25 publications from this institution
Abstract Rapid onset drying events are emerging as a critical driver of ecological vulnerability across India's diverse landscapes. This study investigated the relationship between these accelerated drying phenomena of flash droughts (FDs) and forest fire occurrence across 43 Indian ecoregions from 1979 to 2023, revealing patterns of escalating forest fire risk. We employed a four-criteria methodology based on the Evaporative Stress Ratio (ESR) to identify and characterize FD events. The criteria included temporal duration (minimum 30 days), severity (SESR ≤ 20th percentile), intensification rate (ΔSESR ≤ 40th percentile), and mean intensification (ΔSESRz ≤ 25th percentile). Our analysis uncovered significant regional variations in event frequency, with mountainous regions showing vulnerability - the Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe experienced 31 rapid drying events, while the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests recorded only 10 events. The temporal analysis revealed clear seasonal patterns, with June being the primary onset month in 17.8% of ecoregions, followed by January and October, each dominating 14% of regions. Critically, 79.1% of ecoregions showed increasing forest fire trends from 2001 to 2023, with the Orissa semi-evergreen forests displaying significant vulnerability. High-altitude and semi-arid regions showed statistically significant positive correlations between rapid drying frequency and fire incidents (r = 0.68, p = 0.002 in Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe; r = 0.59, p = 0.004 in Thar desert), suggesting that accelerated moisture depletion creates conditions conducive to fire outbreaks in these vulnerable ecosystems. Most ecoregions experienced these drying events for 1-2% of the study period, indicating that even brief episodes of rapid desiccation can trigger lasting ecological impacts. These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated drought-fire management strategies that account for the unique challenges posed by rapid onset drying events in different ecological contexts.
Climate change is causing glaciers in the Himalayas to recede and shrink. The changing climate is the primary trigger of the expansion of glacial lakes tha
A flash drought (FD) event is a relatively new form of severe occurrence, described by the quick onset and intensification of drought situations with serious consequences. This paper aims to understand the wide variety of studies and serve as a basis for future research potentials of FDs. An effort has been made to understand the advantages and limitations of the existing indices used for FD identification. A study in India was carried out for the identification of FDs using daily gridded data of soil moisture for eight days (octad). The results reveal that the Indus basin faced around 82% and the Cauvery basin faced about 88% of severe FDs during the monsoon and non-monsoon seasons, respectively. Additionally, the results show that the Indus basin faces FD in the monsoon season since the basin has mostly barren areas and wasteland. This review also highlights the role of humidity, wind and radiation, soil characteristics, climate oscillations, and the relation between FDs and heavy-rainfall-induced flash floods. Furthermore, the paper has depicted some specific research-needs to monitor, forecast, plan, and respond with crucial points.
