The Role of Bryophytes and Lichens in Forest Ecosystem Dynamics
A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 13 October 2025 | Viewed by 691
Special Issue Editors
Interests: bryophytes; plant ecology; bryophyte diversity and distribution
Interests: plant ecology; functional diversity; aquatic plants; bryophytes
Interests: bryophytes; forests; botany
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Bryophytes and lichens are among the most diverse groups of land plants, playing an indispensable role in forest ecosystems—these tiny organisms contribute significantly to essential ecological functions such as water retention, nutrient cycling, and soil stabilization, while also providing habitats for various species. Despite their critical importance, they have often been overlooked in ecological research.
This Special Issue aims to explore the diversity, ecological functions, and interactions of bryophytes and lichens within forest ecosystems. We welcome original research, review articles, and case studies focusing on the following topics:
- The role of bryophytes and lichens in soil and water retention in forests;
- Their impact on forest biodiversity and ecological stability;
- The symbiotic relationships between bryophytes, lichens, and trees;
- The effects of climate change on these communities and their adaptive mechanisms;
- The application and potential of bryophytes and lichens in ecological restoration.
By gathering these research contributions, we seek to enhance the understanding of the importance of bryophytes and lichens in forest ecosystems and provide new perspectives for future research. We encourage interdisciplinary studies that integrate insights from microbiology, biogeography, environmental science, and conservation biology.
Dr. Miloš Ilić
Dr. Dragana Vukov
Dr. Vedran Šegota
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Forests 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 2600 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
- bryophytes
- lichens
- diversity
- distribution
- ecosystem functions
- climate change
- ecological interactions
- habitat restoration
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