Středová, H., Rožnovský, J., Litschmann, T. (eds): Mikroklima a mezoklima krajinných struktur a antropogenních prostředí. Skalní mlýn, 2. – 4.2. 2011, ISBN 978-80-86690-87-2 THE IMPACT OF RELIEF AND LAND USE ON THE DIVERSITY OF LOCAL CLIMATE Joanna Kopcińska, Barbara Skowera, Jakub Wojkowski Department of Ecology, Climatology and air protection Department of Applied Mathematics Agricultural University in Kraków Abstract This article discusses the impact of relief and land usage on the principle characteristics of local climate - air temperature. Research has been conducted in the Garlica Murowana village, situated in the southern part of the Krakowsko-Częstochowska Plateau. This particular village can be characterized by abundant terrain relief and diversified utilization. Temperature measurements have been carried out in the years 2006-2009 in series that lasted several weeks each. The localization of instrument shelters featured upland forms, valley and slopes with southern, western and northern expositions, as well as various arable land such as cultivated fields, built-up area, forest and meadow. The climatic diversification at local scale is more pronounced in radiation type weather, which is characteristic of high pressure synoptic situations. Therefore, the analysis of temperature course has been performed for selected synoptic situations. This research indicated that the most favourable areas in terms of thermal conditions are represented by southern and western slopes, as well as upland terrain, whilst the valley is characterized by occurrence of highest maximum temperatures and diurnal temperature amplitudes (temperature inversions). The most evident, and statistically significant characteristic is the impact of relief and land usage on the dynamic changes of air temperature. It should be noted that this occurs during the warm season (summer and early autumn). During autumn and winter the impact of relief and land usage is notably smaller. Key words: local climate, topoclimate, relief, land use Introduction Air temperature on areas with varied terrain relief and various means of utilization is modified by settlement factors and local circulation. In a landscape which is susceptible to anthropogenic transformation, changes in land use lead to changes of climatic elements, and vice versa climate change conditions land utilization (Yoshino 1975, 1997). In suburban areas changes in land use occur at a fast pace. They consist mainly of exclusion of soils from agricultural usage, and destining them for built up areas. Due to changing terrain functions, the individual characteristics of active layer change as well. During the summer season built- up areas warm much faster, and temperatures are significantly higher than on agricultural lands or frest terrain (Wojkowski 2004). One of the climatic elements that are used to describe local climate is the daily course o air temperature. The greatest diversity of meteorological conditions, which results from the interaction of relief, vegetation and soils, occurs in radiation type weather, characterized by insignificant cloud cover, and light winds, which are common for high-pressure weather