Monthly Means Of Daily Maximum Temperature (C) October

High daytime maximum temperatures, up to 30 – 35 degree Celsius, generally increase rates of photosynthesis (i.e. the process by which `food` is manufactured in a plant), and thereby the rate of organic matter production. High maxima can be critical for some plants in both a negative context (e.g. the potential for grain production is reduced in maize when temperatures are too high during the flowering period) and a positive context (e.g. strawberries need high daytime temperatures to develop flavour). However, the rate of respiration (i.e. the processes by which `food` is used by a plant) also increases with temperature. As maximum temperatures reach the upper limits for a given crop, the rate of respiration (`food` used) may exceed that of photosynthesis (`food` manufactured). Thus, for example, for tomatoes growth peaks at 36 degree Celsius (Whiting et al., 2004). Time series of daily maximum temperatures from over 970 qualifying temperature stations were generated from quality controlled data for common 50 year period 1950 - 1999 using infilling and record extension techniques developed by Schulze and Maharaj (2004). From these time series at point locations, 50 years of daily maximum temperature values were generated at each of 429 700 one arc minute (1.7 km x 1.7 km) raster points covering South Africa, using regionally and seasonally determined lapse rates and other physically appropriate spatial interpolation approaches. These are given in detail in Schulze and Maharaj (2004). From these daily values, monthly means of daily minimum temperatures, as well as standard deviations of daily values for each month of the year, could be computed for purposes of mapping and production of tables of statistics for Swaziland, Lesotho and for each of the nine provinces of the RSA.日间最高气温偏高（可达30~35摄氏度）通常会提升光合作用（photosynthesis）速率，进而提升有机质生产速率。高温峰值对部分植物兼具双重影响：负面影响层面，玉米开花期气温过高会降低籽粒产量；正面影响层面，草莓需较高日间气温以形成独特风味。但呼吸作用（respiration）速率同样会随气温升高而提升。当最高气温达到某一作物的耐热上限时，呼吸作用（养分消耗）的速率可能会超过光合作用（养分制造）的速率。例如，番茄的生长峰值出现在36摄氏度（Whiting等，2004）。研究团队借助Schulze与Maharaj（2004）开发的插补与记录延伸技术，基于1950–1999年共50年通用观测期的标准化质量控制观测数据，生成了覆盖970余个合格气象站点的日最高气温时间序列。基于上述点位的时间序列数据，结合区域与季节特征确定的气温递减率及其他具备物理合理性的空间插值方法，研究人员为覆盖南非全境的429700个1弧分（arc minute，1.7 km × 1.7 km）栅格（raster）点位，各生成了一套50年尺度的日最高气温数据集。相关技术细节已在Schulze与Maharaj（2004）中详细阐述。基于上述日最高气温数据，可进一步计算得到每日最低气温的月均值，以及全年各月日气温序列的标准差，用于绘制斯威士兰、莱索托以及南非共和国（Republic of South Africa, RSA）下辖9个省份的气象分布图与统计表格。