You place your hand upon the ground, upon which a wave of desiccation ripples through the earth, destroying plantlife, hardening soil until it cracks and splits apart, and drying even those that are in contact with the ground to lifeless husks. The desiccation effect from this spell is limited to the ground and objects touching the ground. Any creature that does not touch the ground or any other solid surface within the spell's range is not affected by the spell. Creatures standing on surfaces that cannot be eroded with this spell are likewise unaffected (see below).