The Impact of Ecocide on Diversity

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Diversity and Culture Collections".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 770

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, Australia
Interests: microbial ecology and diversity; microbial systematics; biodiscovery; microbial biotechnology applied; environmental and industrial microbiology; marine microbiology; biological control; actinomycetology; bacteriophages
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Diversity, which encompasses genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity, is the cornerstone of resilience and stability in natural systems. Ecocide poses a severe threat to the diversity of life on Earth and disrupts this diversity by causing widespread habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change.

Genetic diversity within species allows populations to adapt to changing conditions, ensuring their survival and evolution. However, ecocide reduces genetic variation by fragmenting populations and exposing them to increased risks of extinction. Similarly, species diversity, the variety of species within an ecosystem, is crucial for maintaining ecological balance. When ecocide leads to the loss of species, it disrupts the interactions and dependencies that sustain ecosystems.

Furthermore, ecosystem diversity, which refers to the variety of ecosystems within a region, is also compromised by ecocide. The loss of diverse ecosystems reduces the capacity of natural systems to recover from disturbances and adapt to change. This, in turn, impacts human well-being.

In this Special Issue, we will explore the intricate relationship between ecocide and diversity, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to mitigate the impacts of ecocide and preserve the diversity of life on Earth.

Dr. Ipek Kurtboke
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • ecocide
  • biodiversity
  • genetic diversity
  • species diversity
  • ecosystem diversity
  • environmental conservation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 11615 KiB  
Article
Determination of Dispersal Corridors Used by Large Mammals Between Close Habitats
by Göktuğ Uzun and Özkan Evcin
Diversity 2025, 17(3), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17030165 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 476
Abstract
In recent years, due to the expansion of cities, the transformation of agricultural areas, the forestry activities carried out solely for wood production, and the spread of transportation networks, natural habitats have become increasingly fragmented, and suitable habitats for wildlife are rapidly decreasing. [...] Read more.
In recent years, due to the expansion of cities, the transformation of agricultural areas, the forestry activities carried out solely for wood production, and the spread of transportation networks, natural habitats have become increasingly fragmented, and suitable habitats for wildlife are rapidly decreasing. As a result, natural areas are being divided, connections are being cut off, species’ living spaces are shrinking, and species and habitats are being isolated. This fragmentation significantly hinders the natural movements of large mammals (Ursus arctos, Sus scrofa, and Canis lupus), leading to reduced genetic diversity and threatening the long-term viability of their populations. This research, conducted in the Ballıdağ and Kurtgirmez regions of the Western Black Sea Region of Türkiye, aimed to determine the movement corridors of the brown bear (Ursus arctos), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and wolf (Canis lupus) in the area and to evaluate the habitat connections for these species. This study relied on data obtained through field studies and the previous literature. Ecological modeling was used with the Maximum Entropy Method (MaxEnt) to understand the relationships between these species and environmental variables, and the barriers posed by the latter. Ecological corridor maps were created to evaluate the effects of habitat fragmentation in the region and species’ potential to maintain critical connection points despite this fragmentation using Circuitscape software based on the Circuit Theory approach. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the AUC values were between 0.75 and 0.8; the most important variables in the models were road density, vegetation, and elevation; focal points and resistance surface areas were determined for three large mammal species; and important ecological corridors were defined between the Ballıdağ and Kurtgirmez regions. This study revealed that preserving habitat connections and reducing fragmentation is critical for the long-term existence of predator species and ecosystem health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Ecocide on Diversity)
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