Compare the water loss rates from a lizard here in the desertduring a typical early summer day and night. Assume that theaperture of the pores and any other openings (that allow watervapor loss) on the lizard’s surface are similar day and night. Alsoassume that the air vapor pressure is similar day and night (areasonable assumption unless a storm system happens to comethrough). The temperature during the day is many degrees higherthan at night. Assume the lizard's surface temperature is the sameas its surrounding air temperature. The rate of water loss from thelizard would be much lower at night because the VPD is lower atnight. Why is the VPD lower at night?

a. lower nighttime air temperature would mean lower air vaporpressures, which would lower the lizard-to-air VPD

b. lower nighttime lizard surface temperatures mean lowersaturation vapor pressure, which means a lower lizard-to-airVPD

c. the relative humidity would be higher at night than duringthe day

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Answer and step by step explanatio n The correct answer is a lower nighttime air temperature would m... View the full answer