Dew on reindeer lichen

Four reindeer lichen (Cladinarangiferina (L.) Nyl) samples were placed near ground level in the open at a meteorological station where dew and other meteorological parameters were measured. One sample was covered occasionally from sunset to sunrise to prevent dew and to evaluate moisture gain due to wetting by atmospheric vapour alone. Mass measurements were done day and night following a set schedule. At the conclusion of the field program the samples were oven-dried and all weight measurements were converted to moisture contents. The results showed that a simple linear relationship adequately describes the overnight rise of lichen moisture caused by dew, and that atmospheric vapour alone, on nights without rain or condensation, can raise lichen moisture by 15%. Further, the results confirmed that nocturnal moisture gains by either dew or atmospheric vapour dissipate on subsequent clear mornings by noon. These findings suggest that at locations where humidity is measured at night and dew may be assessed visually in the morning, one can estimate both the 06:00 maximum moisture content of the lichen and, on subsequent clear mornings, the hourly rate of its drying.