Modelling the energy exchange processes between plant communities and environment

A steady-state, one dimensional simulation model based on the gradient diffusion approach is designed to predict the microclimate and properties of energy exchange processes between plant communities and their ambient environment. The architecture of the model is comprised of formulations of turbulent transfer, radiation distribution, and plant community energy balance. The driving forces are meteorological observations above the canopy and the necessary inputs are several geometrical, optical and ecophysiological properties of the community. The model output includes the vertical profiles of radiation, wind velocity, air and leaf temperature, humidity, source strength of heat and water vapor, and total sensible and latent heat fluxes, throughout the community. The results of simulation agree reasonably well with two sets of field measurements reported by other researchers.