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Solving the Mysteries of Coastal Fog Systems

Lead Scientist(s): Dr. Kathleen C. Weathers

Fog is commonplace in many coastal geographies, notably the west coasts of California, Chile, and Africa. In many Pacific coastal systems, fog is the primary, sometimes the only, source of water for plant communities and human settlements. It is a fundamental moderator of local and regional climate and influences productivity of near-coast terrestrial ecosystems.

The fog research community came together to develop an interdisciplinary research agenda and is now poised to collaboratively implement that ambitious agenda.

Recognizing the need for an interdisciplinary approach to fog research, a diverse group of multidisciplinary scientists was engaged over the course of several meetings to identify gaps in knowledge and fog research frontiers. The planning exercise confirmed the need for an interdisciplinary, systems-based approach and also resulted in a conceptual framework for studying coastal fog systems.

Resources

Weathers et al. 2014. Fog Research Frontiers: An Interdisciplinary Research Agenda for Coastal Fog Systems.

Solving the Mysteries of Coastal Fog. (.pdf)

Pescadero Coastal Fog Workshop Summary, June 2013. (.pdf)

Top image:
Changes in fog occurrence could impact the wine industry, which was valued at $13.4 billion in fog-affected Sonoma County, in 2012.

fog
def.
A collection of suspended water droplets or ice crystals near the earth’s surface that obscures or restricts visibility to below 1 km (to a greater extent than mist).

Publications

Coastal Fog as a System: Developing an Interdisciplinary Research Agenda

Weathers, Kathleen C. 2014. “Coastal Fog As a System: Developing an Interdisciplinary Research Agenda”. http://www.caryinstitute.org/sites/default/files/public/reprints/weathers_etal_pescadero_coastal_fog_workshop_summary.pdf.

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Fog Research Frontiers: An Interdisciplinary Research Agenda for Coastal Fog Systems

Weathers, Kathleen C., J. Collett, C. Jordan, R. Gerraud, P. Matrai, M. O’Rourke, A. Torregrosa, and L. Borre. 2014. “Fog Research Frontiers: An Interdisciplinary Research Agenda for Coastal Fog Systems”. http://caryinstitute.org/reprints/weathers_coastal_fog_as_a_system_white_paper_2014.pdf.

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Chemical constituents in clouds and rainwater in the Puerto Rican rainforest: Potential sources and seasonal drivers

Gioda, Adriana, Olga L. Mayol-Bracero, Frederick N. Scatena, Kathleen C. Weathers, Vinicius L. Mateus, and William H. McDowell. 2013. “Chemical Constituents in Clouds and Rainwater in the Puerto Rican Rainforest: Potential Sources and Seasonal Drivers”. Atmospheric Environment 68: 208-20. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.11.017.

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DOI

Long-Term Trends in Cloud and Rain Chemistry on Mount Washington, New Hampshire

Murray, Georgia L. D., Kenneth D. Kimball, Bruce Hill, Jane E. Hislop, and Kathleen C. Weathers. 2013. “Long-Term Trends in Cloud and Rain Chemistry on Mount Washington, New Hampshire”. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 224 (9). doi:10.1007/s11270-013-1653-7.

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DOI

Fog and soil weathering as sources of nutrients in a California redwood forest

Ewing, Holly A., Kathleen C. Weathers, Amanda Lindsey, Pamela H. Templer, T.E. Dawson, D. C. Bradbury, M.K. Firestone, and V.K.S. Boukili. 2012. “Fog and Soil Weathering As Sources of Nutrients in a California Redwood Forest”. In R. B. Standiford, T. J. Weller, D. D. Piirto, and J. D. Stuart. Proceedings of Coast Redwood Forests in a Changing California: A Symposium for Scientists and Managers., Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-238:675. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Coupling of fog and marine microbial content in the near-shore coastal environment

Dueker, M. E., G.D. O’Mullan, Kathleen C. Weathers, Andrew R. Juhl, and Maria Uriarte. 2012. “Coupling of Fog and Marine Microbial Content in the Near-Shore Coastal Environment”. Biogeosciences 9: 803-13. http://www.caryinstitute.org/reprints/Dueker_et_al_2012_Biogeo.pdf.

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Local Environmental Pollution Strongly Influences Culturable Bacterial Aerosols at an Urban Aquatic Superfund Site

Dueker, M. E., Gregory D. O’Mullan, Andrew R. Juhl, Kathleen C. Weathers, and Maria Uriarte. 2012. “Local Environmental Pollution Strongly Influences Culturable Bacterial Aerosols at an Urban Aquatic Superfund Site”. Environmental Science & Technology 46 (20): 10926-33. doi:10.1021/es301870t.

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DOI

Acidic atmospheric deposition interacts with tree type and impacts the cryptogamic epiphytes in Acadia National Park, Main, USA

Cleavitt, N. L., Holly A. Ewing, Kathleen C. Weathers, and Amanda Lindsey. 2011. “Acidic Atmospheric Deposition Interacts With Tree Type and Impacts the Cryptogamic Epiphytes in Acadia National Park, Main, USA”. Bryologist 114: 570-82. doi:10.1639/0007-2745-114.3.570.

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DOI

Bromeliad growth and stoichiometry: responses to atmospheric nutrient inputs in fog-dependent ecosystems of the hyper-arid Atacama Desert, Chile

González, A. L., J.M. Fariña, R. Pinto, Cecilia A. Pérez, Kathleen C. Weathers, Juan J. Armesto, and P.A. Marquet. 2011. “Bromeliad Growth and Stoichiometry: Responses to Atmospheric Nutrient Inputs in Fog-Dependent Ecosystems of the Hyper-Arid Atacama Desert, Chile”. Oecologia 167: 835-45.

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Atmospheric deposition

Weathers, Kathleen C., and Alexandra Ponette-González. 2011. “Atmospheric Deposition”. In D. F. Levia, D. E. Carlyle-Moses and T. Tanaka, Eds. Forest Hydrology and Biogeochemistry: Synthesis of Past Research and Future Directions. Springer, Ecological Studies Series.

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Resources

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Solving the Mysteries of Coastal Fog Systems

Resources

Related News

Trees can clean up pollution from tailpipes, smokestacks, and wildfires — but where we plant them matters ›

Fog connects ecosystems›

Microbes hitch a ride inland on coastal fog›

fog def.A collection of suspended water droplets or ice crystals near the earth’s surface that obscures or restricts visibility to below 1 km (to a greater extent than mist).

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fog
def.
A collection of suspended water droplets or ice crystals near the earth’s surface that obscures or restricts visibility to below 1 km (to a greater extent than mist).