An emerging consensus acknowledges increasing precipitation variability as a hallmark of anthropogenic global change. How aridlands, which are characterized by episodic resource abundance and scarcity, will respond to future precipitation variability is of broad ecological interest. From seasonal drought to decadal oscillations, precipitation variability’s influence is reflected in the adaptations and life histories of aridland species, patterns of community composition in space and time, and the biogeochemistry of aridland ecosystems. Understanding the ecological consequences of an increasingly variable future climate is critical to managing the goods and services that aridlands provide. This Ignite session will gather ecologists to examine the consequences of precipitation variability on aridland ecology from a variety of perspectives and spanning a range of spatial and temporal scales. Topics we hope to explore in this session and its resulting discussion include identifying knowledge gaps in the role of biotic and abiotic legacies of precipitation variability, improving linkages between field- and model-based investigations, exploring the dynamic linkage between above- and belowground components of aridland ecosystems, and contrasting the ecological consequences of cool- and warm-season drought.