Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands

Abstract Across Mediterranean‐type climate regions, seasonal drought desiccates plants, facilitating ignition and the spread of wildfires. Along the California coast, summertime fog has the potential to ameliorate drought conditions and thus reduce plant flammability during a critical time of elevat...

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Main Authors: Nathan C. Emery, Carla M. D'Antonio, Christopher J. Still
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-04-01
Series:Ecosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2167
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author Nathan C. Emery
Carla M. D'Antonio
Christopher J. Still
author_facet Nathan C. Emery
Carla M. D'Antonio
Christopher J. Still
author_sort Nathan C. Emery
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Across Mediterranean‐type climate regions, seasonal drought desiccates plants, facilitating ignition and the spread of wildfires. Along the California coast, summertime fog has the potential to ameliorate drought conditions and thus reduce plant flammability during a critical time of elevated fire risk. This study investigated the uptake of dry season fog and how it affects live fuel moisture (LFM) in six dominant shrub species from chaparral and sage scrub plant associations. Fog water uptake was evaluated using stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen at several field sites in Santa Barbara County, California. Clear evidence of fog water uptake was identified only in Baccharis pilularis, from the sage scrub association. To determine the effects of fog on LFM, meteorological variables and indices including fog deposition were combined into principal components and the scores regressed against the LFM loss rate during the summer drought. Fog deposition slowed rates of LFM loss for all three sage scrub species tested, but it did not affect the chaparral species. Fog is a more regular occurrence in the sage scrub association, and thus, it is likely that fog ameliorates drought for species that experience consistent fog during the summer months. In coastal California, summer fog can be essential to plant water relations and reduce LFM loss rates during the summer drought. Understanding these effects is important in the context of changing climate in southern California and fire‐prone regions around the world.
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spelling doaj.art-6a6513f76dfa4898a5aaab8aa3f945d12022-12-21T19:46:28ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252018-04-0194n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.2167Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublandsNathan C. Emery0Carla M. D'Antonio1Christopher J. Still2Michigan State University 220 Trowbridge Road East Lansing Michigan 48824 USAUniversity of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USAOregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USAAbstract Across Mediterranean‐type climate regions, seasonal drought desiccates plants, facilitating ignition and the spread of wildfires. Along the California coast, summertime fog has the potential to ameliorate drought conditions and thus reduce plant flammability during a critical time of elevated fire risk. This study investigated the uptake of dry season fog and how it affects live fuel moisture (LFM) in six dominant shrub species from chaparral and sage scrub plant associations. Fog water uptake was evaluated using stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen at several field sites in Santa Barbara County, California. Clear evidence of fog water uptake was identified only in Baccharis pilularis, from the sage scrub association. To determine the effects of fog on LFM, meteorological variables and indices including fog deposition were combined into principal components and the scores regressed against the LFM loss rate during the summer drought. Fog deposition slowed rates of LFM loss for all three sage scrub species tested, but it did not affect the chaparral species. Fog is a more regular occurrence in the sage scrub association, and thus, it is likely that fog ameliorates drought for species that experience consistent fog during the summer months. In coastal California, summer fog can be essential to plant water relations and reduce LFM loss rates during the summer drought. Understanding these effects is important in the context of changing climate in southern California and fire‐prone regions around the world.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2167Californiafirefoglive fuel moisturestable isotopes
spellingShingle Nathan C. Emery
Carla M. D'Antonio
Christopher J. Still
Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands
Ecosphere
California
fire
fog
live fuel moisture
stable isotopes
title Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands
title_full Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands
title_fullStr Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands
title_full_unstemmed Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands
title_short Fog and live fuel moisture in coastal California shrublands
title_sort fog and live fuel moisture in coastal california shrublands
topic California
fire
fog
live fuel moisture
stable isotopes
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2167
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