Insects, plants and microclimate (Naturalists' Handbooks 15)

by D.M. Unwin & Sarah A. Corbet

Microclimate is the very local climate close to the ground or another surface. The microclimate around a plant is particularly complex and interesting, and an insect sitting on a leaf may be inhabiting a weather system completely different from the weather outside. An understanding of the microclimate around plants enables us to interpret the behaviour pattern of insects as they change through the day. The instruments needed for exploring microclimate need not be expensive - this book explains how many of them can be made at home or at school using inexpensive components. The colour illustrations provide a guide to the main groups of insects, and identification keys are listed for each.

Contents

Weather and microclimate

The climatic environment near the ground

Plants and microclimate

Insects and microclimate

Insect identification

Measuring microclimate

Humidity calculation and tables

Presenting microclimate data

Hardware

Some useful addresses; References and further reading.

Readership level

sixth-form, undergraduate, postgraduate, field centre, ecological consultant, wildlife trust, conservation volunteer

Keywords

invertebrates, plants, insects, microclimate, ecology, fieldwork, entomology