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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Small Mammal Diversity and Conservation submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1021 | Submission Open
Keywords: small mammals; biodiversity; conservation; ecosystem conservation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Rhizosphere Microbial Community Diversity
edited by
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 700 | Submission Open
Keywords: abiotic stress; biocontrol; biostimulants; One Health; plant growth-promoting microorganisms; plant microbiomes; rhizosphere; soil restoration; sustainable agriculture
(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbial Diversity and Culture Collections)
Functional Ecology of Soil and Aquatic Microorganisms
edited by , Lijun Chen and
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 695 | Submission Open
Keywords: functional ecology; soil microorganisms; aquatic microorganisms; microbial diversity; ecosystem functioning; biogeochemical cycles; climate change
(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbial Diversity and Culture Collections)
Evolution and Morphological Adaptations in Cenozoic Mammals
edited by Martín R. Ciancio
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 240 | Submission Open
Keywords: cenozoic; mammals; systematic; adaptive radiations; functional morphology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Azores’ Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation
edited by and Antônio Batista Anderson
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 222 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine biodiversity; ecosystem conservation; Azores Archipelago; North Atlantic; ocean management
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
Meiofauna as Bioindicators of Environmental Stress and Ecosystem Health
edited by and Eleonora Grassi
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 222 | Submission Open
Keywords: meiofauna; meiobenthos; biological indicator; ecological sentinel; ecosystem resilience; ecosystem health
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Loss & Dynamics)
Hidden Diversity and Evolutionary Histories of Amphipod Crustaceans Across Aquatic and Terrestrial Realms Through Time
edited by and Alan Myers
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 212 | Submission Open
Keywords: amphipoda; biodiversity; taxonomy; phylogenetics; ecology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Ecology and Genetics of Wild Cats
edited by Puneet Pandey
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 176 | Submission Open
Keywords: species distribution; population status; conservation biology; population genetics; human– wildlife conflict
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Conservation)
Marine Biodiversity and Chemical Ecology: Population Dynamics and Natural Product Chemistry
edited by Dawrin Pech-Puch, Harold Villegas Hernández and
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 171 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine biodiversity; marine chemicals; population dynamics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Chemical Diversity and Chemical Ecology)
Diversity, Phylogeny and Ecology of Marine Microorganisms
edited by , Lin Xu, Jianyang Li and
submission deadline 1 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2662 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine ecosystem; microbial diversity and evolution; microbial ecology and environmental adaptation; phylogeny of bacteria and archaea
(This special issue belongs to the Section Microbial Diversity and Culture Collections)
Ecology of Young Animals
edited by Douglas A. Eifler, Maria Eifler and María de L. Ruiz-Gomez
submission deadline 1 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 243 | Submission Open
Keywords: juvenile; young stage; body size; ontogeny; hatchling; age; scaling; precocial; altricial; quantitative ecology; immature; larva
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Phytoplankton Under Multiple Stressors: Functional and Community Responses
edited by and
submission deadline 20 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 172 | Submission Open
Keywords: multiple stressor; microalgae; functional traits; community structure; global change
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biodiversity Loss & Dynamics)
Helminth Parasites of Wild Vertebrates submission deadline 20 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 152 | 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 230 | 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 144 | Submission Open
Keywords: fish ecology; conservation biology; population genetics; biodiversity; invasive species; environmental change
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants and Biodiversity Conservation: 2nd Edition submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 12 articles | Viewed by 41831 | 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 | 9 articles | Viewed by 31815 | 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 7186 | 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 5193 | Submission Open
Keywords: MIcrobial; forest; soil; wetland; diversity
Reptilian Response to Major Environmental Transitions: From Deep Time to the Anthropocene submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3954 | Submission Open
Keywords: reptile evolution; environmental transitions; mass extinction; Anthropocene; conservation paleobiology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Undersea Refuges: Functional Ecology and Biodiversity of Coral Reef Ecosystems submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3673 | Submission Open
Keywords: coral; biodiversity; ecology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Marine Diversity)
Population Genetics of Animals and Plants—2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2181 | Submission Open
Keywords: genetic variability; genetic structure; conservation; fragmentation; hybridization; phylogeography; migration; population demography; invasive species; exploited populations
Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspots: Patterns, Trends, and Conservation Challenges submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1601 | 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)
Harmful Algal Blooms: Distribution and Diversity
edited by Lixia Shang
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1570 | 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 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1308 | 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 1029 | 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)
Invasive Species in Freshwater Ecosystems in the Americas
edited by and S.S.S. Sarma
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 778 | 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)
How Microbiomes Sustain Ecosystem Function and Health
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 603 | 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)
Coral Reef Ecology and Diversity Conservation submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 426 | 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 337 | 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 224 | 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)
Systematics, Phylogenetics and Phylogeography of Animals in the Mediterranean Region—2nd Edition
edited by Nikos Poulakakis
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 203 | Submission Open
Keywords: biodiversity; biogeography; ecology; Mediterranean; phylogenetics; phylogenomics; phylogeography; speciation; systematics; conservation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
Restoration Ecology and Function of Plants in Wetlands
edited by , Bo Guan, Fangli Luo, and
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 197 | 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)
DNA Metabarcoding for Marine Invertebrate Surveillance submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 188 | 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 186 | Submission Open
Keywords: fish; freshwater ecosystems; biogeography; diversity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Applications and Challenges of Evolutionary Methods in Vertebrate Phylogenetics and Genomics
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 144 | Submission Open
Keywords: phylogenetic methods; vertebrate phylogeny; molecular clock; genome evolution
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
Glacial, Paraglacial and Periglacial Environments as Refugia for High Elevation Organisms Under Climate Warming
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 134 | Submission Open
Keywords: climate change; alpine organisms; refugia; colonization dynamics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biogeography and Macroecology)
Functional Diversity of Soft-Bottom Benthic Communities in the Anthropocene—2nd Edition
edited by Américo Montiel
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 106 | 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 636 | 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 3645 | 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 11202 | 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 5501 | 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 4551 | 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 4116 | 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 1789 | Submission Open
Keywords: wetland ecosystem  ; remote sensing  ; conservation management  ; diversity  ; modeling
Mammalian Diversity and Life-History Responses to Climate Change
edited by and Daniel William Hart
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 780 | Submission Open
Keywords: climate change; thermal extremes; life history traits; physiological plasticity; behavioural adaptation; predictive modelling; species resilience; biodiversity forecasting
Advances in Freshwater Diversity and Ecology submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 661 | Submission Open
Keywords: species richness; ecological interactions; biodiversity loss; invasive species
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Diversity and Systematics of Plant-Associated Fungi
edited by , and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 523 | 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 449 | Submission Open
Keywords: cladocerans; rotifers; copepods; plankton; freshwater environments; biodiversity; conservation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Freshwater Biodiversity)
Global Change Biogeography: Understanding Past, Present, and Future Biotic Responses
edited by and Daiqin Li
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 417 | Submission Open
Keywords: historical biogeography; global change biology; diversification; extinction; changing planet
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phylogeny and Evolution)
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