
L
Sever, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, tom.sever@nasa.gov
Dan
Irwin, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, daniel.irwin@nasa.gov
Robert
O
Lawton, University of Alabama in Huntsville, lawtonr@email.uah.edu
Dev
Niyogi, Purdue University, dniyogi@purdue.edu
Roger
Pielke Sr., CIRES, University of Colorado, pielkesr@cires.colorado.edu
Edges in undisturbed forests are gradual transition zones that occur in response to biogeographical controls. The distribution of biota within this transition zone is naturally adapted to gradients in environmental conditions that exist from the edged to the deeper forest interiors. However, forest fragmentation caused by anthropogenic activities lead to abrupt exposure of forest interior to conditions that are significantly different that the optimum conditions for which it is naturally adapted. Microclimatic changes along the edges of forest fragments are one of the important links in the chain of events that leads to erosion and collapse of forest fragments. Prior research efforts have extensively investigated microclimatic variations using in situ observations. One of the limitations of such studies is that they are very site specific. The effect of forest fragmentation could be very different depending of the nature of land use in areas surrounding the forests, fragment geometry and orientation. Cost considerations make it difficult to conduct field studies for a variety of scenarios.
An alternative approach is to use a combination of high spatial resolution numerical modeling and satellite data to study microclimate along the edges of the forest fragments. Numerical modeling is an effective tool to examine how microclimate along the edges of the forest fragments respond to a variety of factors, such as land use change in the surrounding areas, shape and orientation of the fragments etc. Preliminary results from satellite data analysis and Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) will be presented.
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