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Diversity
Special Issues
Plant Diversity Discovery and Resource Utilization
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Plant Diversity Discovery and Resource Utilization

A Special Issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818) belonging to the section "Plant Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 3196

Editors

Dr. Feifei Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
China National Botanical Garden (North Garden), Beijing, China
Interests: plant; ethnobotany
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Bacaro

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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,

Plants sustain human life, providing essential resources including food, medicine, materials, and ecosystem services. Recent studies have documented 35,687 utilized plant species globally, with medicinal plants alone comprising 23,842 species. Understanding plant diversity and utilization is crucial for sustainable resource management. Nevertheless, the utilization value of many plants remains unexplored, while traditional knowledge about plant utilization faces rapid erosion. The convergence of modern scientific techniques with traditional knowledge systems presents unprecedented opportunities for accelerating plant discovery and developing sustainable utilization strategies. 

This Special Issue focuses on cutting-edge research bridging plant diversity discovery with practical applications and sustainable resource utilization. Authors are encouraged to submit their manuscripts on the following topics:

  • Taxonomic discoveries and revisions for economic plants;
  • Ethnobotanical research;
  • Phytochemical investigations and bioactivity screening;
  • Wild genetic resources for crop improvement and breeding;
  • Sustainable harvesting and cultivation systems;
  • Plant genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge;
  • Climate change impacts on plant resource availability;
  • Economic valuation and market development of underutilized species;
  • Innovative applications in pharmaceuticals and functional foods;
  • Benefit-sharing mechanisms and intellectual property rights.

We particularly encourage interdisciplinary studies integrating traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches, demonstrating conservation through sustainable utilization.

Dr. Feifei Li
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Bacaro
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-anonymized 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

  • plant diversity
  • utilization
  • economic plants
  • phytochemical

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3607 KB  
Article
Taxonomic Diversity, Floristic Turnover, and Resource-Use Potential of Apiaceae in Central and Northern Kazakhstan
by Manar Takirova, Anar Myrzagaliyeva, Saule Mukhtubayeva and Aidyn Orazov
Diversity 2026, 18(8), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18080446 - 25 Jul 2026
Viewed by 305
Abstract
Central and northern Kazakhstan contain a substantial but incompletely synthesised component of the country’s Apiaceae flora. We combined targeted field surveys conducted in 2023–2025, taxonomic revision of 1243 herbarium specimens, and a presence–absence matrix for six historical floristic units. The taxonomic audit reconciled [...] Read more.
Central and northern Kazakhstan contain a substantial but incompletely synthesised component of the country’s Apiaceae flora. We combined targeted field surveys conducted in 2023–2025, taxonomic revision of 1243 herbarium specimens, and a presence–absence matrix for six historical floristic units. The taxonomic audit reconciled accepted names and synonyms, documented three entries without unit-confirmed incidence, and produced an analytical dataset of 79 taxa in 38 genera. Recorded richness ranged from 33 taxa in Kokshetau to 54 in the Western Uplands. Fourteen taxa occurred in all six units, and 21 were recorded in only one unit. Pairwise Jaccard similarity ranged from 0.333 to 0.683, and species replacement contributed 82% of the mean pairwise dissimilarity. The Western Uplands had the highest within-study range-rarity richness, whereas Ulytau had the largest local contribution to beta diversity. The broader 81-taxon ecological checklist was dominated by perennial herbs and xerophytes and documented medicinal, fodder, aromatic, food, melliferous, and ornamental uses. These metrics are conditional on the six-unit incidence matrix: they do not estimate local abundance, population size, national rarity, endemism, threat status, or harvest capacity. The principal contribution is therefore a voucher-informed, nomenclaturally harmonised regional baseline that identifies records and habitats requiring georeferenced verification and population-level follow-up. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Diversity Discovery and Resource Utilization)
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19 pages, 2261 KB  
Article
Applied Biodiversity Metrics; Concepts to Choose Them Well
by Marie-Ève Roy, Sylvain Delagrange and Yann Surget-Groba
Diversity 2026, 18(4), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18040222 - 10 Apr 2026
Viewed by 961
Abstract
The evaluation of biodiversity is an essential tool for conservation, management of natural resources, and assessment of ecosystem functioning. Choosing an appropriate and understandable diversity metric is critical to ultimately make better decisions and apply more sustainable resource management. However, biodiversity metrics are [...] Read more.
The evaluation of biodiversity is an essential tool for conservation, management of natural resources, and assessment of ecosystem functioning. Choosing an appropriate and understandable diversity metric is critical to ultimately make better decisions and apply more sustainable resource management. However, biodiversity metrics are numerous, and care must be taken when using them. So, should one consider all these metrics to obtain the right information? If not, how should one choose? This paper aims to demonstrate the importance of understanding and selecting the appropriate diversity metrics to reach accurate conclusions. We simulated theoretical plant communities for which calculations of different biodiversity metrics were carried out to understand why and how to use them. We explored Richness, Evenness and Disparity components of biodiversity using both scales of diversity partitioning (i.e., alpha and beta diversity). In doing so, a decision tree is proposed to select diversity metrics according to user objectives. We also suggest an add-in term if alpha metrics are calculated with subsamples to better reflect biodiversity. Finally, we recommend that when dealing with ecosystem functioning or conservation concerns, species-dependent metrics should be used, as they reflect Disparity. However, there is a critical need to increase knowledge and data availability on species traits or phylogeny to be able to better analyze Disparity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Diversity Discovery and Resource Utilization)
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Review

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21 pages, 30578 KB  
Review
Diverse Utilization of Bidens pilosa and Prospects for Sustainable Management
by Li-Li Zhong, Xing-Song Zhou, Bin-Sheng Luo, Ruo-Zhu Lin, Shi Shi and Fei-Fei Li
Diversity 2026, 18(6), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18060349 - 7 Jun 2026
Viewed by 1123
Abstract
Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae), a globally invasive weed native to the Americas, is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions and is listed as invasive alien species in many countries. Despite its ecological hazards, it possesses a long history of traditional use and [...] Read more.
Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae), a globally invasive weed native to the Americas, is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions and is listed as invasive alien species in many countries. Despite its ecological hazards, it possesses a long history of traditional use and substantial resource potential that remains incompletely synthesized. This review systematically compiles ethnobotanical records from 15 countries, documenting 60 traditional medicinal indications across 14 disease categories spanning Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. A structured cross-referencing analysis reveals that 26 (43.33%) of these traditional applications are supported by 17 verified pharmacological mechanisms, mediated by 19 classes of bioactive compounds, principally flavonoids, polyacetylenes, and phenolic acids. Among these, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities are the most consistently validated. Moreover, this review synthesizes four non-medicinal utilization pathways: dietary use, animal feed, environmental remediation, and industrial raw materials. The resource value of B. pilosa has been independently recognized in the native and introduced ranges alike. Building on this evidence, we propose a “control-through-utilization” framework. To mitigate potential risks in practical exploitation, three targeted strategies are put forward, including timely harvesting, on-site processing and heavy metal safety inspection. This review supports the sustainable management of B. pilosa and offers methodological references for resource exploitation and control of other invasive plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Diversity Discovery and Resource Utilization)
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