Social Sciences in Marine Ecology Conservation

A special issue of Conservation (ISSN 2673-7159).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 527

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
Interests: marine ecology; biodiversity conservation; conservation in social sciences; environmental education

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Guest Editor
Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Sophia University, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan
Interests: urban ecology; biodiversity conservation; ecosystem service

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the impacts of human development, marine ecosystems face significant challenges and urgently require conservation actions that promote a positive and sustainable relationship between human activities and nature. Scientific research is essential for identifying the most effective conservation strategies; however, translating findings from natural sciences into tangible societal benefits can be challenging. In this context, the social sciences play a vital role in bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and societal implementation, helping to communicate, advocate for, and apply ecological insights in ways that resonate with communities and policymakers alike.

This Special Issue aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how social sciences can support and enhance marine ecology conservation efforts. We hope to showcase research that explores the role of social science in promoting marine conservation, fostering public engagement, and driving policy change. Accordingly, we invite submissions on all topics related to the intersection of social sciences and marine ecology conservation. Relevant themes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Marine ecology conservation;
  • Biodiversity conservation;
  • Marine policy;
  • Marine education;
  • Environmental education;
  • Human behavior change;
  • Marine protected area;
  • OECM;
  • Nature positive;
  • Big data analysis;
  • Wildlife trade.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chia-Hsuan Hsu
Dr. Jiefeng Kang
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 1000 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

  • marine ecology conservation
  • biodiversity conservation
  • conservation in social science
  • behavior change
  • education
  • marine policy

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 1779 KiB  
Article
Evaluating a Community-Based Citizen Science Project: Attitude as a Key Mediator of Behavior Intention Toward Biodiversity Conservation
by Chia-Hsuan Hsu, Jiefeng Kang, Liang-Yu Yeh, Lei Chai, Wei-Cheng Kao, Chang-Po Chen, Hwey-Lian Hsieh and Hsing-Juh Lin
Conservation 2025, 5(2), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation5020017 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 259
Abstract
Community-based citizen science plays a vital role in biodiversity conservation by engaging the public in scientific research while fostering environmental awareness. This study evaluates a citizen science project conducted in the Taoyuan Algal Reef (TAR) region of Taiwan, focusing on participants’ motivations, learning [...] Read more.
Community-based citizen science plays a vital role in biodiversity conservation by engaging the public in scientific research while fostering environmental awareness. This study evaluates a citizen science project conducted in the Taoyuan Algal Reef (TAR) region of Taiwan, focusing on participants’ motivations, learning outcomes, and their relationship with behavioral intentions toward biodiversity conservation. Despite a small sample size, our findings provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of such initiatives. Learning and self-achievement emerged as the primary motivators for participation, with social interaction playing a secondary role. Using the structural equation model (SEM), we confirmed that attitude serves as a critical mediator between knowledge, sense of place, and behavioral intention. This supports the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB) model, emphasizing that knowledge acquisition fosters attitudinal shifts that ultimately drive conservation behavior. Moreover, place-based learning was identified as a key component in strengthening participants’ sense of place and ecological awareness. Our findings suggest that aligning citizen science initiatives with participants’ motivations enhances engagement and long-term conservation efforts. Additionally, ongoing community monitoring not only contributes to scientific data collection but also empowers local communities in environmental decision-making. This study highlights the broader educational, social, and ecological benefits of community-based citizen science and underscores the need for systematic evaluations to optimize its impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sciences in Marine Ecology Conservation)
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