Results/Conclusions For plants, the mosaic of canopy patches associated with woody plants and the intercanopy locations that separate them represent two key components. The major pathways of water loss from dryland systems are related to evaporation and transpiration, which are competing processes. Similarly, soil erosion is driven by both wind and water, and even though these processes are usually treated separately, they are actually competing. Woody plants influence shading patterns, thereby affecting evaporation rates indirectly in addition to directly affecting transpiration. Similarly, woody and herbaceous plants are central drivers of rates of wind and water erosion. These examples highlight how focusing on paired, competing abiotic as well as biotic processes is needed to address ecohydrological challenges in drylands.