Introduction to desiccation biology: from old borders to new frontiers

A special issue reviews the recent progress made in our understanding of desiccation tolerance across various plant and animal kingdoms. It has been known for a long time that seeds can survive near absolute protoplasmic dehydration through air drying and complete germination upon rehydration because of their desiccation tolerance. This property is present both in prokaryotes and eukaryotes across all life kingdoms. These dry organisms suspend...