Biodiversity in Forests: Management and Monitoring for Conservation—2nd Edition

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Biodiversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2025 | Viewed by 1451

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacognosia y Botánica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: natura 2000; zoning; biodiversity; conservation; land use; connectivity; MSPA; Index, PC Index; climate change
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Guest Editor
Department of Environment and Agroforestry, Universidad Católica de Ávila, Calle de los Canteros, S/N, 05005 Ávila, Spain
Interests: biodiversity and conservation; connectivity; GIS; land use and environmental planning; remote sensing
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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın 09010, Turkey
Interests: environment; ecology; spatial analysis; landscape planning; land use; lidar remote sensing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biodiversity in forests is essential for environmental balance and the survival of countless species, including humans, and a comprehensive approach covering monitoring, management, and conservation is required to ensure its preservation.

Monitoring involves the constant observation of forest biological diversity through various techniques, from systematic sampling to the use of advanced technology, providing crucial data on the health and evolution of forest ecosystems over time.

Forest management focuses on the careful planning of human activities, such as selective logging or sustainable agriculture, to minimize negative impacts on biodiversity. A balance is sought between the economic exploitation of forest resources and the conservation of natural habitats.

Conservation, on the other hand, involves the active protection of forests and their biological diversity, achieved through the creation of protected areas, the restoration of degraded ecosystems, and the ex situ preservation of endangered species.

The monitoring, management, and conservation of forest biodiversity are essential to ensuring the health of forests, their ability to provide vital ecosystem services, and their value as a refuge for wildlife and a source of human wellbeing.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to analyze the challenges and solutions in the implementation of management strategies for forest conservation. Researchers from various disciplines, such as theoretical ecology, landscape management, policy, and sociology, are invited to contribute papers that address the topics raised in this Special Issue.

Dr. Víctor Rincón
Dr. Javier Velázquez Saornil
Guest Editors

Dr. Derya Gulcin
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • ecosystem services
  • forest fires
  • regeneration
  • forest management
  • climate change
  • conservation
  • connectivity
  • land use

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 5723 KiB  
Article
Climate-Driven Shifts in the Distribution of Valonia Oak from the Last Glaciation to the Antropocene
by Ali Uğur Özcan, Derya Gülçin, Javier López-Tirado, Sezgin Ayan, Jean Stephan, Javier Velázquez, İhsan Çiçek, Mehmet Sezgin and Kerim Çiçek
Forests 2025, 16(5), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16050776 - 4 May 2025
Viewed by 424
Abstract
The Quercus genus is found across a broad latitudinal range, and its spread in heterogeneous ecosystems is influenced by environmental, genetic, and anthropogenic factors. However, Mediterranean oak ecosystems, in particular, have been significantly impacted by climate-driven shifts. These shifts reshape the composition and [...] Read more.
The Quercus genus is found across a broad latitudinal range, and its spread in heterogeneous ecosystems is influenced by environmental, genetic, and anthropogenic factors. However, Mediterranean oak ecosystems, in particular, have been significantly impacted by climate-driven shifts. These shifts reshape the composition and spatial configuration of a great number of species. Here, this study evaluates the impact of climate change on the habitat suitability of Valonia oak (Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy) Hedge & Yalt.) and particularly focuses on understanding whether its population is native or was introduced to the Karagüney Mountains, Türkiye. Using ecological niche modeling with MaxEnt and climate data from CHELSA-TraCE21k (a 1 km climate time series), we built 120 models to analyze the habitat suitability of Valonia oak across different climatic periods from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) (21 ka BP) to the present. The results indicate that habitat suitability is primarily influenced by temperature- and precipitation-related variables. In fact, temperature fluctuations clearly affect the target species of this study. The most significant factors are the mean diurnal temperature range (bio2; 33.1%), precipitation in the wettest month (bio13; 19%), and mean annual temperature (bio1; 16.7%). Paleoclimatic predictions show that suitable habitats contracted during the early Holocene but expanded afterward, with current distributions aligning more closely with the natural range. In other words, it can be stated that Valonia oak’s habitat suitability has gradually improved from the LGM to the present, with both the total and natural ranges expanding over time. The results indicate that the species has demonstrated long-term stability, resilience, and adaptability to climate change, making it a potential alternative species for future climate scenarios. In addition, the data support the hypothesis that the species’ population in the Karagüney Mountains is relict, but was previously unrecognized as native. This study improves our knowledge about the distribution and environmental preferences of Valonia oak, which is important for underpinning its conservation strategies. Full article
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16 pages, 3247 KiB  
Article
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Siamese Rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis Pierre) in Thailand Using matK and Internal Transcribed Spacer Markers
by Benjarat Prompen, Weerachai Saijuntha, Warayutt Pilap and Sudarat Thanonkeo
Forests 2025, 16(2), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16020332 - 13 Feb 2025
Viewed by 750
Abstract
Siamese rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis Pierre) is a highly valuable economic tree species in Thailand. This study investigated genetic diversity across 72 tree samples from 17 Thai locations using two genetic markers: the chloroplast maturase K (matK) gene and the nuclear [...] Read more.
Siamese rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis Pierre) is a highly valuable economic tree species in Thailand. This study investigated genetic diversity across 72 tree samples from 17 Thai locations using two genetic markers: the chloroplast maturase K (matK) gene and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Analysis of 48 matK and 65 ITS sequences revealed 34 (DcM1–DcM34) and 31 (DcI1–DcI31) haplotypes, respectively. The Saraburi province haplotype DcM10 exhibited the highest genetic divergence, differing by 25 mutational steps from other haplotypes. Phylogenetic analysis incorporating GenBank sequences from other Dalbergia species showed that matK sequences separated D. cochinchinensis into two distinct clades: Clade A, comprising most Thai samples, and Clade B, containing Saraburi samples grouped with sequences from Laos and Cambodia. In contrast, ITS analysis revealed a single monophyletic group. These findings have important applications for conservation strategies, particularly in prioritizing the genetically distinct Saraburi population for protection, and can inform breeding programs to maintain genetic diversity. Additionally, the identified genetic markers could be developed into tools for timber authentication to combat illegal logging, while the revealed population structure can guide reforestation efforts and international conservation collaboration with Laos and Cambodia. Full article
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