Assistant Professor California State University, Los Angeles, California, United States
Plants affect their microclimate in many ways: shading and cooling the sub-canopy during the day, insulating and warming the sub-canopy at night, blocking wind and affecting the boundary layer, humidifying the atmosphere via evaporative water loss, and decreasing vapor pressure deficit. All plants are niche creators. Some of these environmental modifications drive increased competition, but some can facilitate the survival and growth of neighbors. Here I will share stories and examples of plants modifying their microclimate in multiple ways, as well as examples of how neighborhood microclimate effects can improve performance of neighboring plants.
