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Island Ecosystems as Natural Laboratories: Biodiversity, Threats, and Conservation Opportunities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues:

Island ecosystems are globally recognized as biodiversity hotspots and as “natural laboratories” where ecological and evolutionary processes can be observed with exceptional clarity. Their isolation has fostered high levels of speciation and endemism, while at the same time rendering island biota particularly vulnerable to extinction. In the Anthropocene, islands face disproportionate pressures from invasive species, climate change, land-use transformations, and intensified human–wildlife interactions. Yet, precisely because of their scale, distinctiveness, and tractability, islands provide unparalleled opportunities to test ecological theory, evaluate conservation practices, and develop innovative policy frameworks with global relevance.

This Special Issue seeks to advance the integration of cutting-edge research that leverages the unique attributes of islands to advance ecological understanding and inform conservation science. We invite contributions that span ecological, physiological, and socio-ecological perspectives, ranging from ecological and evolutionary processes, assess species and ecosystem responses to environmental change, and explore innovative conservation strategies.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  •  Ecological and Evolutionary Processes 
  •  Anthropogenic Pressures and Global Change 
  •  Innovative Approaches and Methodologies 
  •  Conservation Strategies and Socio-Ecological Systems 
  •  Scaling and Synthesis 

We look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. Yiannis G. G. Zevgolis
Dr. Christodoulos Sazeides
Dr. Giorgos Stavrianakis
Guest Editors

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Island ecosystems, island biogeography, colonization dynamics, speciation, extinction risk, community assembly, invasive species, land-use change, human–wildlife interactions, climate change impacts, ecological resilience, non-invasive monitoring, camera traps, passive acoustic monitoring, remote sensing, spatial ecology, species distribution models (SDMs), habitat suitability, restoration ecology, rewilding, ecosystem-based management, socio-ecological systems, agroecology, conservation policy
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