Alto Patache

The fog oasis Alto Patache is located in the commune of Iquique in the Región de Tarapacá in Chile . The oasis is due to the mountains of the Cordillera de la Costa (Chile) which rise up to 1200 meters directly on the coast. The fog accumulates on these so that cacti and ferns thrive along a narrow strip at an altitude of 700 to 800 meters on the mountain range. Due to the weather phenomena El Niño and La Niña , the vegetation is subject to strong fluctuations. During the El Niño phases 45 plant species could be identified and the vegetation expanded strongly. During the La Niña years a minimum of 24 species were found and the vegetation cover decreased. Frankenia chilensis is one of the most important species found . In a study from 1997 to 2000 the oasis was continuously drying out and its disappearance was predicted.

Fog over Alto Patache

Individual evidence

^ Mauricio Calderon: Alto Patache fog oasis in the Atacama Desert: Geographical basis for a sustainable development program . Ed .: online. Santiago de Chile July 2010 ( researchgate.net ).
^ Raquel Pinto: Monitoring fog-vegetation communities at a fog-site in Alto Patache, South of Iquique, Northern Chile, during "El Niño" and "La Niña" events . Ed .: online. Iquique 2000 ( uc.cl [PDF]).

[1] Mauricio Calderon: Alto Patache fog oasis in the Atacama Desert: Geographical basis for a sustainable development program . Ed .: online. Santiago de Chile July 2010 ( researchgate.net ).

[2] Raquel Pinto: Monitoring fog-vegetation communities at a fog-site in Alto Patache, South of Iquique, Northern Chile, during "El Niño" and "La Niña" events . Ed .: online. Iquique 2000 ( uc.cl [PDF]).