Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. In biology and ecology, desiccation refers to the drying out of a living organism, such as when aquatic animals are taken out of water, or when plants are exposed to sunlight or drought. Ecologists frequently study and assess various organisms’ susceptibility to desiccation. [Source]

In the incredibly detailed close up above, we see desiccation cracks in dried sludge. This is the hard, final remains from a sewage plant. The photo was taken at the sewage plant of Robinson Club Daidalos on Kos, Greece.