Keywords
Costa Rica
air temperature
humidity
How to Cite
Abstract
In order to correlate epiphyte position and phenology with microclimate, a sensor setup was designed to measure the spatial and temporal pattern of air temperature and relative humidity. The sensor setup featured an automatic measuring device which was installed in a Ficus jimenezii tree in the Reserva Biológica Alberto Brenes, Alajuela, Costa Rica. An entire annual data set with a spatial resolution of fourteen locations and a temporal resolution of 20 sec intervals, and a recording time of five minutes, was obtained. The sensor positions were chosen to analyze the gradient between the ground and the canopy roof and the gradient between the center of the crown and its periphery. A superimposed third gradient occurred between the surface of large branches and the free space between the branches. Generally, temperature and humidity curves were contrary. The gradients' steepness was mainly influenced by humus accumulation on the branches around the sensor position. High accumulations of humus mitigated the gradients considerably. As a consequence, climatic environments close to the branches were similar to those near the ground. Extreme climatic events, such as low relative humidity and high temperature, were defined. They occurred during less than 1% of total measuring period. The extent and duration of extreme events increased significantly with distance from the ground, from the tree center to the periphery and with distance from large branches. A parallel study showed that these events affect the morphology of different Columnea (Gesneriaceae) species and play an important role for epiphyte establishment and fruiting success in this tropical rain forest.
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