As research on fog has increased, so has our knowledge of fog effects on plant communities and ecosystems around the world. In many Mediterranean-type climates, seasonal drought causes vegetation to dry out, facilitating wildfire disturbances. Along the California coast, summer fog has the potential to ameliorate drought conditions and reduce plant flammability. This study investigated how fog affects live fuel moisture in six dominant shrub species from both chaparral and sage scrub plant communities. Fog water use was detected using stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen at several field sites in Santa Barbara County. In order to determine the effects of fog on live fuel moisture, multiple environmental factors and indices including fog deposition were decomposed into principal components and regressed against the rate of live fuel moisture loss during the summer drought.
Results/Conclusions
This study found fog water use in all five study species and fog was a significant correlate of live fuel moisture loss in two drought-deciduous shrub species. Fog water use appears to vary based on the amount of fog deposition and the elevation in which vegetation intercepts clouds. In coastal California, fog is an important water source, although used opportunistically, and can reduce live fuel moisture loss during the summer drought.