Interaction ecology and functional stability: a mechanistic framework for managing plant microbiomes in drylands

Drylands are critical ecosystems that support grazing and agriculture, but they are increasingly constrained by environmental stresses such as altered precipitation, warming, salinity/alkalinity, soil pH variability and desertification, which limit plant performance and ecosystem stability. In these conditions, sustaining development through severe, pulse-driven stress is more important for plant "success" than optimizing growth. In addition, soil pH acts as a chemical regulator that modulates microbial activity and resource availability under arid conditions. Through an ecological perspective, this study summarizes how plant-associated microbiomes, particularly bacteria and fungus found in the root and rhizosphere, improve plant performance under arid conditions. Under this filters, microbial communities with functional redundancy, robust interaction networks, and microhabitat-forming characteristics are preferred over single-strain inoculants, which frequently fail under desiccation, UV exposure, temperature extremes, and competition. Key microbial traits, including biofilm formation and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), contribute to plant resilience under dry conditions. The study further highlights landscape microbial infrastructures-biocrusts and fertility islands-as upstream drivers of microbial source pools and patch-scale resource maps. Finally, it outlines translational priorities for development of stress-adapted consortia and management plans aligned with dryland assembly rules and climate-driven variability.