Abstract
The elements of climate (radiation, temperature, wind and moisture) determine to a large extent the type of vegetation and development of soil in a biome [25]. The driving force behind the Earth’s climate is radiation from the sun. Incident solar radiation on the Earth’s surface produces differential temperature regimes that, when coupled with the Earth’s rotation around its axis and orbit around the sun, generate wind patterns and ocean currents. These air and water movements in turn influence global patterns of rainfall and heat distribution, generating the diurnal, seasonal and latitudinal changes in climate that occur on the Earth’s surface. In addition to its effects on climate, solar energy is the ultimate source of energy for all life on Earth. Thus, the ability to calculate solar irradiance on a surface, whether it is plant, animal, or non-living is a valuable tool in physiological ecology. The first part of this chapter presents relationships that may be used to calculate solar radiation on idealized surfaces under clear sky conditions.
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Forseth, I.N., Norman, J.M. (1993). Modelling of solar irradiance, leaf energy budget and canopy photosynthesis. In: Hall, D.O., Scurlock, J.M.O., Bolhàr-Nordenkampf, H.R., Leegood, R.C., Long, S.P. (eds) Photosynthesis and Production in a Changing Environment. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1566-7_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1566-7_13
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