Soil desiccation is a prominent in artificial forestlands,grasslands and croplands on the Loess Plateau,seriously threatening the effects of revegetation and sustainable development of dryland farming.Based on observation of soil moisture in deep soil layers in 53 different kinds of forestlands,grasslands and croplands in semi-humid zone,semi-arid zone and semi-arid/arid zone of the Loess Plateau,soil moisture contents,soil water overuse rate,soil desiccation indexes and thickness of desiccated soil layers in these areas various forestlands,grasslands and croplands were calculated,analyzed and compared.Results show as follows:1)Mean soil moisture contents of forestlands,grasslands and croplands were in the range of 6.46%～12.57%,6.49%～11.52% and 9.32%～16.00%,respectively;with the highest in the semi-humid zone,and the lowest in the semi-arid/arid zone.The average soil water overuse rate of forestlands,grasslands and croplands was 521 mm,491 mm,and 30 mm,respectively,and the highest among the forestlands was in the semi-arid zone,and the highest among the grasslands in the semi-humid zone and semi-arid/arid zone,and the highest among the croplands in the semi-arid/arid zone.2)The average soil desiccation index of the forestlands,grasslands and croplands was 39%,42% and 96%,respectively,falling into the category of severely desiccated, severely desiccated and slightly desiccated,separately.The most severely desiccated forestland soils were in the semi-arid zone and semi-arid/arid zone,the most severely desiccated grassland soils in the semi-humid zone and semi-arid/arid zone,and the most severely desiccated cropland soils were in the semi-arid/arid zone.The average thickness of the desiccated soil layers in forestlands,grasslands and croplands was 881 cm,836 cm and 336 cm,respectively.The thickest desiccated soil layers of forestlands were in the semi-arid zone and semi-arid/arid zone,and of grasslands and croplands in the semi-arid/arid zone.