Biophysical data

Biological processes and the biodiversity we see in the natural world are inherently linked to the physical environment they are found in. Subtle changes in the landscape and microclimate of an ecosystem interact with living things in many complex ways. In the Open Living Lab we can monitor the biophysical environment to learn more about these interactions between the non-living environment and the biological communities in our urban regeneration sites.

New technologies like the ‘Internet of Laboratory Things’ allow us to take detailed measurements of the microclimate: recording biophysical factors including temperature, wind conditions, rainfall, air pollution, hydrology and soil chemistry. We can see how this is affecting the growth of trees and plants and seasonal changes in the wider ecosystem.

In our rapidly changing climate, we can see in real time how drought events, storms and higher temperatures are affecting urban ecosystems.