Comparative Impact of Fog and Rainfall on Vegetation in a Foggy Desert

Abstract

Fog is an important water source that alleviates vegetation water stress, especially for dryland ecosystems. Comprehensive knowledge of fog and rainfall effects can help us better understand dryland vegetation responses to current and future climates. However, the differences between fog and rainfall effects on vegetation are poorly understood. This study compared the effects of fog and rainfall on vegetation greenness changes based on the ground-level meteorological observations in the Namib Desert and the satellite vegetation index. The vegetation index and its first derivative were utilized to indicate vegetation greenness and its change rate, respectively. Results showed that fog played a more significant role than rainfall in explaining vegetation greenness change rates, while accumulated rainfall was more important than fog in determining vegetation greenness. Soil temperature was an important factor in explaining vegetation greenness changes. These findings offer key insights into how fog and rainfall differentially contribute to vegetation greenness changes.