Variations in dew moisture regimes in desert ecosystems and their influencing factors

As an important source of non-rainfall input of land-surface liquid water, dew has considerable ecological and hydrological significance in desert ecosystems. Dew moisture regime is commonly used for characterizing available dew. It discloses not only the contributions of dew to plants, small animals, and biological crusts but also the mechanism by which desert organisms adapt to extreme climates. By reviewing the existing researches on dew moisture regimes in desert ecosystems, this study reveals the variations in the amount and duration of dew, as well as its influencing factors at site-, catchment-, and regional scales, based on the radiation cooling theory and the physical mechanisms of dew formation. Furthermore, it compares the differences in dew moisture between various sites and catchments, illustrates the trends in daily and annual dew moisture in various deserts, and identifies the existing problems of researches on dew moisture regimes amid climate change. The findings of this study enhance preliminary knowledge on the reasonable utilization of dew water, worldwide. This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Hydrological Processes Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems