Species vary in their vulnerability to extirpation or extinction in response to habitat loss, including deforestation. A variety of correlates of vulnerability have been found, but few empirical data have been gathered that provide insight into potential causation. We attempted to elucidate cause via a test of the ‘‘microclimate hypothesis’’ at two sites in the northern Neotropics. We censussed...

Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) is a key pest of various crops worldwide. In this study, we analyse the dependence of the infestation of this pest on spatially distributed micro climatic factors in a rose greenhouse. Despite the importance of this subject, the few existing studies have been realized in laboratory rather than in greenhouse conditions. However, recent progress on greenhouse...

Determination of the kinetics of water-soluble degradation products inside poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) delivery systems during polymer degradation is important to evaluate the polymer microclimate conditions, particularly microclimate pH changes for optimization of encapsulated drug stability. A pre-derivatization high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for sepa...

With urban design, it is becoming increasingly important to both visualise spatial changes and quantify the effect of these changes on the local microclimate: the former often for public consultation and the latter to develop landscapes that provide resilience to warmer weather thus reducing the urban heat island effect. It is possible to automatically construct 3D landscape models from vector ...

Deteriorated urban microclimate and poor outdoor thermal comfort is an increasing problem in cities in the tropics due to the combined effect of urban and global warming. Microclimate measurements (wind speed, air temperature and humidity, and globe temperature) were carried out in different parts of the warm-humid city Guayaquil, Ecuador. Simultaneously about 400 persons were asked for their s...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hard-seeded (physical) dormancy is common among plants, yet mechanisms for dormancy release are poorly understood, especially in the tropics. The following questions are asked: (a) whether dormancy release in seed banks of the tropical shrub Parkinsonia aculeata (Caesalpiniaceae) is determined by wet heat (incubation under wet, warm to hot, conditions); and (b) whether its e...

The lowland rainforest of northeastern Costa Rica harbours an assemblage of large wandering spider species belonging to three habitat subguilds: (1) semi-aquatic, (2) forest ground dwelling and (3) vegetation dwelling. We hypothesized that desiccation resistance should differ among species preferring different microhabitats and the associated microclimate. Desiccation resistance was assessed by...

Greenhouses are building structures that allow the creation of an indoor microclimate for crop development, protecting it from adverse outdoor conditions. Moreover this microclimate can be modified by artificial actuations such as heating, ventilation in order to provide the best environmental conditions. In this sense, several researchers used the optimal control and predictive control to deve...