On the measurement of microclimate

1. Many organisms live in environments in which temperatures differ substantially from those measured by standard weather stations. The last decade has witnessed a paradigm shift in efforts to quantify these differences and to understand their ecological, functional and evolutionary implications. This renewed interest in microclimate ecology has been accompanied by the development of various compact temperature sensors and radiation shields. However, it is clear that there are many pitfalls when measuring temperature using these devices. 2. Here we address the problem of measuring temperatures in these microenvironments accurately. We first discuss the theory of measuring surface, ground and air temperatures with reference to energy fluxes and how these are modified by material, reflective properties and size of the device. We highlight the particular difficulties associated with measuring air temperature. We then report on the results of a series of experiments in which air temperatures recorded by various commonly used microclimate temperature loggers are compared to those obtained using research-grade instruments and synoptic weather stations. 3. While accurate measurements of surface and ground temperatures and air temperatures at night and in shaded environments can be relatively easily obtained, we show substantial errors are to be expected when measuring air temperatures in environments exposed to sunlight. Most standard sensors yield large errors, which can reach 25 degrees C due to radiative fluxes operating on the thermometer. This problem cannot be wholly overcome by shielding the thermometer from sunlight, as the shield itself will influence both the temperatures being measured and the accuracy of measurement. 4. We demonstrate that reasonably accurate estimates of air temperature can be obtained with low-cost and unshielded ultrafine-wire thermocouples that possess low thermal emissivity and a highly reflective surface. As the processes that create microclimatic temperature variation are the same as those that cause errors, other logger types should be used with care, and generally avoided in environments exposed to sunlight and close to the ground where wind speeds are lower. We urge researchers interested in microclimates and their effects to pay greater heed to the physics of heat exchange when attempting to measure microclimate temperatures and to understand the trade-offs that exist in doing so.

Automated summary

This paper addresses the challenges of accurately measuring temperatures in microenvironments, highlighting the difficulties associated with measuring air temperatures exposed to sunlight. While accurate measurements of surface and ground temperatures can be relatively easily obtained, substantial errors are expected when measuring air temperatures in sunny environments. Researchers are urged to pay greater attention to the physics of heat exchange and understand the trade-offs involved in measuring microclimate temperatures.