Conservation of Marine Ecology and Watershed Biodiversity

Dear Colleagues,

Marine and terrestrial ecosystems are inextricably linked through a complex and dynamic interplay of hydrological, geological, and biological processes. The health of our oceans is fundamentally dictated by the condition of their adjacent lands, with watersheds acting as critical conduits for water, nutrients, pollutants, and organic matter. In an era of unprecedented anthropogenic pressure—from climate change and pollution to habitat fragmentation and overexploitation—these vital connections are under severe threat; the degradation of watersheds through deforestation, urbanization, and agricultural runoff directly compromises coastal water quality, alters sediment transport, and damages sensitive marine habitats such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, and estuaries. Understanding these land–sea interactions is not merely an academic pursuit but a pressing necessity for developing holistic and effective conservation strategies that safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem services across the entire land–sea continuum.

In this Special Issue, we aim to collate high-quality research that explicitly investigates the ecological linkages between watersheds and marine environments. The goal is to advance our scientific understanding of these interconnected systems and to propose innovative integrated management and policy solutions. By focusing on the critical interface between terrestrial and marine realms, this Issue will contribute significantly to the field of conservation science, promoting an ecosystem-based management approach that transcends traditional jurisdictional and disciplinary boundaries.

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

• Land-Based Pollution and Marine Impacts;
• Sediment Dynamics and Coastal Ecosystems;
• Ecohydrology and Habitat Connectivity;
• Climate Change Interactions;
• Integrated Conservation Strategies;
• Biodiversity Assessments and Monitoring.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Cristian R. Altaba
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Conservation is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

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.

• land–sea interactions
• watershed management
• marine biodiversity
• coastal ecosystems
• non-point source pollution
• ecosystem-based management
• habitat connectivity
• conservation policy