Dew formation is an essential component of the water balance in dry ecosystems, but measuring dew is challenging due, in part, to its dependency on the surface on which it forms. We detail the use of a modified Hiltner dew balance to illustrate how more accurate measurements of dewfall may be obtained. Using a modified Hiltner dew balance, we measured dewfall in the Negev Desert continuously for 3 years (2013–2015). Data analyses examined the relationship between dew formation, rain events and other environmental parameters in order to re-evaluate the importance of dew in the water budget. In line with previous research, our findings demonstrate that dewfall is a substantial and stable input of water in the Negev desert, providing inputs in the dry summer and the wet winter. Our results show that while dewfall was larger and more prevalent in proximity to rain events, a notable portion of dewfall took place on days distant from any rain event. The Hiltner dew balance modifications proved to be reliable and increased the efficacy of measuring the quantity and timing of dew formation. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating dewfall data into decision-making models for dryland ecosystems and agriculture, as well as into climate models.

中文翻译：

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修正 Hiltner 露水平衡以重新估计作为内盖夫沙漠可靠水源的露水积聚

露水的形成是干旱生态系统中水平衡的重要组成部分，但测量露水具有挑战性，部分原因是它依赖于它形成的表面。我们详细介绍了改进的 Hiltner 露水天平的使用，以说明如何获得更准确的露水测量值。使用改进的 Hiltner 露水平衡，我们连续 3 年（2013-2015 年）测量了内盖夫沙漠的露水量。数据分析检查了露水形成、降雨事件和其他环境参数之间的关系，以重新评估露水在水预算中的重要性。与之前的研究一致，我们的研究结果表明，露水是内盖夫沙漠中大量且稳定的水输入，在干燥的夏季和潮湿的冬季提供输入。我们的结果表明，虽然在降雨事件附近的露水量更大、更普遍，但显着的一部分露水发生在远离任何降雨事件的日子里。Hiltner 露平衡改进被证明是可靠的，并提高了测量露水形成的数量和时间的效率。这项研究证明了将露水数据整合到旱地生态系统和农业决策模型以及气候模型中的重要性。