Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas Desert
Dew is commonly regarded as an important water source for lichens. This is also the case for crustose lichens that are attached to the substrate, whether rocks or soil. While being verified during ample research on rock-dwelling lichens in the Negev, the findings from soil-dwelling lichens (lichen b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sciendo
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2020-0034 |
| _version_ | 1819022443756388352 |
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| author | Kidron Giora J. Kronenfeld Rafael |
| author_facet | Kidron Giora J. Kronenfeld Rafael |
| author_sort | Kidron Giora J. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dew is commonly regarded as an important water source for lichens. This is also the case for crustose lichens that are attached to the substrate, whether rocks or soil. While being verified during ample research on rock-dwelling lichens in the Negev, the findings from soil-dwelling lichens (lichen biocrusts) are not conclusive. In the Tabernas Desert, the soil surface is characterized by a lush cover of crustose lichens. These soil biocrusts (biological soil crusts) were reported to use dew for photosynthesis while, at the same time, it was also observed that these crustose chlorolichens are relatively non-wettable. In an attempt to explore the apparent controversy, two year-long meteorological data (minimum air temperature and relative humidity, RH), during which chlorolichens were thought to utilize dew for photosynthesis (2006–2007) were analyzed. The analysis includes a comparison to the meteorological conditions that prevailed in the Negev during 135 days of manual dew measurements. As found for the Negev, net photosynthesis by the chlorolichens is expected once the RH, as measured at the meteorological station, is ≥90% while vapor condensation (dew) is expected once RH is ≥95%. RH in the Negev was substantially higher than the average RH of 75.0–87.2% registered during the rainless days of 2006–2007 in the Tabernas, implying that RH in the Tabernas is too low to facilitate frequent dew formation and net photosynthesis by the lichens. Photosynthesis in the Tabernas is mainly confined to rainy periods, taking place either due to direct wetting by rain, or following vapor condensation from the subsurface (distillation). Our findings do not support the view that dew is an important water source for the establishment and growth of crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas. Moreover, the low RH in the Tabernas may also imply that dew may only have a very limited role in providing water to lithobionts in this ecosystem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:23:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c6fdc9c022646e8801b00be9c7ee7d0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0042-790X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:23:05Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c6fdc9c022646e8801b00be9c7ee7d02022-12-21T19:16:07ZengSciendoJournal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics0042-790X2020-12-0168435936710.2478/johh-2020-0034Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas DesertKidron Giora J.0Kronenfeld Rafael1Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University, Givat Ram Campus, Jerusalem91904, Israel.Meteorological unit, Israel Meteorological Service, Kibbutz Sede Boqer 84993, Israel.Dew is commonly regarded as an important water source for lichens. This is also the case for crustose lichens that are attached to the substrate, whether rocks or soil. While being verified during ample research on rock-dwelling lichens in the Negev, the findings from soil-dwelling lichens (lichen biocrusts) are not conclusive. In the Tabernas Desert, the soil surface is characterized by a lush cover of crustose lichens. These soil biocrusts (biological soil crusts) were reported to use dew for photosynthesis while, at the same time, it was also observed that these crustose chlorolichens are relatively non-wettable. In an attempt to explore the apparent controversy, two year-long meteorological data (minimum air temperature and relative humidity, RH), during which chlorolichens were thought to utilize dew for photosynthesis (2006–2007) were analyzed. The analysis includes a comparison to the meteorological conditions that prevailed in the Negev during 135 days of manual dew measurements. As found for the Negev, net photosynthesis by the chlorolichens is expected once the RH, as measured at the meteorological station, is ≥90% while vapor condensation (dew) is expected once RH is ≥95%. RH in the Negev was substantially higher than the average RH of 75.0–87.2% registered during the rainless days of 2006–2007 in the Tabernas, implying that RH in the Tabernas is too low to facilitate frequent dew formation and net photosynthesis by the lichens. Photosynthesis in the Tabernas is mainly confined to rainy periods, taking place either due to direct wetting by rain, or following vapor condensation from the subsurface (distillation). Our findings do not support the view that dew is an important water source for the establishment and growth of crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas. Moreover, the low RH in the Tabernas may also imply that dew may only have a very limited role in providing water to lithobionts in this ecosystem.https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2020-0034biocrustcyanobacteriadistillationlithobiontsrespirationnegev desert |
| spellingShingle | Kidron Giora J. Kronenfeld Rafael Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas Desert Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics biocrust cyanobacteria distillation lithobionts respiration negev desert |
| title | Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas Desert |
| title_full | Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas Desert |
| title_fullStr | Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas Desert |
| title_full_unstemmed | Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas Desert |
| title_short | Atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the Tabernas Desert |
| title_sort | atmospheric humidity is unlikely to serve as an important water source for crustose soil lichens in the tabernas desert |
| topic | biocrust cyanobacteria distillation lithobionts respiration negev desert |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2020-0034 |
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