Abstract
Against the backdrop of global climate change and increasing water scarcity, soil health issues in arid regions have become increasingly severe. As core driving forces of ecosystems, soil microorganisms and their functional characteristics and adaptive mechanisms have emerged as prominent research focuses. This paper systematically reviews the traits and molecular adaptation strategies of soil microorganisms under drought stress, based on multi-omics technologies, and highlights their pivotal roles in multi-element coupled cycling, plant–microbe interaction networks, and soil aggregate formation. In terms of assessment systems, the integration trend between traditional physicochemical indicators and emerging microbiological indices is analyzed, along with the potential applications of artificial intelligence and big data methods in soil health monitoring. Furthermore, the paper summarizes microbe-based health management and restoration strategies and proposes a sustainable utilization pathway for arid soils through a “biological–ecological–technological” synergy. This paper aims to provide a theoretical foundation and technical support for a deeper understanding of soil micro-ecosystems and agricultural ecological security in arid regions.
