Cloud Water Interception in Hawai‘i
Because of the extreme climate gradients in Hawai‘i, relatively small shifts in atmospheric circulation can cause major changes in rainfall, cloud cover, and humidity. Because it has been shown that cloud water forms an important input at specific sites, we need to understand how these inputs vary across the landscape, or how interactions with plant communities alter direct inputs. Such changes stand to influence plant community dynamics, forest ranges, and the fauna that depend on them. Cloud water inputs also affect groundwater recharge and streamflow, making understanding variation in cloud water inputs of the utmost importance for natural resource managers.
Overview:
Because of the extreme climate gradients in Hawai‘i, relatively small shifts in atmospheric circulation can cause major changes in rainfall, cloud cover, and humidity. Because it has been shown that cloud water forms an important input at specific sites, we need to understand how these inputs vary across the landscape, or how interactions with plant communities alter direct inputs. Such changes stand to influence plant community dynamics, forest ranges, and the fauna that depend on them. Cloud water inputs also affect groundwater recharge and streamflow, making understanding variation in cloud water inputs of the utmost importance for natural resource managers.
Highlights :
Dendrometer, climate and soil moisture datalogging systems have been monitoring selected research sites since 2016, and we have also been seasonally monitoring selected plots to determine seedling growth and survival. This has resulted in a large amount of data, so we have set up a repository so that all our collaborators have ready access. As we near the end of the data collection period for this project we are beginning to analyze our time course data in relation to climate data to look for trends in fog water inputs, rainfall, and relative humidity.
Below are partners associated with this project.
Because of the extreme climate gradients in Hawai‘i, relatively small shifts in atmospheric circulation can cause major changes in rainfall, cloud cover, and humidity. Because it has been shown that cloud water forms an important input at specific sites, we need to understand how these inputs vary across the landscape, or how interactions with plant communities alter direct inputs. Such changes stand to influence plant community dynamics, forest ranges, and the fauna that depend on them. Cloud water inputs also affect groundwater recharge and streamflow, making understanding variation in cloud water inputs of the utmost importance for natural resource managers.
Overview:
Because of the extreme climate gradients in Hawai‘i, relatively small shifts in atmospheric circulation can cause major changes in rainfall, cloud cover, and humidity. Because it has been shown that cloud water forms an important input at specific sites, we need to understand how these inputs vary across the landscape, or how interactions with plant communities alter direct inputs. Such changes stand to influence plant community dynamics, forest ranges, and the fauna that depend on them. Cloud water inputs also affect groundwater recharge and streamflow, making understanding variation in cloud water inputs of the utmost importance for natural resource managers.
Highlights :
Dendrometer, climate and soil moisture datalogging systems have been monitoring selected research sites since 2016, and we have also been seasonally monitoring selected plots to determine seedling growth and survival. This has resulted in a large amount of data, so we have set up a repository so that all our collaborators have ready access. As we near the end of the data collection period for this project we are beginning to analyze our time course data in relation to climate data to look for trends in fog water inputs, rainfall, and relative humidity.
Below are partners associated with this project.