Integrating Biodiversity, Ecology, and Management in Shark Research
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Diversity".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editors
Interests: reproductive and fishery biology of cartilaginous fish (sharks, rays, and chimaeras); phylogenetics and phylogeography of fish; molecular taxonomy of marine fish; genomics and population genetics
Interests: shark and ray conservation; trophic ecology; population dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Sharks represent one of the most ecologically and evolutionarily distinctive vertebrate lineages, with a history spanning over 400 million years. Despite their evolutionary success, many species face unprecedented pressures from overexploitation, habitat degradation, and climate change. As apex and mesopredators, sharks play a critical role in maintaining the structure and function of marine ecosystems. However, our understanding of their biodiversity, ecological interactions, and responses to human activities is incomplete.
This Special Issue, “Integrating Biodiversity, Ecology, and Management in Shark Research”, aims to bring together cutting-edge contributions that advance our knowledge of shark diversity and biology while also addressing the urgent challenges of conservation and management. We welcome studies that integrate perspectives from taxonomy, systematics, genomics, and morphology, as well as those that focus on ecology, behaviour, fishery interactions, and ecosystem services. Applied research on conservation strategies, management frameworks, and policy implications are also strongly encouraged.
By highlighting interdisciplinary approaches and case studies from different regions of the world, this Special Issue seeks to foster a comprehensive understanding of sharks as both biological entities and conservation priorities. This will provide a platform for advancing science-based strategies to ensure the persistence of shark populations and the ecosystems they support in a rapidly changing ocean.
Prof. Dr. Carlos Bustamante
Prof. Dr. Carlos J. Polo-Silva
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- taxonomy and systematics
- fishery management
- reproductive biology
- trophic ecology
- movement ecology
- policy and governance
- conservation strategies
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