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Ecologies
Special Issues
Feature Review Papers in Ecology
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Feature Review Papers in Ecology

A special issue of Ecologies (ISSN 2673-4133).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 3290

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. José Ramón Arévalo Sierra

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of La Laguna, 38202 La Laguna, Spain
Interests: plant community ecology; forest ecology; invasive species; grazing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the recent indexing of the journal Ecologies in Scopus and the achievement of its first impact factor (1.7), we are pleased to announce a new Special Issue dedicated to review articles highlighting the latest developments in ecology.

Review papers play a crucial role in synthesizing knowledge, identifying research gaps, and fostering new perspectives. For this Special Issue, we invite comprehensive review articles on multidisciplinary topics in ecology, aligned with the journal’s scope. There is no restriction on manuscript length, as our goal is to encourage detailed overviews that provide valuable insights into your research field.

We particularly welcome review articles that synthesize current knowledge, challenge existing paradigms, and propose new frameworks to advance our understanding of life and ecological systems. Manuscripts should include front matter, a literature review, and back matter. Authors may use the provided journal template for the front and back matter, but the structure of the main content is flexible.

For structured reviews and meta-analyses, please follow the same format as research articles and ensure compliance with PRISMA guidelines.

We look forward to your contributions and to continuing our collaboration on this exciting project.

Prof. Dr. José Arévalo Sierra
Guest Editor

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. Ecologies is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1200 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

  • review
  • ecology
  • ecosystem services
  • biodiversity conservation
  • climate change impacts
  • paleoecology
  • ecological restoration
  • species interactions
  • urban ecology
  • global change ecology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

32 pages, 1856 KB  
Review
Impacts of Anthropogenic Disturbances on the Functional Traits of Wetland Plants: A Retrospective Review of Studies Conducted Globally over the Past Two Decades
by Jingqing Wu, Cong Liu, Changhui Peng, Binggeng Xie and Zelin Liu
Ecologies 2025, 6(4), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies6040085 - 9 Dec 2025
Viewed by 253
Abstract
As critical reservoirs of biodiversity and providers of ecosystem services, wetland ecosystems play a pivotal role in maintaining global ecological balance. They not only serve as habitats for diverse aquatic and terrestrial organisms but also play substantial roles in water purification, carbon sequestration, [...] Read more.
As critical reservoirs of biodiversity and providers of ecosystem services, wetland ecosystems play a pivotal role in maintaining global ecological balance. They not only serve as habitats for diverse aquatic and terrestrial organisms but also play substantial roles in water purification, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation. However, intensified anthropogenic activities—including drainage, fertilization, invasion by alien species, grazing, and urbanization—pose unprecedented threats, leading to profound alterations in the functional traits of wetland plants. This review synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed studies published between 2005 and 2024 to elucidate the mechanisms by which human disturbances affect plant functional traits in wetlands. Drainage was found to markedly reduce plant biomass in swamp ecosystems, while mesophyte and tree biomass increased, likely reflecting altered water availability and species-specific adaptive capacities. Mowing and grazing enhanced aboveground biomass and specific leaf area in the short term but ultimately reduced plant height and leaf dry matter content, indicating potential long-term declines in ecological adaptability. Invasive alien species strongly suppressed the growth of native species, reducing biomass and height and thereby threatening ecosystem stability. Eutrophication initially promoted aboveground biomass, but excessive nutrient inputs led to subsequent declines, highlighting ecosystems’ vulnerability to shifts in trophic state. Similarly, fertilization played a dual role: moderate inputs stimulated plant growth, whereas excessive inputs impaired growth performance and exacerbated eutrophication of soils and water bodies. Urbanization further diminished key plant traits, reduced habitat extent, and compromised ecological functions. Overall, this review underscores the profound impacts of anthropogenic disturbances on wetland plant functional traits and their cascading effects on ecosystem structure and function. It provides a scientific foundation for conservation and management strategies aimed at enhancing ecosystem resilience. Future research should focus on disentangling disturbance-specific mechanisms across different wetland types and developing ecological engineering and management practices. Recommended measures include rational land-use planning, effective control of invasive species, and optimized fertilization regimes to safeguard wetland biodiversity, restore ecosystem functions, and promote sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Review Papers in Ecology)
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23 pages, 7304 KB  
Review
Integrating Ecological and Economic Approaches for Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities
by Lexuan Ma, Liang Hong and Xiongwei Liang
Ecologies 2025, 6(4), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies6040070 - 22 Oct 2025
Viewed by 2218
Abstract
This narrative review examines how ecological and economic perspectives can be integrated to support ecosystem services management and biodiversity conservation. We synthesize core valuation approaches (accounting-based exchange values versus welfare-based measures), discuss their appropriate uses and limitations, and illustrate implications through selected cases [...] Read more.
This narrative review examines how ecological and economic perspectives can be integrated to support ecosystem services management and biodiversity conservation. We synthesize core valuation approaches (accounting-based exchange values versus welfare-based measures), discuss their appropriate uses and limitations, and illustrate implications through selected cases in watershed protection, protected areas, and forest carbon. We then review design features of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) with attention to additionality, leakage, and equity, and distill lessons for policy mixes that combine market-based instruments with regulatory and informational tools. Finally, we outline opportunities and risks in applying artificial intelligence to ecological–economic analysis, emphasizing accuracy–energy trade-offs and responsible data practices. Across topics, we prioritize mechanism-focused interpretation, triangulate findings from representative studies, and highlight decision-relevant takeaways rather than comprehensive coverage. We conclude with practical recommendations for analysts and policymakers: align valuation method with decision context; pair PES with targeting and monitoring; embed price-based instruments in adaptive policy mixes; and adopt transparent, efficiency-aware analytic workflows—especially when using computationally intensive methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Review Papers in Ecology)
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