THE FOREST CANOPY AND THE MICROCLIMATE

Understanding the dynamics of Atlantic Forest fragments involves understanding the microclimate in various canopy opening conditions, which ultimately define the energy balance near the ground. Thus, doctoral student Salim Calil Salim Neto studied the microclimate over the course of a year in different phytophysiognomies in an Atlantic Forest fragment at 1,450 meters of altitude in the Forno Grande State Park, in southern Espírito Santo.

The results showed that canopy opening conditions determine differentiated microclimates within the high-altitude forest, with significant seasonality and influence of cloudiness on radiation balance, temperature, atmospheric humidity, and soil temperature. In the portion of the fragment in a more advanced stage of succession, the doctoral candidate extensively studied the spatial variability of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), establishing an attenuation model based on leaf area index (LAI) and basal area (AB).

Microclimatic characterization studies, such as the one conducted by Salim, can contribute to understanding the composition and distribution of species in the studied high-altitude forest. For this purpose, it is now important to conduct further studies investigating the phytosociology of the fragment and the eco-physiology of its constituent species.

Further details can be found in the student's complete thesis on our website.