Fog as a water source for cryptograms

San Bruno Mountain presents a rare opportunity to study moss ecology in a coastal environment shaped by fog and non-rainfall water sources. This project explores how fog and dew influence the distribution, morphology, and physiology of epiphytic mosses growing on Baccharis pilularis. Students will collect mosses across a coastal-to-inland transect, quantify cover and morphology, and prepare permanent slides for species identification. Microclimate conditions will be monitored with dataloggers, and fog occurrence calculated using NOAA-based models. The project offers hands-on experience in field ecology, bryophyte biology, and climate adaptation research. Results will contribute to baseline knowledge of bryophyte diversity and fog-water reliance in coastal California ecosystems.