Flash Drought Impacts on Ecosystems: Insights on Resistance and Resilience

Flash droughts are characterized by their rapid onset and the potential to severely impact on ecosystems. Despite some existing research on the ecological impacts of flash droughts, particularly in regions like the USA and China, a comprehensive understanding of their impact on the ecosystems of Europe is lacking. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring ecosystem resistance and resilience to flash droughts in Central Europe from 2000 to 2020. We utilize diverse observational data, including indicators such as gross primary production (GPP) and soil moisture. Our findings indicate that shallow-rooted ecosystems, such as grasslands and agricultural crops, exhibit low resistance and limited resilience to flash droughts, while woody ecosystems like forests demonstrate higher resistance. However, all ecosystems, including forests, remain vulnerable to extended or recurrent flash drought events. These results underscore the urgency of implementing essential drought mitigation measures to ensure the sustainability of ecosystems.