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Conservation
Special Issues
Plant Species Diversity and Conservation
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Plant Species Diversity and Conservation

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2026) | Viewed by 17937

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Claudia D. Nicolae

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Taxonomy, Ecology and Nature Protection Department, Institute of Biology Bucharest, Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: biodiversity; conservation biology; species diversity; plant ecology; plant sociology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maria Mihaela Antofie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Agricultural Science, Food Industry and Environmental Protection, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
Interests: biodiversity conservation; agro-biodiversity; plant genetic resources; access for benefit sharing; genetics; biochemistry; plant biotechnology; capacity building for climate change; desertification and biosafety
Dr. Oliviu Grigore Pop

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Foundation Conservation Carpathia, 500450 Brașov, Romania
Interests: biodiversity; conservation biology; protected areas; protected area management; biodiversity monitoring; diversity; plant sociology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Estimates suggest around 500,000 land plant species, exceeding the diversity of birds and mammals, and rivaled only by fungi and beetles. The diversity of plant species is an elemental component of ecosystems worldwide, playing a fundamental role in maintaining ecological balance and sustaining life on Earth. Plant species diversity refers to the variety and abundance of plant species in a given area and is essential for the stability of ecosystems: diverse plant communities are more resilient to environmental changes such as extreme weather events, diseases and invasive species. They provide essential ecosystem services such as soil stabilization, water purification and carbon sequestration. However, in recent decades, habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species and climate change have led to a significant loss of plant diversity. Despite its importance, plant species diversity is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, climate change and invasive species.

In this context, the conservation of plant species diversity requires coordinated efforts at local, national and global levels, such as habitat protection and restoration, sustainable land-use management and invasive species management.

We invite manuscripts aimed at highlighting the importance of plant species diversity in maintaining ecological balance and sustaining life on Earth. In addition, contributions may highlight threats to plant diversity such as deforestation, habitat destruction, pollution and climate change. They may further advocate the conservation of plant species diversity through coordinated efforts at different levels, including habitat protection and restoration, sustainable land use and invasive species management.

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

  • Plant species diversity;
  • Threats to plant diversity;
  • Conservation of plant species diversity.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Claudia D. Nicolae
Dr. Maria Mihaela Antofie
Dr. Oliviu Grigore Pop
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 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.

Keywords

  • plant species
  • plant diversity
  • plant ecology
  • plant conservation
  • habitat restoration
  • invasive species

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4157 KB  
Article
Morphological Stability and Physiological Performance of Leontopodium alpinum Cass. Under Ex Situ Conditions
by Magdalena Negru, Alina Constantina Florea and Monica Angela Neblea
Conservation 2026, 6(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation6010033 - 6 Mar 2026
Viewed by 410
Abstract
Leontopodium alpinum is a globally protected species and a valuable resource for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. This study aimed to evaluate the propagation of edelweiss through ex situ culture, analyzing its morphological and physiological performance under controlled conditions. The morphological and physiological [...] Read more.
Leontopodium alpinum is a globally protected species and a valuable resource for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. This study aimed to evaluate the propagation of edelweiss through ex situ culture, analyzing its morphological and physiological performance under controlled conditions. The morphological and physiological evaluation was carried out by conducting a single-factor experimental design in a controlled environment. A statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc test (α = 0.05) and Pearson Correlation was performed. There were significant differences between three repetitions of the same cultivar for total leaf number, leaf size category distribution and inflorescence diameter. The correlations between morphological indicators revealed a strong positive correlation between plant width, plant volume, number of inflorescences per stem, and collar diameter on the one hand and between length of the floral stem and number/length of roots on the other. The physiological indicators (estimated transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate, photosynthetic pigments) suggested a conservative functional and photosynthetic pigment profile. The species’ ability to maintain structural and physiological integrity under controlled conditions reinforces the value of ex situ cultivation as a complementary conservation tool for endangered species and provides a solid basis for valorization programs in commercial crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Species Diversity and Conservation)
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34 pages, 1898 KB  
Article
New Reports of Orchidaceae Family in Southern Calabria (Italy): Distribution and Conservation
by Valentina Lucia Astrid Laface and Luigi Torino
Conservation 2025, 5(4), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation5040085 - 16 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1736
Abstract
The Orchidaceae family in Calabria has been scarcely investigated during the 21st century, and available knowledge remains fragmentary, particularly for the rarer taxa. The last comprehensive study dates back to 2002, whereas subsequent checklists, limited to restricted areas of the region, provide incomplete [...] Read more.
The Orchidaceae family in Calabria has been scarcely investigated during the 21st century, and available knowledge remains fragmentary, particularly for the rarer taxa. The last comprehensive study dates back to 2002, whereas subsequent checklists, limited to restricted areas of the region, provide incomplete or taxonomically uncertain data. Considering that the family is protected at global (CITES, Bern Convention, IUCN) and national (Italian Red List) levels, broader and more systematic attention is required. In this work, focused on the southern sector of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria, with special reference to the mountain and foothill areas of the Aspromonte massif and in the adjacent districts, we describe four new hybrids for science, each assessed as Critically Endangered (CR), and report four previously unrecorded taxa for the region, evaluated as VU/CR. In addition, two hybrids, newly recorded for the Calabrian flora, were likewise assigned a CR conservation status. The study also provides confirmation of historical records of Ophrys speculum and identifies the southernmost stations in continental Italy for both O. speculum and Orchis branciforti Standardized floral and labellar morphometric traits were measured on representative individuals from each population, including the parental species in the case of hybrids. Conservation status was evaluated following IUCN criteria and GeoCAT-derived AOO values, complemented by field observations on population size, habitat conditions, and site-specific threats. Hybrid names comply with ICN provisions. These findings enhance understanding of orchid biodiversity in Southern Italy and provide new insights for regional conservation efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Species Diversity and Conservation)
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22 pages, 2242 KB  
Article
Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change on the Potential Distributions of Melliferous Plant Species on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico: Implications for Conservation Planning
by José Luis Aragón-Gastélum, Jorge E. Ramírez-Albores, Marlín Pérez-Suárez, Jorge Albino Vargas-Contreras, Francisco Javier Aguirre-Crespo, F. Ofelia Plascencia-Escalante, Annery Serrano-Rodríguez and Alexis Herminio Plasencia-Vázquez
Conservation 2025, 5(3), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation5030044 - 20 Aug 2025
Viewed by 2853
Abstract
Climate change is altering environmental conditions, which can, in turn, change the geographic distribution and flowering patterns of plant species, affecting both the plants themselves and their pollinators. The responses of melliferous plant species to climate change in southeastern Mexico are poorly understood, [...] Read more.
Climate change is altering environmental conditions, which can, in turn, change the geographic distribution and flowering patterns of plant species, affecting both the plants themselves and their pollinators. The responses of melliferous plant species to climate change in southeastern Mexico are poorly understood, which hinders an accurate assessment of their vulnerability and the resulting ecological impacts. As understanding the mechanisms that influence the distribution and susceptibility of these species is essential, the present study examined how climate change affects their potential distribution areas and spatial distribution patterns. This information will serve as reference data for the implementation of conservation strategies and inform the selection of species for reforestation. Ecological niche models were used to estimate the potential distributions of 92 melliferous species under both current environmental conditions and two climate change scenarios projected for the 2041–2060 period (SSP245 and SSP585). Changes in distribution patterns were then assessed by evaluating the range size of each species and analyzing the spatio–temporal trends in species richness. The results revealed that suitable habitats shifted for approximately 80% of melliferous species, with more significant habitat loss observed under the SSP585 scenario than under SSP245. Although a significant decrease in melliferous plant species richness was expected in future scenarios, richness was slightly higher (by 10% for SSP245 and 5% for SSP585) than that observed under current environmental conditions. Under SSP245 conditions, species richness areas expanded to encompass almost the entire region, although this contrasted drastically with the SSP585 scenario, where areas with the highest concentration of species richness contracted significantly and areas with low species richness expanded. These projections are of potential use for conservationists and environmental management authorities, providing crucial insights into the future distributions of several melliferous plant species in the region, the potential impacts of climate change on their habitats, and the vulnerability of threatened species to changing climatic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Species Diversity and Conservation)
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34 pages, 13387 KB  
Article
Forest Loss Drivers and Landscape Pressures in a Northern Moroccan Protected Areas’ Network: Introducing a Novel Approach for Conservation Effectiveness Assessment
by Hamid Boubekraoui, Zineb Attar, Yazid Maouni, Abdelilah Ghallab, Rabah Saidi and Abdelfettah Maouni
Conservation 2024, 4(3), 452-485; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4030029 - 19 Aug 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 8400
Abstract
This study assesses the conservation effectiveness of 21 protected areas (PAs) in Northern Morocco, comprising 3 parks and 18 Sites of Ecological and Biological Interest (SBEIs), against five major landscape pressures (LSPs): deforestation, infrastructure extension, agricultural expansion, fires, and population growth. We propose [...] Read more.
This study assesses the conservation effectiveness of 21 protected areas (PAs) in Northern Morocco, comprising 3 parks and 18 Sites of Ecological and Biological Interest (SBEIs), against five major landscape pressures (LSPs): deforestation, infrastructure extension, agricultural expansion, fires, and population growth. We propose a novel quantitative methodology using global remote sensing data and exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA). Data were sourced from Global Forest Change (GFC), Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD), Burned Area Product (MODIS Fire_CCI51), and World Population datasets. The combined impact of the five LSPs was measured using a cumulative effect index (CEI), calculated with the Shannon–Wiener formula at a 1 km2 scale. The CEI was analyzed alongside the distance to the PAs’ network using Moran’s index, identifying four spatial association types: high–high (HH), high–low (HL), low–low (LL), low–high (LH), and non-significant (NS) cells. This analysis defined four zones: inner zone (IZ), potential spillover effect zone (PSEZ), statistically non-significant zone (SNSZ), and non-potential effect zone (NPEZ). Conservation effectiveness was quantified using the conservation ratio (CR), which compared the prevalence of LL versus HL units within IZs and PSEZs. Four disturbance levels (very high, high, medium, and low) were assigned to CR values (0–25%, 25–50%, 50–75%, 75–100%), resulting in sixteen potential conservation effectiveness typologies. Initial findings indicated similar deforestation patterns between protected and unprotected zones, with wildfires causing over half of forest losses within PAs. Conservation effectiveness results categorized the 21 PAs into nine typologies, from high conservation to very high disturbance levels. A significant positive correlation (71%) between CRs in both zones underscored the uniform impact of LSPs, regardless of protection status. However, protected natural area zones in the parks category showed minimal disruption, attributed to their advanced protection status. Finally, we developed a methodological framework for potential application in other regions based on this case study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Species Diversity and Conservation)
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Review

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51 pages, 1934 KB  
Review
Tissue Culture for Conservation of Coastal Plant Species in the Baltic Sea Region: A Review of Protocols, Opportunities, and Challenges
by Lidia Banaszczyk, Līva Purmale-Trasūne and Gederts Ievinsh
Conservation 2025, 5(4), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation5040080 - 3 Dec 2025
Viewed by 2258
Abstract
Ex situ collections of rare and endangered plant species are crucial components of integrated conservation systems, as outlined in the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Plant tissue culture collections play an essential role in achieving conservation objectives, as they offer a means of [...] Read more.
Ex situ collections of rare and endangered plant species are crucial components of integrated conservation systems, as outlined in the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Plant tissue culture collections play an essential role in achieving conservation objectives, as they offer a means of propagating plant material for habitat restoration and other practical applications. This study analyzes existing tissue culture protocols for coastal plant species of the Baltic Sea region, reviewing micropropagation research spanning 25 families and 112 highly coastal-specific species. The analysis of 232 experimental studies showed that tissue culture studies have been conducted with 38 coastal-specific species of the Baltic Sea region, which is only 34% of the initially identified target species. Special attention in the field of tissue culture technology development should be paid to several highly coastal-specific species with great potential for practical use, such as Blysmus rufus, Bolboschoenus maritimus, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Halimione spp., Cochlearia spp., Euphrasia spp., and Odontites spp. Comprehensive research on tissue cultures of coastal plant species is imperative to establish micropropagation protocols for underrepresented taxonomic groups. The research should prioritize functional studies with ecological relevance and the development of practical biotechnological approaches for commercial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Species Diversity and Conservation)
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