Climate　change　has　made　drought　one　of　the　most　pervasive　factors　that　significantly　affecting　the　stability　and　health　of　terrestrial　ecosystems.　Understanding　plant　resilience　to　drought　is　essential　for　assessing　how　ecosystems　respond　to　such　disturbances.　However,　research　into　the　long-term　interactions　between　plant　communities　and　their　surrounding　environment　has　remained　limited,　particularly　regarding　the　role　of　plant　biodiversity.　In　this　study,　conceptual　and　empirical　models　were　developed　to　investigate　the　relationship　between　plant　biodiversity　and　ecosystem　resilience　to　extreme　droughts.　Species　richness　data　were　obtained　from　high-resolution　biodiversity　maps　(∼1　km)　and　drought　conditions　were　quantified　using　the　Standardized　Precipitation-Evapotranspiration　Index　(SPEI)　at　a　spatial　resolution　of　0.05°　across　North　America　from　2017　to　2020.　Pixel-level　resilience　was　estimated　by　regressing　gross　primary　productivity　(GPP)　anomalies　against　lagged　fluctuations　in　GPP　and　drought　indices.　Results　showed　that　species　richness　positively　correlated　with　ecosystem　resilience　(γ₁　=　0.0003,　p　＜　0.01)　and　negatively　correlated　with　drought　response(γ₂　=　−0.0177,　p　＜　0.01).　These　findings　underscore　the　potential　of　biodiversity　in　stabilizing　ecosystems　and　mitigating　drought　impacts,　particularly　through　faster　recovery　from　GPP　anomalies　and　reduced　drought　sensitivity.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.