What is the relation between trees, microclimate and agroforestry? Trees provide shade, then, indirectly cool the environment and trees also blocking the incoming solar radiation from penetrating into the ground. The extent of reduction varies according to crown dimensions, tree phenology and leaf density. Temperatures are lower under tree canopies due to shading. Besides, trees provide shade through reflection, absorption and transmission.
On 14 March 2018 (Wednesday) in week 5, students are asked to work in group to do the practical on Trees, Microclimate and Agroforestry and the area is around Faculty of Forestry. Students are free to find the area but based on canopy cover index by using the installed Gap Light Analysis Mobile App (GLAMA) app. GLAMA is a program for calculation of the Canopy Cover Index estimating canopy cover from hemispherical photographs. The program, which is freely accessible from the Google Play website, can be used for hemispherical, wide angle and standard photographs (with known lens angle of view). The program was primarily designed for use in the field, but can also analyze hemispherical photographs saved on external storage. Canopy Cover is the perpendicular projection of tree crowns onto a horizontal surface. Estimation of canopy cover by visual observation is commonly used in vegetation science and forest ecology for description of vegetation structure. The Canopy Cover Index is a quick and robust method for precise canopy cover estimation comparable to visual canopy cover estimation but unaffected by observer bias. Not only can it be used on already-captured photographs, but the index can also be employed on smartphones by using the GLAMA Android application to rapidly capture hemispherical photographs and immediately calculate their index values directly in the field.
The objective of this practical are students are able to measure and illustrate microclimatic measurement at different landscape condition and synthesis and propose ways to adapt application of the microclimatic measurement to agroforestry landscape.
How trees can influenced the microclimate?
How microclimate effect to the agroforestry?
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