FINIMSAS

Fog Interception and Nutrient Inputs to Montane-Subalpine Areas in Switzerland

Summary of Research Plan

Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen is one possible cause of novel forest decline (Mohr 1994) and it is assumed that elevated nitrogen inputs impose negative long-term effects on natural ecosystems.

This project addressed the question "how important is occult deposition to forests in the montane-subalpine region of Switzerland?" Occult deposition is the deposition pathway that is not included in either dry deposition or wet deposition sampling schemes.

Occult deposition occurs when fog and cloud droplets are intercepted by the vegetation, and it is of large potential importance at elevated sites on the Swiss Plateau and along the Jura and prealpine foothills.

In these areas the existence of frequent and dense fog layers (primarily during the winter season) supports the working hypothesis that occult deposition might well be in the order of magnitude of wet deposition in upper montane and subalpine areas of Switzerland.

Funded by Swiss National Science Foundation

Publications

Burkard R, Bützberger P, Eugster W (2003) Vertical fogwater flux measurements above an elevated forest canopy at the Lägeren research site, Switzerland. Atmos Environ 37:2979-2990

Eugster W, Burkard R, Holwerda F, Scatena F N, Bruijnzeel LAS (2006) Characteristics of fog and fogwater fluxes in a Puerto Rican elfin cloud forest . Agric Forest Meteorol 139:288-306

Holwerda F, Burkard R, Eugster W, Scatena FN, Meesters AGCA, Bruijnzeel S (2006) Estimating fog deposition onto a Puerto Rican elfin cloud forest with hydrological and micrometeorological techniques. Hydrological Processes 20:2669-2692

Katata G, Nagai H, Wrzesinsky T, Klemm O, Eugster W, Burkard R (2008) Development of a land surface model including cloud water deposition on vegetation. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 47. 2129-2146