Soil Desiccation in Agricultural Ecosystems

Soil desiccation, the progressive drying of soil beyond its natural equilibrium, has emerged as a pressing challenge in agricultural ecosystems worldwide. Driven by changing climate patterns, unsustainable land management practices, intensive irrigation, and rising global food demands, desiccation threatens soil health, crop productivity, and the long-term sustainability of farming systems. Unlike episodic drought, soil desiccation represents a complex interplay of physical, chemical, and biological processes that alter soil structure, reduce microbial activity, restrict nutrient cycling, and impair water availability. Its cascading impacts are felt not only in reduced agricultural output but also in declining ecosystem services, soil carbon loss, land degradation, and increased vulnerability of farming communities to climate extremes. Despite its significance, soil desiccation remains an underexplored phenomenon in the scientific and agricultural literature. Current resources typically address drought stress in plants or water scarcity in general terms, but few provide a dedicated and integrative focus on the soil system itself—its mechanisms of drying, consequences for agroecosystem functioning, and pathways for recovery and resilience. This gap in knowledge has created an urgent need for a consolidated reference that synthesizes emerging research, highlights case studies from different agro-climatic zones, and presents practical management solutions. The edited volume, “Soil Desiccation in Agricultural Ecosystems” , seeks to address this critical knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive and multidisciplinary perspective on soil desiccation. It brings together contributions from soil scientists, agronomists, hydrologists, ecologists, and policy experts to examine the physical and biological mechanisms driving soil desiccation, as well as its impacts on soil fertility, plant growth, and microbial communities. In addition, the book highlight advances in monitoring tools, modeling approaches, and early-warning systems that can help detect and predict desiccation. It also explores agronomic practices, soil amendments, and policy interventions designed to mitigate or even reverse desiccation, thereby offering practical pathways toward building more resilient agricultural landscapes. By addressing these questions, the book provides both theoretical insights and practical solutions. Chapters span themes such as the role of climate variability in soil drying, the influence of irrigation and cropping systems, soil–plant–microbe interactions under desiccation stress, desiccation-induced changes in nutrient and carbon dynamics, and innovative strategies for soil restoration and sustainable water use. This volume is envisioned as an essential reference for researchers, educators, and graduate students in soil science, agronomy, and environmental studies. It will also be a valuable guide for policymakers, extension workers, and practitioners seeking to design resilient agricultural systems in the face of growing water scarcity and climate uncertainty. By bridging science and practice, the book will contribute to developing strategies that sustain soil health and agricultural productivity while safeguarding global food and environmental security.