Special Issues

Diversity publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Helminth Parasites of Wild Vertebrates submission deadline 20 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 254 | Submission Open
Keywords: systematics; helminth; wild vertebrate hosts; ecology; conservation; evolutionary relationships
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Feature Papers in Phylogeny and Evolution (2026–2027)
edited by and Stenio Italo Araujo Foerster
submission deadline 22 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 355 | Submission Open
Keywords: phylogeny; evolution; biodiversity; comparative approaches; integrative studies
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Freshwater Fish Diversity, Conservation and Ecology
edited by and
submission deadline 24 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 226 | Submission Open
Keywords: fish ecology; conservation biology; population genetics; biodiversity; invasive species; environmental change
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
The Ecological, Evolutionary and Biogeographical Histories That Genetic and Phylogenetic Studies of Cacti Reveal
edited by and Sandra Luz Gomez-Acevedo
submission deadline 30 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3040 | Submission Open
Keywords: cactus; arid ecosystems; phylogenomics; comparative genomics; plant–insect interactions; ecology of cactus; conservation of cactus; gene expression; cactus flowers; chromosomal evolution
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Diversity)
Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants and Biodiversity Conservation: 2nd Edition submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 12 articles | Viewed by 48251 | Submission Open
Keywords: ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology; pharmacological tests based on traditional knowledge phytochemistry; resources and conservation of medicinal plants; sustainable use of medicinal plants; cultivation and biotechnology; ethnobotany and biopesticides
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Diversity)
Recent Advances in the Impacts of Biological Invasions on European Biodiversity submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 13 articles | Viewed by 37963 | Submission Open
Keywords:  alien species;  native biodiversity;  impacts;  ecosystem services;  management;  risk assessment;  habitat restoration;  citizen science;  environmental DNA;  rewilding;  ecosystem vulnerability;  invasiveness;  vectors of introduction;  toxic chemicals
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Applications of Environmental DNA in Biomonitoring Across Multiple Trophic Levels
edited by , Dang'En Gu, Yangchun Gao and
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 8531 | Submission Open
Keywords: environmental DNA (eDNA); biomonitoring; multitrophic interactions; biodiversity assessment; conservation strategies
Microbial Diversity in Different Environments
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 6421 | Submission Open
Keywords: MIcrobial; forest; soil; wetland; diversity
Undersea Refuges: Functional Ecology and Biodiversity of Coral Reef Ecosystems submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 5597 | Submission Open
Keywords: coral; biodiversity; ecology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
Reptilian Response to Major Environmental Transitions: From Deep Time to the Anthropocene submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 4949 | Submission Open
Keywords: reptile evolution; environmental transitions; mass extinction; Anthropocene; conservation paleobiology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspots: Patterns, Trends, and Conservation Challenges submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3814 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine mediterranean biodiversity; conservation and restoration; marine protected areas (MPAs); endemic species; anthropogenic impacts
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
Population Genetics of Animals and Plants—2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3749 | Submission Open
Keywords: genetic variability; genetic structure; conservation; fragmentation; hybridization; phylogeography; migration; population demography; invasive species; exploited populations
Invasive Species in Freshwater Ecosystems in the Americas
edited by and S.S.S. Sarma
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3649 | Submission Open
Keywords: freshwater invasive species; aquatic biodiversity in the Americas; invasion ecology; biosecurity management; socio-ecological impacts
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Harmful Algal Blooms: Distribution and Diversity
edited by Lixia Shang
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2949 | Submission Open
Keywords: harmful algal blooms (HABs); spatial distribution; omics; algal diversity
Diversity and Morphology of Beetles: Advances, Challenges and Perspectives submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2733 | Submission Open
Keywords: Coleopterans; Adephaga; Polyphaga; epigean and endogean fauna; troglobites; biodiversity; morphology; endemism
Marine Species Chemical Ecology
edited by , and Viviana Pasquini
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1881 | Submission Open
Keywords: ecological aspects; habitat selection; aquaculture; olfaction; taste; food choice; invasive alien species; population control strategies; mesocosm experiments
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
How Microbiomes Sustain Ecosystem Function and Health
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 918 | Submission Open
Keywords: microbial metabolism; microbial ecosystems; functional diversity of microorganisms; ecosystem functions; symbiosis; climate change; bioindicator microorganisms; microbial adaptation; microbiomes
(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbial Diversity and Culture Collections)
Innovating and Integrating Conservation Tools to Address the Global Extinction Crisis and Prevent Ecosystem Collapse
edited by Dave Waldien, , Monika Böhm and Andrew Snyder
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 650 | Submission Open
Keywords: global extinction; biodiversity; ecosystems; IUCN
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Coral Reef Ecology and Diversity Conservation submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 478 | Submission Open
Keywords: coral reefs; mesophotic coral ecosystems; climate change; policy and management; cryptic biodiversity; unique habitats; taxonomic impediments; ecosystem services; natural infrastructure
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Evolution, Development, and Diversification of Vertebrates, Part 2: Patterning and Mechanisms of Morphogenesis
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 421 | Submission Open
Keywords: vertebrates; morphological disparity; EvoDevo; phylogeny; patterning; neural crest; differentiation; embryo; placodes; skeleton; sensory systems; organogenesis; integration
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Emerging Contaminants as Vectors of Global Change: Ecotoxicology, Bioaccumulation and Risk
edited by Damià Barceló and
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 338 | Submission Open
Keywords: bioaccumulation; ecotoxicology; emerging contaminants; environmental risk assessment; global change drivers; mixture toxicity; trophic transfer
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Restoration Ecology and Function of Plants in Wetlands
edited by , Bo Guan, Fangli Luo, and
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 317 | Submission Open
Keywords: restoration ecology; genetic and phylogenetic variation; functional traits and physiology; plant–soil–microbe interactions; biogeochemical cycle
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Diversity)
Systematics, Phylogenetics and Phylogeography of Animals in the Mediterranean Region—2nd Edition
edited by Nikos Poulakakis
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 305 | Submission Open
Keywords: biodiversity; biogeography; ecology; Mediterranean; phylogenetics; phylogenomics; phylogeography; speciation; systematics; conservation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
DNA Metabarcoding for Marine Invertebrate Surveillance submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 278 | Submission Open
Keywords: DNA metabarcoding; marine Invertebrate; biomonitoring; marine ecosystems
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
Fish Diversity and Biogeography in Freshwater Ecosystem
edited by Tomas Chalde and Juan Pablo Barriga
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 248 | Submission Open
Keywords: fish; freshwater ecosystems; biogeography; diversity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Glacial, Paraglacial and Periglacial Environments as Refugia for High Elevation Organisms Under Climate Warming
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 225 | Submission Open
Keywords: climate change; alpine organisms; refugia; colonization dynamics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biogeography and Macroecology)
Applications and Challenges of Evolutionary Methods in Vertebrate Phylogenetics and Genomics
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 212 | Submission Open
Keywords: phylogenetic methods; vertebrate phylogeny; molecular clock; genome evolution
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Functional Diversity of Soft-Bottom Benthic Communities in the Anthropocene—2nd Edition
edited by Américo Montiel
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 189 | Submission Open
Keywords: infauna; deposit-feeders; filter-feeders; trophic guild; trophic source; carbon sinks; macrofauna; meiofauna; global change; deep-sea; intertidal; acidification
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
Diversity and Ecology of Termites—Second Edition
edited by and Ana Maria Costa Leonardo
submission deadline 15 Nov 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1588 | Submission Open
Keywords: diversity; niche and ecological functions; evolution of eusociality; caste development; molecular phylogenetic studies; microbe interactions in termites of different feeding guilds; population dynamics; habitat degradation; interaction with termitophiles and inquilines; impacts of termite activity on soil formation and properties; effect of climate change on termites
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Canopy Ecology—Biodiversity, Functions, and Conservation submission deadline 20 Nov 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 4509 | Submission Open
Keywords: arboreal ecosystems; epiphytes; vertical stratification; canopy–atmosphere interactions; treetop conservation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Diversity)
Studies on Biodiversity and Ecology of Algae in China—2nd Edition
edited by , and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 13987 | Submission Open
Keywords: algae; biodiversity; ecology
Functional and Taxonomic Plant Diversity: Applications for Ecological Monitoring and Management
edited by
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 6591 | Submission Open
Keywords: functional diversity; ecosystem functioning; plant diversity; biodiversity monitoring; conservation planning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Diversity)
Biodiversity, Community Structure and Ecology of Terrestrial Ecosystems Under Global Change
edited by Libin Yang, Shibing Zhu, and Huilin Han
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 6309 | Submission Open
Keywords: global change; microbial community assembly; biogeochemical cycling; ecosystem functioning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Insect Diversity: Morphology, Paleontology, and Biogeography
edited by Cecilia Waichert, and Celso Oliveira Azevedo
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 5041 | Submission Open
Keywords: functional morphology; palaeoentomology; paleoecology; phylogenetics; species distribution
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Biodiversity in Wetlands: Monitoring, Assessment, and Conservation Through Remote Sensing
edited by , Zhaogang Liu and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 4500 | Submission Open
Keywords: wetland ecosystem ; remote sensing ; conservation management ; diversity ; modeling
Conservation of Endangered Animal Biodiversity from Genetic and Genomic Perspectives
edited by Minh Duc Le
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2667 | Submission Open
Keywords: genetics ; genomics; conservation genetics; endangered species; conservation measures ; extinction risks
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Systematics, Ecology and Biodiversity of Marine Algae and Seagrasses
edited by
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 1965 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine algae; seagrasses; biodiversity; marine ecology; coastal ecosystems; bioindicators; phylogeny; systematics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
Advances in Freshwater Diversity and Ecology submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1394 | Submission Open
Keywords: species richness; ecological interactions; biodiversity loss; invasive species
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Mammalian Diversity and Life-History Responses to Climate Change
edited by and Daniel William Hart
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1018 | Submission Open
Keywords: climate change; thermal extremes; life history traits; physiological plasticity; behavioural adaptation; predictive modelling; species resilience; biodiversity forecasting
Global Change Biogeography: Understanding Past, Present, and Future Biotic Responses
edited by and Daiqin Li
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 634 | Submission Open
Keywords: historical biogeography; global change biology; diversification; extinction; changing planet
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Diversity and Systematics of Plant-Associated Fungi
edited by , and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 593 | Submission Open
Keywords: fungi diversity; systematics; plant-associated fungi
Threats and Challenges for the Study and Conservation of Freshwater Zooplankton Biodiversity
edited by and Claudia Bonecker
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 545 | Submission Open
Keywords: cladocerans; rotifers; copepods; plankton; freshwater environments; biodiversity; conservation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Montane Ecosystems and Diversity—2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 458 | Submission Open
Keywords: mountain biodiversity; climate change; altitudinal gradients; refugia; conservation; ecosystem services; endemism; genetic diversity; biological invasions and other threats
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Diversity, Spread, Monitoring, and Modelling of Invasive Pests Under Climate Change
edited by
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 408 | Submission Open
Keywords: climate change; invasive pests; pest management; ecological monitoring; pest spread; modelling; biodiversity loss; agriculture; climate impacts; biosecurity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Transport Infrastructure and Biodiversity Loss: Patterns, Risks, and Solutions submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 372 | Submission Open
Keywords: transport ecology; road biodiversity; data interoperability; invasive species; flora and fauna
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Pollinator Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in a Changing World submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 324 | Submission Open
Keywords: pollination; pollinator communities; insect conservation; pollination ecology; plant–pollinator interactions; plant–pollinator networks; Hymenoptera; Lepidoptera; Diptera; pollinator diversity; floral visitation; pollen transfer
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Mammalian Ecosystem Engineers: Impacts on the Provision and Regulation of Ecosystem Services
edited by Jorge Filipe Pereira Henriques and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 246 | Submission Open
Keywords: mammals; ecossystem engineers; ecological processes; trophic interactions
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Widening Cretaceous Biodiversity: New Taxa and Insights from the Fossil Record
edited by Mélani Berrocal-Casero, and Fernando Barroso Barcenilla
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 226 | Submission Open
Keywords: Cretaceous biodiversity; fossil record; radiations; paleobiogeographic; systematics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biogeography and Macroecology)
Biogeography and Global Diversity of Tardigrada
edited by and Pushpalata Kayastha
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 215 | Submission Open
Keywords: tardigrades; biogeography; phylogenetics; habitat
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Modelling Coral Reef Resilience Under Climate Change
edited by
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 209 | Submission Open
Keywords: coral reefs; resilience modelling; climate change impacts; resilience modelling; ecosystem-based management
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
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