Editing Scree (section)

==Microclimates==
A scree has many small interstitial voids, while an [[ice cave]] has a few large hollows. Due to cold air seepage and air circulation, the bottom of scree slopes have a thermal regime similar to ice caves.{{cn |date= November 2024}}

Because subsurface ice is separated from the surface by thin, [[Permeability (Earth sciences)| permeable]] sheets of sediment, screes experience cold air seepage from the bottom of the slope where sediment is thinnest.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Růžička|first1=Vlastimil|last2=Zacharda|first2=Miloslav|last3=Němcová|first3=Lenka|last4=Šmilauer|first4=Petr|last5=Nekola|first5=Jeffrey C.|date=September 2012|title=Periglacial microclimate in low-altitude scree slopes supports relict biodiversity|url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222933.2012.707248|journal=Journal of Natural History|language=en|volume=46|issue=35–36|pages=2145–2157|doi=10.1080/00222933.2012.707248|bibcode=2012JNatH..46.2145R |s2cid=86730753|issn=0022-2933|url-access=subscription}}</ref> This freezing circulating air maintains internal scree temperatures 6.8-9.0&nbsp;°C colder than external scree temperatures.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Zacharda|first1=Miloslav|last2=Gude|first2=Martin|last3=Růžička|first3=Vlastimil|date=July 2007|title=Thermal regime of three low elevation scree slopes in central Europe|url=http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ppp.598|journal=Permafrost and Periglacial Processes|language=en|volume=18|issue=3|pages=301–308|doi=10.1002/ppp.598|bibcode=2007PPPr...18..301Z |s2cid=129472548 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> These <0&nbsp;°C thermal anomalies occur up to 1000m below sites with mean annual air temperatures of 0&nbsp;°C.{{cn |date= November 2024}}

Patchy [[permafrost]], which forms under conditions <0&nbsp;°C, probably exists at the bottom of some scree slopes despite mean annual air temperatures of 6.8–7.5&nbsp;°C.<ref name=":1" />