Reef Ecosystems and Community Invasion Ecology
A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Ecology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 6
Special Issue Editor
Interests: marine biology; reef ecology; marine mammals; global climate change; organismal physiology; biogeochemistry of calcification; aquaculture and restoration
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Reef ecosystems, ranging from shallow tropical coral reefs to mesophotic zones, rocky reefs, and deep-sea biogenic structures, are biodiversity hotspots that provide critical ecosystem services. However, they are increasingly threatened by the combined impacts of climate change, ocean acidification, overexploitation, and pollution. These stressors are driving major shifts in community composition and enabling the spread of invasive and thermophilic species, with profound ecological, economic, and societal consequences.
This Special Issue will examine the dynamics of reef ecosystems under anthropogenic stress, with emphasis on invasion ecology, community restructuring, and biogeographical change. We invite contributions that address these processes across diverse reef types and geographical regions, using approaches that range from ecological monitoring and experimental research to molecular tools, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem modeling.
We particularly welcome studies on historical baselines of reef change, cutting-edge work on adaptation and acclimatization, and applied perspectives on reef restoration, conservation strategies, and sustainable aquaculture. Both original research and comprehensive reviews are encouraged, as well as interdisciplinary papers that integrate biology, oceanography, and climate science.
By synthesizing insights from different reef systems, this Special Issue aims to broaden understanding of reef resilience and vulnerability, advance the field of invasion ecology, and provide knowledge to guide management and policy in a rapidly changing ocean.
Prof. Dr. Dan Tchernov
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 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. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 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
- reef ecosystems
- community invasion ecology
- climate change and ocean warming
- ocean acidification
- biodiversity shifts
- mesophotic and deep-sea reefs
- adaptation and resilience
- restoration and aquaculture
- biogeochemistry
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