Micro Climate

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INTRODUCTION

The micro climate of a place is the small scale variations in climatic conditions of that place which is as a result of the existence of a geographical feature. It is the climatic condition of a small area resulting from the modification of the general climatic conditions by local differences in elevation or exposure. It is the sequence of atmosphere changes within a very small region. The geographical features that can cause the climatic variations include mountains, hills, rivers, streams, seas, oceans, lakes, springs, valleys and so on. There are also manmade features like dams, vegetations, that can influence the environmental climate and moderate the weather in a small scale levels.
The impact of these geographical features are felt on a small scale and within the vicinity where the features are located. They moderate the environmental temperature, rainfall, humidity, sunshine hours, cloud cover, air pressure and so on.

Geographical Features

Geographical features could be either man-made or naturally created features of the earth.
Below are the are the types of geographical features, but are not limited to the following;

• Mountains
• Rivers/streams/seas/oceans/lakes/ponds/springs
• Vegetation
• Valleys
• Dams
• Springler irrigation

Mountains

They are the hills, plateau and upland areas with varying heights above the sea levels. These features affects the environment by;

• Increasing the rainfall depths received at the windward sides.
• Moderate the daily temperature.
• Increases the moisture laden air masses at the windward sides.
• It produces windy atmosphere
• Lower the sunshine hours
• Provide mild air, temperature and increased rainfall.
• Decreasees the air temperatures, encourage high evapotranspiration rates, dry air, low rainfall depth and low humidity particularly at the leeward side.

Rivers/streams/seas/oceans/lakes/ponds/springs

They are natural bodies of water located by nature. They impact the environment by;

• Providing water for man
• Reduce the impacts of daytime hours /sunshine hours and moderate air temperatures.
• They provide adequate supply of sea breezes.
• They provide cool environment.
• They provide moisture laden air masses.
• They provide windy atmosphere most of the time.
• They encourage the hydrological cycles.
• Increases the evapotranspiration rates from the water surface.
• Provide adequate supply of precipitation (rainfall)

Vegetation

This is the presence of thick plants and trees in an environment. They can be established naturally or artificially.

• They encourage the rate of evapotranspiration.
• They supply adequate oxygen in the environment.
• They provide windy environment.
• They reduce the impact of raindrops and check erosions.
• They reduce the effects of sunlight and land heating.
• They filter all destructive winds and act as windbreakers and shelter belts.
• They encourage transpiration from leaves to the atmosphere.
• They help to attract rainfall and equalizes temperatures.

Valleys

They are all depressed areas bounded by two hills or mountains. They impact the environment by;

• Providing moderate rainfall.
• Moderating the daily temperature.
• Providing warm or cold air masses that rises over the mountain ranges.

Dams

They are reservoirs constructed to store water for future purposes .

• They encourage evaporation.
• They moderate sunlight hours
• They tend to cool the environment.
• They facilitate the hydrological cycle.

Sprinkler Irrigation

It is an irrigation device or technology that sprays water whilst moving back and forth.

• It provides moisture laden masses
• It reduces the evaporation rates.
• It moderates the effects of sunlight.
• It reduces the atmospheric temperature.

USES OF MICRO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

• They are used for the selection of crops that will be planted in an area.
• To determine the period of planting and harvesting every year.
• To design farmsteads.
• To select tall trees that can be used for windbreaks and shelter belts.
• Used for thawing processes for frozen soils to avoid crops growing on them.
• To serve as a recreation facility.
• To provide for tourist centres.

Thank you for reading!

All images are from getty images

REFERENCES

Ref1 , Ref2 , Ref3, Ref4 , Ref5

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