Dew formation characteristics of meadow plants canopy at different heights in Hulunbuir grassland, China

Abstract

A plant's foliar uptake of dew can mitigate the adverse effects caused by drought stress. However, in grassland ecosystems, it is inconclusive whether the dew condensation characteristics of plants at different heights are consistent. In this study, we wanted to know whether plant height had a significant effect on the formation of dew. In addition, we wanted to understand the difference of dew formation between C3 plant Leymus chinensis (LC) and C4 plant Cleistogenes squarrosa (CS) which have different heights and can succeed each other in the community. In nine dew nights, we measured the amount of dew formed on simulated condensation surface (different heights) and two plants at the same time. The results showed that in the height range of 5–80 cm, the dew amount increases with the canopy height, but its increase rate gradually slows down and approaches zero. The shorter CS (5–15 cm) has a similar dew amount (0.095 mm) as LC (40–70 cm) due to its compact structure of the leaves with pubescence and the more stable micro-meteorological conditions. The CS can obtain more potential dew per unit organic matter, and this may be one of the potential mechanisms for the succession from LC communities to CS communities under drought stress. HIGHLIGHTS The dew formation on leaves theoretically changes exponentially with steppe plant height: y = a(1 − e−bx).; Both plant height and morphological characteristics affect dew formation.; One of the potential mechanisms of succession from Leymus chinensis (LC) community to Cleistogenes squarrosa (CS) community under drought stress was proposed.;

Keywords

• cleistogenes squarrosa
• dew formation
• hulunbuier grassland
• leymus chinensis
• plant heights
• simulated condensation surface