Projected climate change impacts upon dew yield in the Mediterranean basin

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Hydrology
• Climatology

Background:

• Increasing water scarcity necessitates exploring non-conventional water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid regions.
• Atmospheric moisture harvesting, specifically dew, is often overlooked but can be significant compared to rainfall during dry seasons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a dew atlas for the Mediterranean region, quantifying dew yields during the 2013 dry season.
• To assess the role of dew for native plants by comparing dew yields with evapotranspiration (PET and ET).
• To project future dew yields under climate change scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Development of a dew atlas using yield data from the 2013 dry season in the Mediterranean.
• Comparison of dew yields with potential evapotranspiration (PET) and actual evapotranspiration (ET).
• Utilizing forecasted temperature and relative humidity trends to estimate future dew yields.

Main Results:

• Cumulative monthly dew yields in the Mediterranean can surpass 2.8mm by the end of the dry season and 1.5mm during the driest months.
• In some areas, dew yield exceeded rainfall (<1mm) during the same dry periods.
• Projected climate change indicates a 27% decline in dew yield during critical summer months by 2080.

Conclusions:

• Dew harvesting is a viable supplementary water source in the Mediterranean, crucial for native flora.
• Future climate change poses a significant threat to dew yield, potentially exacerbating water scarcity in the region.