Javid Ahmad Dar Debojyoti Raha Subashree Kothandaraman Manzoor Hassan Malik Najeeb Ahmad Bhat Mohammed Latif Khan Terrestrial Ecology and Modelling Lab (TEaM Lab), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University, Andhra Pradesh, 522502, India Department of Botany, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, 470003, India Spatial Analysis and Modelling (SAM) Laboratory, Centre for Ocean, River, Atmosphere and Land Sciences (CORAL), Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India Govt Degree College Bandipora, J and K Higher Education Department, 193502, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India Proceedings of the International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences ISSN 2220-8860 http://www.iaees.org/publications/journals/piaees/online-version.asp 2023 13 3 111 125 International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Hong Kong 4 April 2023 10 May 2023 1 September 2023 soil CO2 efflux seasonal dynamics soil moisture tropical dry deciduous forests Central India Dynamics of soil CO2 efflux in tropical dry deciduous forests is imperative to know their contribution in regulating the regional and global carbon (C) cycles. In this study, three forest types: dry deciduous teak (DDTF), dry deciduous mixed (DDMF) and Boswellia (BF) forests were selected to measure the dynamics of soil CO2 efflux and its driving factors. Significantly (p less than 0.001) higher mean monthly CO2 efflux was recorded in DDMF (626.1 +- 9.1 mg CO2/m2/h) while it was lowest in BF (122.3 +- 5.0 mg CO2/m2/h) and DDTF (142.8 +- 6.9 mg CO2/m2/h) forest types, respectively. The CO2 efflux peaked during the rainy season (mean 551.1 +- 63.5 mg CO2/m2/h, DDMF) followed by summer (363.7 +- 68.6 mg CO2/m2/h, DDTF) and the lowest in winter (181.8 +- 36.3 mg CO2/m2/h, BF) season. Significantly (p less than 0.05) lower soil temperature (TS) and higher soil moisture (MS) content were observed in BF and DDMF forest types, respectively. The cumulative annual soil CO2 efflux was highest in DDMF (4625.2 mg CO2/m2/yr) and lowest in BF (3536.7 mg CO2/m2/yr). Soil CO2 efflux was significantly positively correlated with TS (R2 = 0.49), MS (R2 = 0.59). This study will provide an understanding of the dynamics of soil CO2 efflux among tropical dry deciduous forest types in the Central Indian landscape and identify the roles of different drivers in soil CO2 efflux. http://www.iaees.org/publications/journals/piaees/articles/2023-13(3)/dynamics-of-soil-CO2-efflux-in-dry-deciduous-forests.pdf