Impact of Human Activities on Marine Life
A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 March 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Marine monitoring; Animal behavior
Interests: marine ecology; marine mammals; biodiversity; conservation; GIS; ecological modeling; population dynamics; endangered species
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: ecological modeling; marine trophic webs; fishery stock assessment; marine mammal conservation; marine biodiversity; ecosystem services
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Marine ecosystems are increasingly under threat from human activities, either directly or indirectly, that alter their structure, function, and biodiversity. From industrial fishing and plastic pollution to shipping noise, coastal development, and the intensifying effects of climate change, human actions have transformed marine environments at local, regional, and global levels. These activities often interact in complex ways, leading to cumulative and increasingly irreversible impacts on marine life and habitats.
This Special Issue aims to examine the diverse impacts of human activities on marine life, focusing on how ecological, behavioral, and physiological responses appear across various taxa. We invite exceptional contributions that utilize empirical, modeling, or interdisciplinary methods to investigate stressors like chemical contamination, habitat loss, invasive species introduction, underwater noise, overharvesting, and temperature changes.
Along with documenting impacts, this Special Issue also welcomes studies that propose or assess mitigation strategies, including nature-based solutions, spatial planning tools, conservation policies, and technological innovations. We especially encourage submissions that explore knowledge gaps related to species vulnerability, ecosystem resilience, and socio-ecological trade-offs.
By bringing together diverse perspectives and research from around the world, this Special Issue aims to enhance our understanding of the drivers and effects of human activities on marine life. It also seeks to inform more effective and sustainable policies for conserving and managing marine ecosystems in the Anthropocene.
Dr. Ziv Zemah-Shamir
Dr. Giulia Cipriano
Dr. Roberto Carlucci
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
- Marine biodiversity
- Anthropogenic stressors
- Ecosystem resilience
- Marine conservation
- Underwater noise
- Habitat degradation
- Overfishing
- Invasive species
- Global change impacts
- Sustainable ocean management
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