| A unit of Lasting Forests
evolving since March 30, 1999 |
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A Total Forest Management Plan
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Suggested illustrations:
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| The general pattern of a classical climatograph. The monthly mean is plotted for the two important ecological variables. The area of the polygon within perceived maximum limits of temperature and precipitation suggest suitability of conditions for species or communities. |
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Temperature graphs (such as this for a July day for a site, e.g., Portland Oregon) can be useful. The width of the droplet indicates the relative duration of a given temperature. The greater the overlap of the dry-bulb (shaded) and wet-bulb temperature drops, the higher the humidity. |
See Temperature Conversion unit.
Potter and Cate (1999) have made temperature maps of a large region of the US including Virginia.
Degree Days
Hanula et al. 2002 (Canadian Entomologist 134:255-268) used degree days to study timing of insecticide applications. Degree day accumulations with a threshold of 11-degree C were used.
Spruce bud worm occurrence analyses suggested correlations with heat units or degree days (above 39 degrees F (4 degrees C) and below 64 degrees F (18 degrees C) during their overwintering period.
Similarly worm development can be related to accumulated heat units or degree days (Kemp et al. 1985)
The interplay, not the specific temperature, is important among data on sun, wind, temperature, precipitation and humidity.
The difference between the daily miximum and minimum temperatures for an area suggests the greater the need for thick walls in buildings for energy conservation and suggests the rate of organic matter turn over,the denning needs of fauna, and the diversity expected in forest soils.
In Ohio, average annual temperatures in degrees F were mapped (GIS) with temperature range from 49 to 57 degree F with 51 to 52 degrees presented as 51 - 51.5 and 51.5 - 52 because of its large areal extent.
Relative chemical reaction rate doubles for every 18-degree F increase in temperature.
Relate temperature functions to barometric pressure related to land surface elevation to describe relative potential ecological activity of a cell as a function of cell-specific (aspect and slope adjusted ) median monthly temperature, length of growing period, elevation, and median barometric pressure. By relative is meant relative to the highest valued cell within the working region (e.g., a county , region, or state). This results in an index (a color on a map) that will be seen correlated with site index, suceptibility to stress, or other important phenomena for resource production.
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| Where a is the mean or median datum for each month and all 12 months data are connected, A is energy metabolized or lost as a function of temperature and activity, and B is potential energy intake. The area of the polygon, a proportion relative to 100%, will provide a suitability index. Two polygons might be constructed later, overlapping, one to reflect a standard diet and one to suggest energy in a full rumen each month. |
Exploratory: The energy cost of living for a population can be examined in a 2-dimensional graph with temperature (vertical) and wetness or precipitation on the horizontal.
The suitability of a habitat for animals, crops, livestock, etc. may be seen as a function of the size of polygon (like a climatograph) as shown here
See Frost
References
Green, K. 1979. Climate and architecture EDIC 10(5):6- 10.
Kemp, W.P.. D.O. Everson, W.G. Wellington, 1985. Regional climatic patterns and western spruce budworm outbreaks. Tech Bul. 1693. USDA Forest Serv, Washington 31p.
Potter, B.E. and T.W. Cate. 1999. A climatology of late-spring freezes in the Northeastern United States. USDA For Serv. North Central Research Station, Gen. Tech. Report NC-204, 35p.
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This Web site is maintained by R. H.
Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 27, 2001.