CRUI: Historic Patterns of Fog Utilization and Climate Variability Using Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis of Redwood Tree Ring Cellulose.

雾是红杉林的重要水资源。雾对植物的可用性可能取决于许多气候因素，如海面温度（厄尔尼诺事件）和干旱。本研究的目的是量化的历史雾利用模式的红木树木使用稳定同位素分析的水源和树木年轮纤维素。这是一个跨学科的项目，连接不同的研究领域，如生物学，地球化学，古气候学，生态系统水文学，海洋学和气象学。这项研究将为了解与雾水利用相关的气候信号如何记录在树轮中奠定基础。已经收获的古老红木树板可以提供1000多年的重要气候周期和强度的重建。这些树木的水文输入的历史记录对于了解气候变化，气候变化以及森林管理实践如何影响这一濒危生态系统的活力至关重要。拟议的研究将主要使用水源和树木年轮纤维素的稳定同位素分析，以确定红木树木目前和过去的雾水利用。同位素是生物体和生物圈内变化的被动示踪剂。附近气象站的天气记录将用于校准最近的树木年轮信号与最近的气候事件。目前的环境条件和水源也将被量化，以加强建模工作，将纤维素同位素组成和气候联系起来。

Fog represents a significant water resource for redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests. The availability of fog for plants may depend on a number of climatic factors, such as sea surface temperatures (El Nino events) and drought. The objective of this study is to quantify historic fog utilization patterns by redwood trees using stable isotope analysis of water sources and tree-ring cellulose. This is an interdisciplinary project that links diverse fields of study such as biology, biogeochemistry, paleoclimatology, ecosystem hydrology, oceanography and meteorology. This study will lay the foundation for understanding how the climatic signals associated with fog water utilization are recorded in tree-rings. Slabs of already harvested ancient Redwood trees could provide 1000+ year reconstructions of the periodicity and strength of important climatic cycles. A historic record of hydrologic inputs for these trees is critical for understanding how climatic change, climatic variation as well as forest management practices influence the vigor of this endangered ecosystem. The proposed research will primarily use stable isotope analysis of water sources and tree-ring cellulose to determine current and past fog water utilization by Redwood trees. Isotopes are passive tracers of transformations within organisms and the biosphere. Weather records from nearby stations will be used to calibrate recent tree ring signals with recent climatic events. Current environmental conditions and water sources will also be quantified to enhance modeling efforts to link cellulose isotopic composition and climate.