Hydrological Dynamics and Drought Adaptation in Indian Forests: Comparative Study of Drought Resilient and Drought Resistant Traits in Moist and Dry Deciduous Forests

Understanding adaptive responses to drought is essential as climate variability rises. This study examines the resilience and resistance of two Indian forest types: The Moist Dry Forest (MDF) in Rajaji National Park and the Dry Deciduous Forest (DDF) in Achanakmar Biosphere Reserve. Using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), we analysed ecological metrics like Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), Evapotranspiration (ET), and Water Use Efficiency (WUE) from MODIS data. Our findings show MDF faced a prolonged drought (20012007) with SPI values from -1.29 to -2.35, while DDF experienced shorter, more frequent droughts. MDF maintained higher GPP, ET, and WUE than DDF, with a 34.96% WUE increase from drought to non-drought conditions, reflecting deep moisture access. DDF, with lower GPP and ET, showed a 69.12% WUE increase during drought, highlighting strong drought resistance. MDF is drought-resilient, enduring prolonged droughts and recovering quickly, while DDF demonstrates drought resistance, sustaining itself efficiently in arid conditions. These insights advance forest management strategies under climate change pressures.