MICROCLIMATE India

Our Projects: Understanding climate through various forest landscapes 

Viewing the forest ecology through a micro-climate lens can help in understanding the impacts and relationships of plants and their environment.  Species located in open spaces or hilltops and valleys may experience the temperature difference, and these microhabitats can act as buffering spaces for extreme temperatures.

Project 1. Microclimate in Western Ghats Forests

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This focusses on understanding the sensitivity of selected tropical tree species across vegetation clusters of the Central Western Ghats forests that vary drastically in their microclimate environment.

The study is working towards characterise variation in microclimates across vegetation functional clusters in the Central and Northern Western Ghats Forest.

Project 2. Myristica swamps

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Myristica swamps are unique ecosystems found in Western Ghats of India. They are located in the valleys of tropical forests with perennial source of water. This study will focus studying and to characterise the variation in microclimate across myristica swamps and its neighbouring habitats

Project 3. Bioluminescent forest floor

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The bioluminescent fungi in the Western Ghats are mainly found on decaying wood and rotting plant matter. The phenomenon is most visible during the monsoon season, from June to October, when the humidity and moisture levels are optimal for the fungi to thrive.

The study is trying to understand the microclimate requirements for growth of these bioluminescent fungai. 

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