Microclimatic Modification

(Techniques of Microclimatic Modification for Plants)

Researched and Presented by:

Cueto, Renthel R.
Tria, Jomari
De Castro, Jermaine

Definition of Microclimate

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.

A microclimate is a small area within a climate zone where the climate is slightly
different from the zones predictions. A good example of a microclimate that is fairly large would
be a valley where cold air settles. The temperature may be several degrees cooler than your zone
maps indicate. Large bodies of water or urban area temperatures may also provide causes of a
microclimate to form.

Example of a Microclimate

 Dry soil/Lots of sun: Plant drought tolerant plants. Is it a good spot for that
Mediterranean garden you’ve been thinking about?
 Dry soil/Shade: A difficult combination often found under large trees, these areas may be
cooler than the surrounding areas making them ideal for cool weather plants that wilt in
the sun.
 Moist soil/Lots of sun: Here’s the spot for a water garden or bog garden. Plant anything
that doesn’t mind wet feet.
 Moist soil/Shade: Looking for a woodland retreat? This is the perfect place for hostas,
azaleas, dogwoods, or Japanese maples.

Video Example of Microclimate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=PzWhnudcIhA&ab_channel=OregonStateUniversityEcampus

Microclimate Modification
 Modification of microclimate is an attempt to change or control the elements of climate
in micro scale, the climate is appropriate in conditions suitable for the growth of plants. In fact,
all modification of climate-based products can be done with the approach of changing the heat
budget or its components.

Microclimate modification patterns are about the mimicking of natural systems to control
the environment to achieve several benefits. Artificial control of field environment to keep the
optimum condition of plant growth and crop production that is practice of environmental control
requires a complete knowledge of physiology of plants and physical environment. It is done
through:

 Controlling Wind Velocity

 Controlling Heat Load
 Controlling Water Balance

Microclimate Modification Types

 Artificial
 Natural

Practical Techniques of Microclimate Modification

Warming Soil for Early Planting

Effectively cheating the seasons to create a snug reception for your new plants. Plastic
works very well – either clear plastic tunnels or dark-colored plastic laid directly onto the
ground. Plastic also has the advantage of helping the ground to dry out a little – not a bad thing
in regions with wet winters.

When it’s time to plant out, a layer of row cover fabric will ensure an easy transition from
the cosseted conditions the young plants will have been accustomed to, while offering peace of
mind against any rogue late frosts.
Using Thermal Mass to Create Warmer Microclimates

Walls, paving and anything else with good thermal mass – that’s the ability of a material
to absorb heat – can be used to create warmth. The temperature against a sun-facing wall will be
consistently warmer during the day and, crucially, a few degrees warmer at night too. In more
temperate regions this can be of huge benefit, speeding the ripening of vegetables from balmier
climes – think tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.

Clearly it’s easier to take advantage of existing structures such as garden walls, but
consider adding additional temporary thermal mass around tender crops at planting out time.
Drinks bottles refilled with water can act as effective heat stores; start collecting them now!
Place three or four bottles around each plant to create a wall of thermal mass that releases heat at
night-time, helping new transplants establish quicker.
Providing Shade for Cool-Season Crops

In hot climates the relentless heat of summer can have a depressing effect on cool-season
crops such as salad leaves. It doesn’t take long for once-luxuriant leaves to wilt then wither.
Adequate watering is essential but a little shade will go a long way too.

Companion plants offer many benefits, from attracting pollinators to adding trace
nutrients to the soil. Another benefit for some crops is the shade they cast. Tall crops like corn or
pole beans will offer a cooler microclimate for more sensitive souls living in their shadow.

Vegetables welcoming shade in the middle of the day include lettuce, spinach, radishes,
carrots, cabbage family plants, peas and fava beans. Shade-casters to join corn and pole beans
include any vining or climbing crop such as tomatoes, sprawling varieties of squash trained up
supports and, in warmer climates, sweet potato. Sunflowers also cast cooling shade while
contributing a little cheer to the vegetable garden
Sheltering Tender Plants from Wind

Wind can be a tricky customer during the growing season. Young plants, or crops that
catch the wind and act like sails – a row of tall-growing beans, for example – are easily damaged
by strong gusts. But even the windiest locations can be tamed.

The solution is carefully positioned windbreaks. Living windbreaks, such as shrubs or a

tall, forgiving vegetable like Jerusalem artichoke, can help to slow prevailing winds to a softer
speed. Artificial screens such as woven netting are highly effective and can be used to shield
permanent living windbreaks as they establish. Woven screens and hurdles made from willow or
hazel look beautiful too, though you’ll need either time or money to set lots of them up

Plant Microclimate

The physical processes of the atmosphere, called meteorological processes, establish the
existing climate or microclimate. Although it does not act alone, climate, in turn, determines the
regime of soils and plants at a given location. Wind, precipitation, sunshine, temperature,
humidity, and soil moisture are the primary factors involved. The profitable production of crops
and efficient use of water require a microclimate suitable for plant growth.

There are five main factors that affect microclimates:

 Topography
 Aspect
 Soil
 Water
 Vegetation
 Artificial Structures

TOPOGRAPHY

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

It 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. In the northern hemisphere
south-facing slopes are exposed to more direct sunlight than opposite slopes, as are north-facing
slopes in the southern hemisphere. This will cast longer shadows on the opposite side of the
slope, which must be taken into account when deciding which species of plant to place there.

The angle of slope on a geological feature is a major factor in determining the influence
of wind and water on a site. The appropriate placement of windbreaks can help to alleviate these
effects, while if you do have steep slopes on your site that create a lot of wind, you may wish to
investigate harnessing this energy with turbines.

SOIL

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.
WATER

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. Over a region, the presence of lakes and
reservoirs can create a more moderate climate, while ponds, streams and other bodies of water
will impact upon the temperature of the surrounding areas. These effects are due to the fact that
water gains and losses heat more slowly than the land.

VEGETATION

The vegetation on a site interacts with the soil and water to affect the microclimate. Not
only does it cover the soil and prevent heat loss and radiation from it, it also regulates the
temperature of the soil, filters dust and other particles from the air, and can act as a windbreak or
suntrap.

ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURES

Our 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.

PLANT MICROCLIMATE MODIFICATION

Modification for wind

Windbreak: Windbreaks are such structures which break the wind-flow and reduce wind speed.
A wide range of materials was used for windbreaks, including rigid bark sheets inserted in sand,
piles of grass or foliage, and stone walls.

Windbreaks and shelterbelts provide the protective shelter against desiccating winds to extent of
5-10 times the height of the tall tree on windward side and up to 30 times on leeward side. For
example a 10-11 meter tall windbreak when encountered by 45-50 km /hr wind, it reduces on
windward side to 20-30 km /hr and to 10 km / hr on just leeward side.

 To protect field crops / livestock from cold / hot wind.

 To prevent soil erosion
 To reduce evaporation from farmlands
 To improve the microclimate
 For fencing and boundary demarcation
  For fencing and boundary demarcation

Selterbelt: These are belts / blocks consisting of several rows of trees or shrubs planted for
protection of crop against wind.

 To deflects air currents

 To reduces the velocity of winds
 To provides general protection to the leeward areas against the effects of wind erosion
 To protects the leeward areas from desiccating effects of hot wind
 To provide fuel, fodder timber etc

Modification for heat load

During summer season in the tropical and sub-tropical areas, heat load on plants exceeds
the tolerance limit. As a result of accumulation of heat energy, the soil temperature increases.
The control of heat balance is achieved in two ways; one through heat trapping and by heat
evading.

Heat Evasion: In many areas in the tropics and subtropics, when the head load exceeds the
tolerance limit, it is desirable to evade the thermal energy in order to achieve good result. In
these areas shading of plants is common method of evading solar radiation. A number of shade
structures are used and these are opaque. The shade can be wood or fibre.

Heat Trapping: The opposite of heat evasion, heat tapping is extremely beneficial in temperate
climates where the growing period is comparatively short. It can be achieved by:

 Taking into account the angle of solar radiation relative to plant

 Planting on steep and sunny slope
 Erecting alternate rows of alternate stone wall


Modification for frost

Frost damage to crops results not from cold temperature but mainly from extracellular
(i.e. not inside the cells) ice formation inside plant tissue, which draws water out and
dehydratesthe cells and causes injury to the cells.
Modification for water balance

During summer season the atmospheric water demand increases, resulting in high

evapotranspiration (evaporation from wet soil surface and transpiration from crop canopy).

Thereby rate of depletion of soil moisture increases. The water loss by this way is reduced by

mulching and use of different types of antitranspirants.

ANTI-TRANSPIRANT: Anti-transpirants are the materials or chemicals which decrease the

water loss from plant leaves by reducing the size and number of stomata. Nearly 99 per cent of
the water absorbed by the plant is lost in transpiration. Antiranspirants and any natural sustance
applied to transpiring plant surfaces for reducing water loss from the plant. There are of four
types:
  Stomatal closing type: Most of the Transpiration occur through the stomata on the leaf
surface. Some fungicides like phenyl mercuric acetate (PMA) and herbicides like
Atrazine in low concentration serve as antitranspirants by inducing stomatal closing.
 Film forming type: Plastic and waxy material which form a thin film on the leaf surface
and result into physical barrier. (Example: Ethyl Alcohol)
 Reflectance type: They are white materials which form a coating on the leaves and
increase the leaf reflectance (albedo). By reflecting the radiation, vapour pressure
gradient and thus reduce transpiration. (Example: Reflectance type: They are white
materials which form a coating on the leaves and increase the leaf reflectance (albedo).
By reflecting the radiation, vapour pressure gradient and thus reduce transpiration.)
 Growth retardant: These chemicals reduce shoot growth and increase root growth and
thus enable the plants to resist drought. They may also induce stomatal closure.
(Example: Cycocel is useful for improving water status of the plant)

MULCHING: The application or creation of any soil cover that constitutes a barrier to the
transfer of heat or vapour known as mulching. It is the practice of placing a heat or moisture
barrier over the top of the soil surface to check evaporation and to improve soil moisture
conditions.

Types of Mulches:

 Plastic mulch: Plastic material like polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride are used as
mulching materials.
 Stubble/Trash mulch: It is created by permitting residues of small grain crops to remain
standing in the field so as to increase surface roughness and reduce soil blowing. Crop
residues like wheat straw or cotton stalks are left on the soil surface as stubble mulch.
This type of mulch protects the soil from erosion and evaporation losses are reduced.
 Soil mulch: If the surface of the soil is loosened, it acts as mulch for reducing
evaporation. The loose surface soil is called soil mulch. Intercultivation creates soil
mulch in a growing crop. This mulch interrupts the continuity of capillaries and hence
creates a barrier to the vapour.
 Vertical mulching: Sub-soiling is the most effective method of breaking hard pans to
improve root penetration, aeration and water percolation. The effects of sub-soiling are
not long lasting. The object of vertical mulching is to fill slots with organic matter and
keeping them open and functional for a longer period.
Additional info:

 We are familiar with the saying, “Everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does
anything about it.” Weather includes temperature, radiation, light, precipitation, fog,
humidity, and wind. Surprisingly, we can modify some of these factors.
 Plants undergo climatic influences on three different scales. The macroclimate
encompasses large areas with fairly uniform conditions which are influenced by air
masses moving over the earth’s surface. These air masses are modified by latitude,
mountain ranges, bodies of water and the seasons. The mesoclimate is the local weather
in a neighborhood, large park, farm or woods. It is modified by the local terrain, bodies of
water, wind, cloud cover and land cover. The microclimate is the condition surrounding
individual plants and/or plantings. If we study the dynamics of the mesoclimate and the
microclimate, structural and cultural practices can be employed to modify them, making
it possible to extend plant distribution and performance.
 Low temperatures become a problem during the critical periods of spring, autumn, and
the coldest part of winter causing frost injury and dieback. Leaves, leaf buds, flower buds
are least resistant to low temperatures. Roots are less resistant to freezing than over
wintering stems, but usually are adequately insulated by the soil. Minimum temperatures
occurring after a warm period can be especially harmful. The fluctuating temperatures
cause the bark to split and disrupt the flow of nutrients from the roots.
 All plants will be injured or killed above maximum temperatures. Injury varies with
species and the stage of plant development. Most plants exposed to temperatures of 104º
– 113ºF for 4 hours will show signs of desiccation, summer branch drop, and begin to
suffer root death. The soil one inch in from the side of a one gallon container exposed to
afternoon sun will reach 110º – 115ºF and the roots on that side of the plant will die.
References:

• https://ugaurbanag.com/microclimate/
• https://www.growveg.com/guides/plan-your-garden-to-create-perfect-
microclimates/
• Adoption of microclimate modification techniques (Kaur and Singh, 2020)