The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems
Abstract Fog makes a significant contribution to the hydrology of a wide range of important terrestrial ecosystems. The amount and frequency of fog immersion are affected by rapid ongoing anthropogenic changes but the impacts of these changes remain relatively poorly understood compared with changes...
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| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14483 |
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| author | Daniel B. Metcalfe Darcy F. Galiano Cabrera Luis Miguel Alvarez Mayorga Roxana Sacatuma Cruz Daniela Corrales Alvarez Blanca Rosa Espinoza Otazu Walter Huaraca Huasco Jimmy R. Chambi Maria E. Ezquerra Beisit L. Puma Vilca Mark Mulligan Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur Heidi Asbjornsen Paulo R. L. Bittencourt Aline B. Horwath David C. Bartholomew |
| author_facet | Daniel B. Metcalfe Darcy F. Galiano Cabrera Luis Miguel Alvarez Mayorga Roxana Sacatuma Cruz Daniela Corrales Alvarez Blanca Rosa Espinoza Otazu Walter Huaraca Huasco Jimmy R. Chambi Maria E. Ezquerra Beisit L. Puma Vilca Mark Mulligan Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur Heidi Asbjornsen Paulo R. L. Bittencourt Aline B. Horwath David C. Bartholomew |
| author_sort | Daniel B. Metcalfe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Fog makes a significant contribution to the hydrology of a wide range of important terrestrial ecosystems. The amount and frequency of fog immersion are affected by rapid ongoing anthropogenic changes but the impacts of these changes remain relatively poorly understood compared with changes in rainfall. Here, we present the design and performance of a novel experiment to actively manipulate low lying fog abundance in an old‐growth tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) in Peru—the Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment (WACCEE). The treatment consists of a 30 m high, 40 m wide mesh curtain suspended between two towers and extending down to the ground, and two supplementary curtains orientated diagonally inwards from the top of each tower and secured to the ground upslope. The curtains divert and intercept airborne water droplets in fog moving upslope, thereby depriving a ~420 m2 patch of forest immediately behind the curtains of this water source. We monitored inside the treatment and a nearby unmodified control plot various metrics of water availability (air humidity, vapour pressure deficit, leaf wetness and soil moisture) and other potentially confounding variables (radiation, air and soil temperature) above and below the forest canopy. The treatment caused a strong reduction in both air humidity and leaf wetness, and an increase in vapour pressure deficit, above the canopy compared to the control plot. This effect was most pronounced during the nighttime (20:00–05:00). Below‐canopy shifts within the treatment were more subtle: relative humidity at 2 m height above the ground was significantly suppressed during the daytime, while soil moisture was apparently elevated. The treatment caused a small but significant increase in air temperature above the canopy but a decrease in temperature in and near the soil, while mixed effects were observed at 2 m height above the ground. Above‐canopy radiation was slightly elevated on the treatment relative to the control, particularly during the dry season. Further application of the method in other systems where fog plays a major role in ecosystem processes could improve our understanding of the ecological impacts of this important but understudied climate driver. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a7206a718fa046058f49f6863b4b30d2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-210X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| series | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-a7206a718fa046058f49f6863b4b30d22025-02-05T05:43:20ZengWileyMethods in Ecology and Evolution2041-210X2025-02-0116240041310.1111/2041-210X.14483The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systemsDaniel B. Metcalfe0Darcy F. Galiano Cabrera1Luis Miguel Alvarez Mayorga2Roxana Sacatuma Cruz3Daniela Corrales Alvarez4Blanca Rosa Espinoza Otazu5Walter Huaraca Huasco6Jimmy R. Chambi7Maria E. Ezquerra8Beisit L. Puma Vilca9Mark Mulligan10Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur11Heidi Asbjornsen12Paulo R. L. Bittencourt13Aline B. Horwath14David C. Bartholomew15Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science Lund University Lund SwedenAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruEarth Systems Research Center University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USADepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USADepartment of Natural Resources and the Environment University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire USAFacultad de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco Cusco PeruAsociación Civil Sin Fines de Lucro Para la Biodiversidad Investigación y Desarrollo Ambiental en Ecosistemas Tropicales (ABIDA) Cusco PeruDepartment of Ecology and Environmental Science Umeå University Umeå SwedenAbstract Fog makes a significant contribution to the hydrology of a wide range of important terrestrial ecosystems. The amount and frequency of fog immersion are affected by rapid ongoing anthropogenic changes but the impacts of these changes remain relatively poorly understood compared with changes in rainfall. Here, we present the design and performance of a novel experiment to actively manipulate low lying fog abundance in an old‐growth tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) in Peru—the Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment (WACCEE). The treatment consists of a 30 m high, 40 m wide mesh curtain suspended between two towers and extending down to the ground, and two supplementary curtains orientated diagonally inwards from the top of each tower and secured to the ground upslope. The curtains divert and intercept airborne water droplets in fog moving upslope, thereby depriving a ~420 m2 patch of forest immediately behind the curtains of this water source. We monitored inside the treatment and a nearby unmodified control plot various metrics of water availability (air humidity, vapour pressure deficit, leaf wetness and soil moisture) and other potentially confounding variables (radiation, air and soil temperature) above and below the forest canopy. The treatment caused a strong reduction in both air humidity and leaf wetness, and an increase in vapour pressure deficit, above the canopy compared to the control plot. This effect was most pronounced during the nighttime (20:00–05:00). Below‐canopy shifts within the treatment were more subtle: relative humidity at 2 m height above the ground was significantly suppressed during the daytime, while soil moisture was apparently elevated. The treatment caused a small but significant increase in air temperature above the canopy but a decrease in temperature in and near the soil, while mixed effects were observed at 2 m height above the ground. Above‐canopy radiation was slightly elevated on the treatment relative to the control, particularly during the dry season. Further application of the method in other systems where fog plays a major role in ecosystem processes could improve our understanding of the ecological impacts of this important but understudied climate driver.https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14483climate changecloud moisturedroughtlarge‐scale ecosystem manipulationTCMFtropical |
| spellingShingle | Daniel B. Metcalfe Darcy F. Galiano Cabrera Luis Miguel Alvarez Mayorga Roxana Sacatuma Cruz Daniela Corrales Alvarez Blanca Rosa Espinoza Otazu Walter Huaraca Huasco Jimmy R. Chambi Maria E. Ezquerra Beisit L. Puma Vilca Mark Mulligan Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur Heidi Asbjornsen Paulo R. L. Bittencourt Aline B. Horwath David C. Bartholomew The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems Methods in Ecology and Evolution climate change cloud moisture drought large‐scale ecosystem manipulation TCMF tropical |
| title | The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems |
| title_full | The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems |
| title_fullStr | The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems |
| title_short | The Wayqecha Amazon Cloud Curtain Ecosystem Experiment: A new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems |
| title_sort | wayqecha amazon cloud curtain ecosystem experiment a new experimental method to manipulate fog water inputs in terrestrial systems |
| topic | climate change cloud moisture drought large‐scale ecosystem manipulation TCMF tropical |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14483 |
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