microenvironment

[ mahy-kroh-en-vahy-ern-muh nt, -vahy-ruh n- ]
/ ˌmaɪ kroʊ ɛnˈvaɪ ərn mənt, -ˈvaɪ rən- /

noun

the environment of a small area or of a particular organism; microhabitat.

Origin of microenvironment

First recorded in 1950–55; micro- + environment

OTHER WORDS FROM microenvironment

mi·cro·en·vi·ron·men·tal [mahy-kroh-en-vahy-ern-men-tl, -vahy-ruh n-] /ˌmaɪ kroʊ ɛnˌvaɪ ərnˈmɛn tl, -ˌvaɪ rən-/, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for microenvironment

microenvironment
/ (ˈmaɪkrəʊɪnˌvaɪrənmənt) /

noun

ecology the environment of a small area, such as that around a leaf or plant

Scientific definitions for microenvironment

microenvironment
[ mī′krō-ĕn-vīrən-mənt ]

The environment of a very small, specific area, distinguished from its immediate surroundings by such factors as the amount of incident light, the degree of moisture, and the range of temperatures. The side of a tree that is shaded from sunlight is a microenvironment that typically supports a somewhat different community of organisms than is found on the side that receives regular light. Also called microhabitat