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Diversity
Special Issues
Advances in Freshwater Diversity and Ecology
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Advances in Freshwater Diversity and Ecology

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Freshwater Biodiversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 903

Editors

Dr. Dubravka Špoljarić Maronić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Ulica Cara Hadrijana 8/A, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Interests: phytoplankton; phytoplankton ecology; algae culture; freshwater ecology; algal diversity; algology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Filip Stević

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Interests: aquatic ecology; phytoplankton taxonomy and ecology; phytoplankton functional groups; floodplain ecology; invasive species; water quality assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tanja Žuna Pfeiffer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Interests: aquatic and terrestrial ecology; oxidative stress; medicinal and edible plants; phytobenthos; grasslands
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anita Galir

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Interests: zooplankton; community dynamics; river–floodplain complex; anthropogenic pollutants; functional ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Freshwater ecosystems support a high proportion of global species richness, with biodiversity encompassing the variety of species, genetic lineages, and ecological interactions found in rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater systems. Their diversity is shaped by complex hydrological regimes, habitat heterogeneity, nutrient dynamics, and long evolutionary histories. However, freshwater systems are experiencing accelerated biodiversity loss. Major drivers include habitat fragmentation and alteration, water pollution, overextraction, invasive species, and climate change. Emerging challenges include the compounding effects of multiple stressors, increasing human demand for water resources, and the growing unpredictability of hydroclimatic patterns. These pressures disrupt ecological connectivity, modify thermal and hydrological regimes, and intensify biodiversity decline. This Special Issue of Diversity will present the latest research findings on all levels of freshwater ecosystem biodiversity: taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic. Strengthening long-term monitoring and incorporating socioecological frameworks will be essential to safeguard freshwater diversity under rapidly changing global conditions.

Dr. Dubravka Špoljarić Maronić
Dr. Filip Stevic
Dr. Tanja Žuna Pfeiffer
Dr. Anita Galir
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

  • species richness
  • ecological interactions
  • biodiversity loss
  • invasive species

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

30 pages, 3270 KB  
Article
Phytoplankton Composition and Functional Groups in Cascade Hydropower Reservoirs of the Drina River (Bosnia and Herzegovina): Trophic Status and Ecological Potential Assessment
by Maja Palangetić, Marija Gligora Udovič, Filip Stević, Tea Komljenović, Petar Žutinić, Dunja Jurina, Slavko Smiljanić, Ljubica Vasiljević, Tamara Laketić and Jasmina Kamberović
Diversity 2026, 18(5), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18050242 - 22 Apr 2026
Viewed by 519
Abstract
Cascade reservoirs on the Drina River (Bosnia and Herzegovina) are heavily modified water bodies that require reliable biological tools for assessing trophic status and ecological potential. Under the Water Framework Directive (WFD), assessments of surface water ecological status and potential rely on biological [...] Read more.
Cascade reservoirs on the Drina River (Bosnia and Herzegovina) are heavily modified water bodies that require reliable biological tools for assessing trophic status and ecological potential. Under the Water Framework Directive (WFD), assessments of surface water ecological status and potential rely on biological quality elements, since aquatic communities integrate and respond to prevailing environmental conditions and thus serve as reliable indicators of water quality. This study aims to (i) describe phytoplankton diversity, biomass, and functional-group composition along the Drina reservoir cascade, (ii) examine monthly changes across the studied reservoirs, (iii) determine trophic status and ecological potential, and (iv) provide a preliminary estimate of total phosphorus thresholds that may support future setting of ecological potential boundaries. Phytoplankton composition and functional groups were analysed in three longitudinally connected reservoirs of the Drina River during four monthly surveys in 2024. A total of 80 phytoplankton taxa were recorded, with diatoms dominating most of the study period. The highest biomasses were recorded for Fragilaria crotonensis, Dinobryon divergens, Acanthoceras zachariasii and Sphaerocystis sp., while the dominant functional groups were P, E, A, and F. Phytoplankton assemblage structure showed moderate spatial differentiation among the reservoirs. Mean chlorophyll a and Carlson’s Trophic State Index indicated eutrophic conditions in the Višegrad Reservoir and mesotrophic conditions in the Perućac and Zvornik reservoirs, while biomass showed a pronounced summer maximum, particularly in Perućac. Ecological potential was generally classified as good or better, except for a moderate classification in the Zvornik Reservoir in late summer. The good/moderate TP boundary was estimated at 39 µg L−1, linking EQR-based ecological assessment with the onset of eutrophic conditions. Overall, this study represents the first application of the phytoplankton functional group approach in cascade reservoirs in Bosnia and Herzegovina and may provide a valuable basis for the development of a phytoplankton-based monitoring framework in lakes and reservoirs, which is currently lacking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Freshwater Diversity and Ecology)
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