Mesozooplankton Ecology in Marine Environments
A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 October 2025 | Viewed by 49
Special Issue Editors
Interests: mesozooplankton ecology in marine environments; taxonomy of mesozooplankton; the trophic role of zooplankton in marine food webs; isotopes and biochemical indices on zooplankton
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: : zooplankton ecology in marine environments; taxonomy of mesozooplankton; the trophic role of zooplankton in marine food webs; stable isotopes; metabarcoding and biochemical indices (ETS, AARS) on zooplankton.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Mesozooplankton plays a vital role in marine ecology, acting as a key component of food webs and contributing to nutrient cycling in both coastal and oceanic ecosystems. Its distribution is influenced by natural and anthropogenic factors, including climate change and marine heatwaves, which can shift biodiversity and impact ecosystem functioning.
Research on mesozooplankton has evolved from basic taxonomy to more complex studies of their ecological roles in food webs and biogeochemical cycles. This Special Issue explores the diversity, distribution, and ecological functions of mesozooplankton, with a focus on their responses to climate change and human impacts.
Cutting-edge research now employs molecular techniques and ecosystem modeling to examine their adaptive strategies in a changing ocean. We invite original research, reviews, and data-driven studies that offer new insights into mesozooplankton ecology, focusing on their roles in marine food webs, responses to environmental stressors, and broader ecological significance.
Key topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Taxonomic and functional diversity of mesozooplankton species.
- Temporal and spatial variations in mesozooplankton abundance and biogeographical distribution.
- Trophic interactions and mesozooplankton roles in food web dynamics.
- Vertical migration patterns and diel movements of mesozooplankton.
- Contributions of mesozooplankton to the biological carbon pump, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.
- Life cycle stages, reproduction, and development of mesozooplankton species.
- Impacts of physical and chemical oceanographic conditions, including climate change and marine heatwaves, on mesozooplankton communities.
- Application of molecular techniques such as DNA barcoding and metabarcoding for species identification and biodiversity assessment.
- Effects of anthropogenic stressors such as pollution, habitat degradation, and overfishing on mesozooplankton populations.
- Advances in sampling methodologies and technologies for studying mesozooplankton ecology.
- Conservation challenges and future directions in mesozooplankton biodiversity research.
This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive synthesis of mesozooplankton ecology, emphasizing their ecological significance and identifying key research gaps for future investigation.
Dr. Maria Protopapa
Dr. Inma Herrera
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. 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
- mesozooplankton
- biomarkers
- pollution
- climate change
- diversity, trophic interactions
- anthropogenic stressors
- heatwaves
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