Habitat microclimatology

Code: GEO13355L

3 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/78 hours

Scientific Area: Geography

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

Acquisition of basic knowledge of Microclimatology and its application to natural environments (bare surfaces, areas under forest and agricultural occupation, interfaces and diverse heterogeneities, animals and man) and environments modified by human activities (urban dwellings and landscapes, greenhouses and windbreaks, fires, atmospheric pollution, ...). It is intended that students acquire sufficient skills to enable them to intervene in the planning area.

Microclimatology: scale of atmospheric phenomena; boundary layer. The Climatic System: Components, properties and processes. Energy in the Climatic System: solar, terrestrial and atmospheric radiation; radiation and energy balances on a surface. Water in the climate system: the hydrological cycle. components. Hydrological Balance (the case of soil). Physical bases of Microclimatology: basic thermodynamic relations. Atmospheric stability. Transport of momentum, energy and mass in the boundary layer: The active surface. Wind, temperature and water vapor in the boundary layer. Soil temperature and humidity. Natural atmospheric environments: bare surfaces. vegetated surfaces (forest, agricultural or agro-forestry). Non-uniform terrains. Homoeothermic animals. The climate of modified environments. The climate of modified environments. Buildings and urban landscapes. Greenhouses and shelter effects. Fires. Air pollution. Acid precipitation. Microclimatological instrumentation.

Teaching Methods

The classes are essentially theoretical-practical. As they allow the parallel application of the themes exposed, they aim a more active participation of the students (and therefore, more critical). The students will carry out a practical work (PW) on a specific theme, proposed by the teaching or accepted by this one at the suggestion of the students. This work will be carried out in a group and presented by the students in classes. This work will be supported by reference bibliographies and other didactic material provided by teaching or existing in the library.
The assessment is based on assessing the acquisition of the concepts and their application to concrete situations. The evaluation comprises tests throughout the semester or, alternatively, a final exam, and the pratical work cited above. This work corresponds to 25% of the Final Grade, while the results of the tests or the Exam is equivalent to 75% of the Final Grade.