The wilting plants act as a miners' canary for the dry soil.
miners' canary
idiomAny thing, especially an organism, whose demise or distress provides an early warning of danger.
The sudden drop in local bee populations served as a miners' canary for the environmental health of the entire valley.
Economic analysts often view the decline in luxury spending as a miners' canary, signaling a broader and more severe recession on the horizon.
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canary fit
A highly emotional state of distress, anger, etc.
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canary in a coal mine
Something whose sensitivity to adverse conditions makes it a useful early indicator of such conditions; something which warns of the coming of a greater danger or trouble by a deterioration in its health or welfare.
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cat that ate the canary
A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous, prohibited, or private.