Mixed convection in fluid superposed porous layers heated locally from below is analyzed numerically based on the one-domain formulation of the conservation equations for laminar flow in the fluid sublayer and Darcy-Brinkman-Forcheimer (DBF) flow in the porous sublayer. Porosity is used as the switching parameter causing the governing equations to transition from an extended form of the DBF equations in the porous sublayer to the Navier-Stokes equations in the fluid sublayer. The conductivity ratio, Darcy number, porous layer height fraction, Rayleigh number, and Peclet number have a strong effect on the Nusselt number. Complex thermal pluming above the heated zone on the lower boundary appears for certain combinations of Rayleigh and Peclet numbers. Results extend the parameter space of the natural convection case through the mixed convection regime and into the forced convection regime for fluid superposed porous layers. (c) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.