Functional and Taxonomic Plant Diversity: Applications for Ecological Monitoring and Management
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 15
Special Issue Editor
Interests: ecological modelling; ecosystem functioning; ecosystem services; invasive alien species; plant diversity; spatial ecology; statistics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plant communities play a fundamental role in ecosystem functioning, and their taxonomic and functional composition is increasingly recognized as a key element in the understanding of ecological processes. Species diversity captures the richness and structural complexity of biological communities, while functional diversity reflects how plant traits mediate ecological responses to environmental pressures and drive ecosystem processes. Both dimensions are critical for evaluating ecosystem stability, resilience, and adaptive capacity. This Special Issue focuses on the relationship between taxonomic and functional plant diversity, with particular emphasis on its implications for ecological monitoring, biodiversity assessment, and ecosystem management. Contributions that combine empirical research with applied perspectives are encouraged, alongside theoretical or methodological advances that inform conservation strategies and land use planning. Studies employing innovative approaches such as remote sensing, trait-based modelling, and multi-scale analysis are especially welcome.
Manuscripts may address research questions such as the following:
- How do species richness and functional diversity interact across ecological gradients?
- How do environmental conditions influence the strength and nature of their relationship?
- How do both dimensions of diversity evolve over time in response to disturbance and environmental change?
By integrating species composition with plant functional traits, this Special Issue aims to offer perspective on the structure and dynamics of plant communities and their role in maintaining ecosystem functioning in the face of global change.
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Bacaro
Guest Editor
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
- functional diversity
- ecosystem functioning
- plant diversity
- biodiversity monitoring
- conservation planning
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