NicheMapR - an R package for biophysical modelling: the microclimate model

Abstract

Microclimatic variables are necessary for a wide range of pure and applied problems in environmental science. In ecology, microclimatic conditions are prerequisites for modelling the heat and water budgets of organisms, from which climatic constraints on behaviour, life histories, distribution and abundance can be inferred. Despite the critical importance of microclimates, there is no general-purpose, accessible microclimate model available for use in ecological studies. Here we introduce and document the microclimate model of the biophysical modelling package NicheMapR, an R package that includes a suite of programs for mechanistic modelling of heat and mass exchange between organisms and ..