Studies on the formation of a Dried Soil Layer (DSL) and its effect on eco-environment are important issues of soil science as well as ecology. It is also critical for the construction of ecological civilization and the sustainable development in the Loess Plateau of China. In view of the serious shortage of water resource and to the potential degradation of restored vegetation,this paper proposed the challenge and opportunity of the research on DSL and made some recommendations for future studies on DSL. The development of dynamic indices for characterizing DSL,the availability of soil moisture in DSL to vegetation,the impact of the intensity of DSL on water transport processes in Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere-Transfer system (SVATs), the formatting processes of DSL and its spatiotemporal patterns,and the modeling of DSL were reviewed. Based on the literature of related studies,researches on DSL were commented in this paper. They included its concept and dynamic characteristics,its quantified indices,its formation,its damages on eco-environment,its distribution on various scales and controlling factors. In addition,researches on DSL should be targeted on the goal of the national vegetation restoration and the construction of ecological civilization. With the climate change and intensive human activities,carrying out the research on the effects of soil desiccation on soil water resource and its regulation is of importance to water sciences and water resource in the region.