THE OPEN SHADE, AN INTERESTING MICROCLIMATE

Abstract

When the sky is bright the shade light received at the north side of a deciduous hedge or strip of scrub contains much blue and far red radiation and little near red. The light intensity is relatively high but net radiation may be zero or slightly negative because of the strong long wave radiation loss to the „cold” bright sky. Dew persists in these situations and surface temperatures are often 6–8°C below ambient air temperature. Several Angiosperms, mosses, and liverworts seem to have a preference for this situation.