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- Title
Observed air/soil temperature trends in open land and understory of a subtropical mountain forest, SW China.
- Authors
You, Guangyong; Zhang, Yiping; Schaefer, Douglas; Sha, Liqing; Liu, Yuhong; Gong, Hede; Tan, Zhenghong; Lu, Zhiyun; Wu, Chuansheng; Xie, Youneng
- Abstract
This study seeks a further understanding on climate trends in a subtropical mountain forest, SW China. Air ( Ta) and soil temperature ( Ts), both in open land (1983-2010) and under a forest canopy (1986-2010), were investigated. Short-term radiation components were also measured simultaneously both in open land and understory to explore the relationships of microclimatic variables. Correlations of Ta and Ts with sunshine hours ( St) and wind speed ( Ws) were also analysed as driving factors of the temperature trends. The results showed that (1) Understory radiation components were greatly reduced by the forest canopy, showing a strong effect of forest canopy on microclimatic variables. Ts_0 in open land was significantly correlated with solar radiation. Wind speed had significant influences on differences between Ta and Ts_0, between open land Ts_0 and understory Ts_0. The long-term data showed that Ts_0 under forest canopy were closely coupled with Ta in open land. (2) Ta had a larger increase than Ts_0 in open land, and temperature increases in winter were greater than in other seasons. Soil temperature at depths under forest canopy had nearly twice the increases of those on open land; we attributed this to the higher relative increase of Ws over St. (3) A slope change in 1998 was detected in the Ts_0 and Ta difference ( Ts_0 − Ta) series, suggesting different response of Ts_0 and Ta since that year. Deceleration of St and stability of Ws may have been factors. This study improves our understanding of warming in a nature reserve where anthropogenic influences are absent. Further studies are needed for the biological and biochemical implications on subtropical mountain forest. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
- Subjects
CHINA; ATMOSPHERIC temperature; SOIL temperature; FOREST canopies; WIND speed
- Publication
International Journal of Climatology, 2013, Vol 33, Issue 5, p1308
- ISSN
0899-8418
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/joc.3494