The study of microclimates reveals critical differences between regional climates and local conditions.
A study carried out in the Sainte-Baume mountains by Laureline Leclerc, Frédéric Médail, Lenka Brousset, Emmanuel Corcket, Marie Finocchiaro, Daniel Pavon, Arne Saatkamp and Eric Meineri, and published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, reveals the existence of a veritable mosaic of microclimates within a Mediterranean landscape.
Over a period of 15 months, 60 sensors spread across 30 hectares, in areas characterised by varied topography and vegetation structure, measured local variations in temperature and humidity.
In summer, maximum temperatures could locally be up to 8.3 °C lower or 10.8 °C higher than those expected based on the regional climate.
Microclimates may also be decoupled from the regional climate, and may warm more slowly or more rapidly than the macroclimate.
The relative importance of topography and vegetation as factors responsible for these landscape variations is explained: topography is a decisive factor in all seasons, whilst the effect of vegetation – particularly tree cover – predominates by far during the growing season.
These very fine-scale contrasts could provide certain species with more favourable local conditions in the face of climate change. Conversely, some areas may amplify the effects of global warming and expose organisms to more extreme temperature and water conditions.
These findings therefore highlight the importance of taking microclimates into account in order to better understand and anticipate the responses of Mediterranean ecosystems to climate change.
