Fog Plant Oases (FPO) - A Pilot Project by the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research

The FPO pilot project is based on the idea that fog harvesting plants initiate the succession of mini ecosystems in deserts by modifying the abiotic environment to their favor, thereby building niches for other organisms. Such fog plant oases (FPOs) evolved independently from each other in the coastal deserts of the Namib and the Atacama under similar abiotic boundary conditions. We also assume that animals i.e. soil faunas settling in the substrate underneath fog harvesting plants play a crucial role in the functioning of those ecosystems. The isolation of communities during landscape evolution or climatic change exerts selection pressure on populations. We assume that long-lasting evolutionary pressure from at least 35 Ma towards hyper-arid and foggy conditions not only led to convergent adaptions of individual species but also similar structures of entire ecosystems. FPOs run at spatially well-defined boundary conditions and are therefore very interesting objects for ecosystem research. The organisms forming FPOs emanated from phylogenetic stocks which have been separated from each other since the breakup of Gondwana about 120 Ma. ago.

This project represents a collaborative effort involving experts from various scientific disciplines across two Senckenberg institutions (Tübingen and Görlitz), as well as researchers from other universities and research institutions. For project impressions and contact person please see: https://fog-plant-oasis-senckenberg-pilot-project.jimdosite.com/