Recent research published in the journal Frontiers of Biogeography has revealed the potential impact of local microclimates on extreme temperatures associated with climate change.The study,conducted by Esme Ashe-Jepson during her PhD,focused on a calcareous grassland nature reserve in Bedfordshire,UK. Through deploying a network of data loggers,the researchers were able to capture six heatwave events and record microclimate temperatures for a year and a half.
The results showed that insects experience substantially different temperatures from humans due to their proximity to the ground. In fact,temperatures near the ground can increase by up to 10 or even 20°C compared to standing height.This led Ashe-Jepson and her team to investigate what this micro-world is like for insects.
Their findings revealed that insects are experiencing extreme temperatures more frequently than previously thought, with thousands of individual records of temperatures over 40°C. This is notably concerning as it means small and slow-moving animals will struggle to find escape from extreme heat during heatwaves.
The researchers also aimed to identify ways in which cool refugia could be maintained within landscapes for these vulnerable species. however, they found that areas expected to stay cool actually turned into heat traps during heatwaves.
This has meaningful implications for exposed landscapes such as calcareous grasslands which are home to many rare and interesting small animals like the Duke of Burgundy butterfly and glowworms.These habitats are at particular risk under climate change with little we can do currently do protect wildlife from extreme heat during heatwaves.
The study highlights the importance of considering local microclimates when assessing vulnerability to climate change and calls for further research into how we can mitigate its effects on vulnerable species living close to the ground or in short vegetation.
Research paper: Ashe-Jepson E., Turner E.C., Bladon A.J., (2025). Local microclimates can both amplify and mitigate extreme temperatures associated with climate change. Frontiers of Biogeography 18: https://doi.org/10.21425/fob.18.164843
Fascinating topic! I never thought about how landscapes could affect how species perceive climate.