Seasonal changes in leaf cover have a big impact on the local climate in forested mountain regions, according to a new study from the University of Tsukuba. "Nocturnal temperature inversion (NTI) is an important factor characterizing the local climate in mountainous areas. In central Japan, most of the mountain slopes are covered by forests, but the effects of their leaf expansion/fall on the NTI variations in basins have not been clarified," wrote the study authors.  Since the forest canopy shields the forest floor from sunlight and reduces...