Dew and guttation: formation and environmental significance

Abstract

Observations were made of dew and guttation droplets on the grass Holcus lanatus L. (Yorkshire fog) at a site in rural Norfolk, UK, in 1985. The mean overnight dewfall was 0.14 ± 0.02 mm ( N = 40 nights). Guttation droplets found on grass blade tips had an average diameter of 1.49 ± 0.16 mm ( N = 1200 measurements), compared with 0.20 = 0.02 mm for true dew droplets ( N = 550 measurements). The average total volume of guttation water exuded per grass blade per night was 1.0 ± 0.3 × 10 −7 dm 3, which represents about 0.1 mm of precipitation; guttation supplied about the same amount of water as dewfall to a short grass surface. About 8% of the mean daily June–August net radiation in southern England would be needed to evaporate the average dew and guttation-derived leaf wetness, which totalled 0.25 ± 0.04 mm. Guttation amount was significantly correlated with soil temperature and moisture ( P < 0.001, r 2 = 0.874). The diameter of dew droplets was proportional to gravimetrically measured dewfall amount. The average total surface area of dewdrops on short grass was about 11 m 2 m −2 ground area. The corresponding average for guttation was about 5 m 2 m −2 ground area. The modal pH of a mixture of dewfall and guttation was 5.0–5.2. Chemical analyses of mixed samples of dew and guttation showed a ten-fold super-saturation with respect to CO 2. The equilibrium partial pressure of SO 2 in these bulked samples was very low (10 −4−10 −3 Pa), an order of magnitude lower than atmospheric concentrations. The half-life of SO 2 with respect to oxidation in the dew and guttation mixtures was a few hours.