Abstract:

Researches on the relationships between forests and fogwater in foreign countries, focused on the deposition of fogwater onto vegetation as an important hydrological and chemical input, forest canopy interception from fogwater, influence of fog on the distribution of species and the dynamics of vegetation, and its ecological effects were briefly introduced with the aim of promoting the studies in this field in China. According to the reports, the fogwater is one of the most important environmental factors determining the plants growth and distribution, and an important input for water balance and nutrients cycling of the forest in cloud- or fog-inundated montane regions, and its ecological effects take on many aspects. So it is essential to make further research in this field and the future of ecological requires regarding fogwater should be directed towards quantifying its hydrological as well as chemical significance to fog-inundated ecosystems. Among the study methods, the Dawson's work that applied stable tools, using hydrogen and oxygen isotopic 'signatures' and Brunel's two-compartment isotopic mixing model that made it possible to distinguish the plants' use of deep-ground versus above-ground (I.e. fogwater and precipitation) water, is the best way and can be used in further research.

Key words: forests, fogwater, hydrological and chemical effects