Linking Plankton Diversity with Ecosystem Functioning and Services

Dear Colleagues,

Phytoplankton and zooplankton are the major players in aquatic ecosystems. They provide key ecosystem functioning and services. These include almost half of the global primary productivity, food sources for higher trophic levels, regulators of atmospheric CO₂ levels, and water quality indicators. Plankton are also taxonomically and functionally diverse. However, it is far from clear whether this high diversity plays a role in affecting ecosystem functioning and services. As past research on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning mostly focused on terrestrial ecosystems, we urgently need studies on the linkage between plankton diversity and ecosystem functioning and services in aquatic ecosystems. The study approaches may include but are not limited to theoretical modelling, laboratory and field experiments, as well as large-scale surveys. Both freshwater and marine studies are welcome. We particularly welcome studies that address multiple ecosystem functions or multiple trophic levels and those providing value of plankton diversity for societal benefits.

Dr. Bingzhang Chen
Prof. Jun Sun
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-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.