Wind as a cooling agent: substrate temperatures are responsible for variable lithobiont‐induced weathering patterns on west‐ and east‐facing limestone bedrock of the Negev

Kidron, Giora J.; Kronenfeld, Rafael; Starinsky, Abraham

doi:10.1002/esp.3973

Cited by 20 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Although only meagre amounts of 0.02-0.03 mm of NRW were obtained at the CB-inhabiting surfaces at the south-and east-facing bedrocks, amounts of 0.09-0.15 mm were obtained on all CLinhabited cobbles and north-and west-facing bedrocks (Kidron, Kronenfeld, & Starinsky, 2016;Kidron, Starinsky, & Yaalon, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Assessing the likelihood of the soil surface to condense vapour: The Negev experience

Kidron

Kronenfeld

2020

Ecohydrology

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The likelihood of dew to provide water to cyanobacteria (CB) and crustose lichens (CL) on soil is a matter of great controversy. Although vapour condensation takes place on cobbles of the Negev Highlands, facilitating lush cover of CL, controversy exists regarding the possible contribution of dew to CB and CL inhabiting the loessial soil of the Negev Highlands. To evaluate this matter, temperature, and measurements of the nonrainfall water (NRW) were conducted during the dewy season (August–November 2019). They included periodical NRW measurements using cloths attached to the (a) soil surface, (b) on top of 10 × 10 × 5‐ to 6‐cm cobbles, and (c) on 10 × 10 × 0.2‐cm glass plates (the cloth‐plate method, CPM). Additionally, temperature measurements took place at the soil and the cobble surfaces and in the air at 10‐cm height above ground. Air temperature and the relative humidity measured by an adjacent meteorological station facilitated the calculation of the dew‐point temperature (Td). Taking the CPM as reference, 24 mornings with NRW ≥0.03 mm (the threshold of lichen metabolism) were recorded. Vapour condensation, that is, NRW ≥0.1 mm were recorded during 16 mornings on the cobbles (with a maximum of 0.21 mm) but never on the soil, where maximum NRW reached only 0.023 mm. Surface temperature never reached Td. We therefore conclude that unlike lithic lichens that inhabit bedrocks and cobbles in the Negev Highlands, dew cannot be regarded as a meaningful direct source of water for CB or CL biocrusts on soil.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Assessing the likelihood of the soil surface to condense vapour: The Negev experience

Kidron

Kronenfeld

2020

Ecohydrology

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“…Indeed, the cooling effect of the sea breeze wind was found to play an important role in NRW variability within the drainage basin (Kidron, Kronenfeld, & Starinsky, 2016). Being also season-dependent, sea breeze is augmented by high temperature difference between the sea and land.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although high amounts of NRW (0.06-0.20 mm) characterized all cobbles, including those scattered on the hill slopes of the southern and eastern aspects, meagre values of 0.01-0.03 mm characterized the adjacent south-and east-facing bedrocks (Kidron et al, 2014(Kidron et al, , 2016. Although high amounts of NRW (0.06-0.20 mm) characterized all cobbles, including those scattered on the hill slopes of the southern and eastern aspects, meagre values of 0.01-0.03 mm characterized the adjacent south-and east-facing bedrocks (Kidron et al, 2014(Kidron et al, , 2016.…”

Section: Micro Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus for instance, whereas average amounts of NRW of 0.14-0.17 mm were measured on cobbles scattered at the eastern and southern aspects of a small drainage basin of the Negev Highlands, the amounts at the bedrocks were <0.03 mm, indicating lack of condensation at the rock surfaces (Kidron et al, 2014(Kidron et al, , 2016. As far as plants or rock-dwelling organisms (lithobionts) are concerned, the long-term annual amount of 33 mm should be corrected accordingly.…”

Section: The Daily Course Of Nrw: Accumulation and Evaporationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Measurements and ecological implications of non‐rainfall water in desert ecosystems—A review

Kidron

Starinsky

2019

Ecohydrology

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The current review focuses on the contribution of non-rainfall water (NRW) to arid and semiarid regions (with a focus on the Negev), where NRW may provide a constant source of water that may facilitate the survival of different organisms, especially microorganisms. Factors that determine the amounts of NRW and the contribution of NRW to plants and organisms are discussed. Nevertheless, although important, significant variation exists regarding the amounts of NRW, which may stem from improper use or inherent drawbacks of some of the measurement devices. This may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the possible role played by NRW. For instance, with prokaryotes (bacteria and cyanobacteria) requiring liquid water (≥0.1 mm) for growth, small inaccuracies in NRW around this threshold may either lead to the conclusion that NRW is sufficiently high to facilitate their growth, or rather, is too low to facilitate their growth. Arguing that some of the devices used to measure NRW may greatly overestimate the amounts, the possible contribution of NRW to soil bacteria and cyanobacterial biocrusts is analysed. We suggest that although NRW may assist the growth and survival of mosses and some types of lichens (mostly non-crustose), no conclusive findings were thus far reported regarding the use of dew for cyanobacteria growth. The use of dew by cyanobacterial crust for growth should be critically examined, and the possibility that NRW may even result in a negative carbon balance for cyanobacterial crusts should be considered.

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“…rapid heating and cooling during sunrise and sunset and preferential retention of dew on WSW-facing slopes that remain in shadow for much of the morning. Kidron et al (2016) documented higher rates of weathering on E-facing slopes compared with W-facing slopes, a result they attributed to westerly winds causing lower nocturnal temperatures on W-facing slopes, thereby facilitating dew condensation and the growth of epilithic lichens which may act as bio-protectors on W-facing slopes. These studies highlight the potential importance of diurnal variations in moisture delivery and/or temperature on weathering processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asymmetry of weathering‐limited hillslopes: the importance of diurnal covariation in solar insolation and temperature

Pelletier

Swetnam

2017

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Hillslope asymmetry, i.e. variation in hillslope form as a function of slope aspect and/or mean solar insolation, has been documented in many climates and geologic contexts. Such patterns have the potential to help us better understand the hydrologic, ecologic, and geomorphologic processes and feedbacks operating on hillslopes. Here we document asymmetry in the fraction of hillslope relief accommodated by cliffs in weathering‐limited hillslopes of drainage basins incised into the East Kaibab Monocline (northern Arizona) and Raplee Ridge Monocline (southern Utah) of the southern Colorado Plateau. We document that south‐ and west‐facing hillslopes have a larger proportion of hillslope relief accommodated by cliffs compared with north‐ and east‐facing hillslopes. Cliff abundance correlates positively with mean solar insolation and, by inference, negatively with soil/rock moisture. Solar insolation control of hillslope asymmetry is an incomplete explanation, however, because it cannot account for the fact that the greatest asymmetry occurs between southwest‐ and northeast‐facing hillslopes rather than between south‐ and north‐facing hillslopes in the study sites. Modeling results suggest that southwest‐facing hillslopes are more cliff‐dominated than southeast‐facing hillslopes of the same mean solar insolation in part because potential evapotranspiration rates, which control the soil/rock moisture that drives weathering, are controlled by the product of solar insolation and a nonlinear function of surface temperature, together with the fact that southwest‐facing hillslopes receive peak solar insolation during warmer times of day compared with southeast‐facing hillslopes. The dependence of water availability on both solar insolation and surface temperature highlights the importance of the diurnal cycle in controlling water availability, and it provides a general explanation for the fact that vegetation cover tends to exhibit the greatest difference between northeast‐ and southwest‐facing hillslopes in the Northern Hemisphere and between southeast‐ and northwest‐facing hillslopes in the Southern Hemisphere. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Wind as a cooling agent: substrate temperatures are responsible for variable lithobiont‐induced weathering patterns on west‐ and east‐facing limestone bedrock of the Negev

Cited by 20 publications

References 53 publications

Assessing the likelihood of the soil surface to condense vapour: The Negev experience

Assessing the likelihood of the soil surface to condense vapour: The Negev experience

Measurements and ecological implications of non‐rainfall water in desert ecosystems—A review

Asymmetry of weathering‐limited hillslopes: the importance of diurnal covariation in solar insolation and temperature

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