Mammalian Diversity and Life-History Responses to Climate Change
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 8
Special Issue Editors
Interests: oxidative stress; ecophysiology; climate change; hyperthermia; reproduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Climate change is reshaping ecological systems globally, with profound consequences for all living organisms, including mammals. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and the increasing frequency of extreme climatic events—particularly thermal extremes (heat- and cold-waves) and droughts—are disrupting both short-term processes, such as survival, and long-term outcomes like reproductive success. These disruptions cascade into broader ecological consequences by altering inter-species interactions, shifting geographic distributions, and threatening population viability. While many mammalian species face heightened extinction risks, others may benefit from novel opportunities, such as range expansion or access to previously unavailable resources. These contrasting outcomes underscore the complex and dynamic nature of climate-driven changes in biodiversity. This Special Issue aims to deepen our understanding of how climate change, especially thermal extremes, influences mammalian diversity through physiological, behavioural, life history, and evolutionary mechanisms. We welcome original research articles and reviews that explore life history traits, adaptive responses, and species vulnerabilities at both individual and population levels in response to thermal extremes and other climate-related stressors. Submissions that employ integrative approaches combining long-term data, experimental studies, and predictive modelling are particularly encouraged. We are particularly interested in studies that identify mechanisms of adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, and resilience, thereby contributing to more accurate biodiversity forecasts and informed conservation strategies under ongoing climate change.
Dr. Paul J. Jacobs
Dr. Daniel William Hart
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. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2100 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
- climate change
- thermal extremes
- life history traits
- physiological plasticity
- behavioural adaptation
- predictive modelling
- species resilience
- biodiversity forecasting
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