# When rain finally does come to drylands, only some microbes in the soil 'awaken'

- Source: Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories
- Published: 2026-11-11T20:20:01+00:00
- Category: Science
- Original: https://phys.org/news/2026-11-drylands-microbes-soil-awaken.html
- Canonical: https://groundlevelnews.com/story/when-rain-finally-does-come-to-drylands-only-some-microbes-in-the-soil-7438cf/

In arid regions, the microbes that power threatened dryland soil ecosystems called biological soil crusts stay dormant over long periods, only "awakening" when they sense moisture from infrequent rainfall. Now, a team led by researchers at Penn State—driven by projections that those biocrusts will decline by as much as 40% in the next 45 years—found that when a dryland soil does get wet, most of t

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