Do trees drink fog?

[Fuzzman]

I was driving into work this morning and it was a bright sunny day though a lot of fog in front of me.
As I was stopped in traffic I noticed that every place there was a tree over hanging the footpath or road the surface was all wet. The rest of the road was bone dry so I was wondering do trees soak in moisture from the fog and that what was making the ground under the trees wet?
Anyone ever notice this before?

[AZOffaly]

Would it not be that the dew/mist on the open road evaporated in the sunlight quicker than the moisture under the shade...

[Fuzzman]

Not sure. I suppose that is possible but it actually looked like it had been raining under each tree that I passed. The footpath and run looked so dry like it hadn't rained for days.
I just never noticed it before.
Could it be fog drip?

[Owen Brannigan]

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2012/12/cloud-forest-trees-drink-fog

[AZOffaly]

I know Cacti 'drink' fog.

[StGallsGAA]

The farmers in the Atacama desert put up huge nets to catch the fog which then condenses into their only supply of water.  Trees' foliage would catch fog in the same way so on that basis your statement would be correct. 

[J70]

I'd agree. Probably condensation on trees and simple dripping of water down onto ground underneath branches. Roads might be warmer than leaves as well, so any direct condensate evaporates off more quickly.

This is speculative and not thought through completely, could be absolutely wrong!

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Jesus h. Its like bellamy v attenborough v prof brian cole in here

[Owen Brannigan]

Jesus h. Its like bellamy v attenborough v prof brian cole in here

Cox.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Knew i shouldve fuckin googled 

[Tony Baloney]

Jesus h. Its like bellamy v attenborough v prof brian cole in here

Cox.

Went to see him the other night. Hoor making an absolute fortune. 40 quid a ticket x ~5000 for operating a fancy PowerPoint.

[Owen Brannigan]

Jesus h. Its like bellamy v attenborough v prof brian cole in here

Cox.

Went to see him the other night. Hoor making an absolute fortune. 40 quid a ticket x ~5000 for operating a fancy PowerPoint.

Did you not think it was a great lecture on cosmology and discussion on the development of physics away from newton and beyond the thinking by Einstein?

[omaghjoe]

I'd agree. Probably condensation on trees and simple dripping of water down onto ground underneath branches. Roads might be warmer than leaves as well, so any direct condensate evaporates off more quickly.

This is speculative and not thought through completely, could be absolutely wrong!

Think your nearly spot on.
The trees are colder than the ground because they are more exposed to air and have a larger surface area, so they are colder.
The colder a surface is the faster water will collect on it from condensation from moisture in the air, hence the trees will collect more dew.
The large surface area of all the leaves twigs and branches means there is a much larger area on which dew will collect, it will be exponentially more than the area of ground it covers.
The leaves waxy texture also will not absorb the water but force it to run off. 
The ground is also exposed to direct sunlight which will evaporate the water more quickly where as the tree shields most of the lower layers.

[LeoMc]

Jesus h. Its like bellamy v attenborough v prof brian cole in here

Cox.

No need to insult them.

[Fuzzman]

Very good OmaghJoe. That would seem to explain it very well.
The trees' leaves looked very wet alright but the ground around the tree looked like a desert.
Also the trees are right beside the sea (Dublin bay) and the fog cloud looked about 1/2 mile away but it was very warm.