Designing fog collectors to understand impacts of changing precipitation patterns on the California Channel Islands

Authors

Mathew Silva, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401Follow
Cristina Soto-Balderas, Office of Education Partnerships, University of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Natural Reserve System, Office of the President, University of California, Oakland, CA 94607Follow
Brandon J. Leon, Department of Mechanical Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401Follow
Mario Castellanos, Office of Education Partnerships, University of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106Follow
T. Scott Sillett, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Migratory Bird Center, Washington, DC 20008Follow
Alexander E. White, Smithsonian Office of the Chief Information Officer, Data Science Lab, Washington, DC 20008Follow

Abstract

Fog is a crucial moisture source for plants in coastal environments, particularly on the California Channel Islands, where it is a significant water resource. The bishop pine forest ecosystem on Santa Cruz Island, where fog drip from pine needles provides essential water for understory species, serves as a prime example of the ecological importance of fog. To better understand the impact of fog precipitation, we designed and deployed fog-collecting devices known as fog harps. Our design focused on creating an accurate, durable, and easily transportable fog harp optimized for field deployment. Through parallel testing of fog harps at Kenneth S. Norris Rancho Marino Reserve, a suitable mainland proxy for fog-inundated environments on Santa Cruz Island, we assessed the fog harps’ ability to capture fog precipitation patterns over time. Our fog harps demonstrated consistency in collecting daily fog precipitation, highlighting the feasibility and potential of our fog harps to contribute to our understanding of changing climates in coastal environments, particularly on the California Channel Islands.


La niebla es una fuente crucial de humedad para las plantas en entornos costeros, especialmente en las Islas del Canal de California, donde es un recurso hídrico significativo. Los ecosistemas de los bosques de pino bishop en la Isla de Santa Cruz sirven como un ejemplo destacado de la importancia ecológica de la niebla, donde el goteo de la niebla de las agujas de pino proporciona agua esencial para las especies del sotobosque. Para comprender mejor el impacto de la precipitación de niebla, diseñamos e implementamos dispositivos recolectores de niebla conocidos como “arpas de niebla”. Nuestro diseño se centró en crear un arpa de niebla precisa, duradera y fácilmente transportable, optimizada para su despliegue en el campo. A través de pruebas paralelas de arpas de niebla en la Reserva Rancho Marino Kenneth S. Norris, un apropiado proxy continental para entornos inundados de niebla en la Isla de Santa Cruz, evaluamos la capacidad de las arpas de niebla para capturar patrones de precipitación de niebla con el tiempo. Nuestras arpas de niebla demostraron consistencia en la recolección diaria de precipitación de niebla, resaltando la viabilidad y el potencial de nuestras arpas de niebla para contribuir a nuestra comprensión de los cambios climáticos en entornos costeros, especialmente en las Islas del Canal de California.

Recommended Citation

Silva, Mathew; Soto-Balderas, Cristina; Leon, Brandon J.; Castellanos, Mario; Sillett, T. Scott; and White, Alexander E. (2025) "Designing fog collectors to understand impacts of changing precipitation patterns on the California Channel Islands," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 85: No. 2, Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol85/iss2/7