Announcements

We would like to congratulate Dr. Wanxu Chen for winning the Land 2024 Young Investigator Award.

Dr. Wanxu Chen primarily conducts research on the eco-environmental effects of urbanization, global change and human activities, and territorial spatial governance optimization. He has published over 100 papers in the field of land system science in renowned journals such as Earth's Future, Land Use Policy, and Land. A total of 16 of his papers have been recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers/Hot Papers (Top 0.1%). He was included in the World’s Top 2% Scientists list (released by researchers from Stanford University) in both 2023 and 2024. He was also selected for the China Association for Science and Technology’s “Science and Technology Think Tank Young Talent Program” and the UNESCO’s “Man and Biosphere (MAB) National Committee of China Young Talent Program” in 2022. Additionally, Dr. Chen serves as an (Early Career) Editorial Board Member for over 10 academic journals.

The following is a short interview with Dr. Wanxu Chen:

1. Congratulations on the award! Could you share your immediate reaction to winning, and what this recognition means for your work and career?
I was deeply honored and genuinely surprised to receive the Land 2024 Young Investigator Award. My immediate reaction was profound gratitude to the selection committee, my colleagues at CUG, my dedicated research team, and collaborators worldwide.
This recognition is immensely significant. It validates our team's persistent efforts in understanding complex human–environment interactions within land systems, particularly territorial space evolution and ecological effects. It powerfully affirms that our interdisciplinary approach, blending rigorous science with actionable policy insights, resonates internationally.
For my career, this is a tremendous encouragement. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing impactful research that bridges academia and real-world problem-solving. It highlights the importance of translating findings into practical solutions, as reflected in our policy contributions. Crucially, it places a spotlight on the vital work emerging from China and CUG in this critical field, motivating me further to contribute to global sustainability science and nurture the next generation of scholars. This award is not just personal; it is a recognition of our collective effort to advance land system science for a more sustainable future.

2. Reflecting on your previous collaborations with Land, what impressed you most?
Beyond its rigorous peer review ensuring high quality, what truly stands out is Land’s exceptional commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue. The journal actively bridges land system science, policy, and practice. Editorial teams deeply engage with complex, solution-oriented research—like our work on territorial space evolution and ecological effects—ensuring it reaches global scholars and stakeholders. Their efficient, constructive review process accelerates impactful science, while Special Issues create vital platforms for emerging themes. This synergy between editorial vision and scholarly community significantly amplifies real-world relevance—a rarity that makes Land an indispensable partner in advancing sustainable land solutions.

3. What key qualities do you think are essential for young researchers?
Based on my journey, four qualities stand out as crucial:
1. Interdisciplinary curiosity: Land system science demands integrating perspectives (e.g., ecology, geography, management, socio-economics, policy) to tackle complex sustainability challenges;
2. Resilience and rigor: Research involves setbacks. Persistence in refining methods, questioning assumptions, and ensuring data integrity is non-negotiable;
3. Problem-solving relevance: Anchor your work in real-world sustainability challenges. Strive not just for publication, but for actionable insights with policy or practical impact;
4. Collaborative spirit: Complex problems require diverse expertise. Build genuine partnerships—across disciplines, institutions, and with stakeholders—valuing different viewpoints.

4. What challenges have you encountered during your research journey, particularly as a young investigator? Do you have anything to say to your fellow scholars?
My journey presented multifaceted hurdles. Early on, securing competitive funding as an unknown young scholar tested my resilience. Bridging interdisciplinary divides—integrating quantitative environmental science with qualitative policy analysis—demanded humility and relentless learning. Translating complex land system findings into actionable policy advice was also a challenge. Time management amid teaching, research, and social service often felt overwhelming, especially when critical experiments or revisions coincided.
Yet these challenges forged growth. Collaborating across continents taught me that diverse perspectives turn obstacles into innovations. Rejections refined my proposals; skepticism sharpened my communication. Policy engagement, though arduous, proved that persistence turns evidence into change—as when our team’s models informed territorial spatial governance.
Your struggles are not signs of inadequacy but proof you’re pushing boundaries. Embrace curiosity over comfort—ask the “naive” questions that disrupt conventions. Build networks not just for opportunities, but for mutual support; my breakthroughs emerged from team’s wisdom and peers’ camaraderie. In land science, we steward humanity’s foundation—never underestimate the transformative potential of your dedication. Stay stubbornly hopeful.

5. Can you describe the central goals of your current research?
My team’s mission centers on advancing sustainable land system governance under rapid global change. We prioritize three interlinked goals: investigating the eco-environmental impacts of urbanization to mitigate ecological degradation; exploring the interactions between global change and human activities to understand sustainability challenges; and developing strategies for optimizing territorial spatial governance, aiming to promote resilient and sustainable development through interdisciplinary approaches in land system science.

6. Which emerging topics in land science do you believe will critically influence the academic community in the coming years?
Personally, I think three frontiers will reshape land science:
1. Telecoupled land governance: Analyzing distant socioeconomic-ecological interactions to address inequities in global resource flows;
2. AI-enhanced earth observation: Integrating deep learning with multi-source remote sensing for real-time monitoring of land degradation, carbon dynamics, and urbanization resilience at planetary scales;
3. Nature-positive transitions: Quantifying synergies/trade-offs between biodiversity restoration, zero-carbon urbanization, and food security under systemic risks—moving beyond siloed SDGs.

7. Do you have any other suggestions for how journals and publishers can further support young researchers and the academic community?
From the perspective of a young scholar, I think journals can profoundly empower early-career researchers by:
1. Democratizing access: Offer full fee waivers for low/middle-income countries and unaffiliated scholars, ensuring equity in knowledge sharing;
2. Valuing diverse outputs: Establish sections for policy briefs, data papers, and negative/niche studies—critical for innovation but often overlooked;
3. Bridging practice-academia: Host matchmaking workshops connecting young scientists with policymakers/NGOs to co-design applied research.
Finally, transparent revision timelines and constructive rejection feedback are essential to sustain morale. True progress requires journals to be catalysts—not gatekeepers—of inclusive, solutions-driven science.

You can access more Land’s Awards information via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/land/awards.

Land Editorial Office

It is our honor to present some highly cited papers published by Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) in 2024. We would like to acknowledge the hardworking individuals and teams whose work inspires fellow researchers and influences the field of land system science. We invite you to read the outstanding works listed below:

1. “Spatiotemporal Evolution and Mechanisms of Habitat Quality in Nature Reserve Land: A Case Study of 18 Nature Reserves in Hubei Province”
by Ying Lin, Xian Zhang, He Zhu and Runtian Li
Land 2024, 13(3), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030363
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/363

2. “Impacts of Land Use Conversion on Soil Erosion in the Urban Agglomeration on the Northern Slopes of the Tianshan Mountains”
by Ziqi Guo, Zhaojin Yan, Rong He, Hui Yang, Hui Ci and Ran Wang
Land 2024, 13(4), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040550
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/4/550

3. “Ecosystem Services Supply from Peri-Urban Watersheds in Greece: Soil Conservation and Water Retention”
by Stefanos Stefanidis, Nikolaos Proutsos, Vasileios Alexandridis and Giorgos Mallinis
Land 2024, 13(6), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060765
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/6/765

4. “Urban Echoes: Exploring the Dynamic Realities of Cities through Digital Twins”
by Piero Boccardo, Luigi La Riccia and Yogender Yadav
Land 2024, 13(5), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050635
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/635

5. “The Role of Green Infrastructure in Providing Urban Ecosystem Services: Insights from a Bibliometric Perspective”
by Milena V. Sokolova, Brian D. Fath, Umberto Grande, Elvira Buonocore and Pier Paolo Franzese
Land 2024, 13(10), 1664; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101664
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/10/1664

6. “European Permanent Grasslands: A Systematic Review of Economic Drivers of Change, Including a Detailed Analysis of the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden, and UK”
by John Elliott, Sophie Tindale, Samantha Outhwaite, Fiona Nicholson, Paul Newell-Price, Novieta H. Sari, Erik Hunter, Pedro Sánchez-Zamora, Shan Jin, Rosa Gallardo-Cobos et al.
Land 2024, 13(1), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010116
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/116

7. “Tillage and Straw Management Practices Influences Soil Nutrient Distribution: A Case Study from North-Eastern Romania”
by Anca Elena Calistru, Feodor Filipov, Irina Gabriela Cara, Marius Cioboată, Denis Țopa and Gerard Jităreanu
Land 2024, 13(5), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050625
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/625

8. “Contribution of Rare Earth Elements Is Key to the Economy of the Future”
by Juan-Ramón Cuadros-Muñoz, Juan-Antonio Jimber-del-Río, Rafael Sorhegui-Ortega, Michelle Zea-De la Torre and Arnaldo Vergara-Romero
Land 2024, 13(8), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081220
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/8/1220

9. “Impact of Land-Use Changes on Climate Change Mitigation Goals: The Case of Lithuania”
by Renata Dagiliūtė and Vaiva Kazanavičiūtė
Land 2024, 13(2), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020131
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/131

10. “Integration of Climate Change Strategies into Policy and Planning for Regional Development: A Case Study of Greece”
by Stavros Kalogiannidis, Dimitrios Kalfas, Olympia Papaevangelou, Fotios Chatzitheodoridis, Katerina-Navsika Katsetsiadou and Efthymios Lekkas
Land 2024, 13(3), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030268
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/268

It is our honor to present some highly cited papers published by Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) in 2024. We would like to acknowledge the hardworking individuals and teams whose work inspires fellow researchers and influences the field of land system science. We invite you to read the outstanding works listed below:

1. “Spatiotemporal Changes and Influencing Factors of the Coupled Production–Living–Ecological Functions in the Yellow River Basin, China”
by Zidao Lu, Maomao Zhang, Chunguang Hu, Lianlong Ma, Enqing Chen, Cheng Zhang and Guozhen Xia
Land 2024, 13(11), 1909; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111909
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/11/1909

2. “Eco-Efficiency of Olive Farms across Diversified Ecological Farming Approaches”
by Alexandra Sintori, Penelope Gouta, Vasilia Konstantidelli and Irene Tzouramani
Land 2024, 13(1), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010072
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/72

3. “Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Economic Density and Vegetation Cover in the Yellow River Basin: Unraveling Interconnections”
by Benxu Wang, Xuanqin Yang, Yaquan Dou, Qingjun Wu, Guangyu Wang, Ya Li and Xiaodi Zhao
Land 2024, 13(4), 475; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040475
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/4/475

4. “Spatial Analysis of Point Clouds Obtained by SfM Photogrammetry and the TLS Method—Study in Quarry Environment”
by Ľudovít Kovanič, Patrik Peťovský, Branislav Topitzer and Peter Blišťan
Land 2024, 13(5), 614; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050614
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/614

5. “Institutional, Ecological, Economic, and Socio-Cultural Sustainability—Evidence from Ponjavica Nature Park”
by Vladica Ristić, Igor Trišić, Snežana Štetić, Marija Maksin, Florin Nechita, Adina Nicoleta Candrea, Marko Pavlović and Andreea Hertanu
Land 2024, 13(5), 669; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050669
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/669

6. “An Evaluation of Different Landscape Design Scenarios to Improve Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Shenzhen”
by Ying Zheng, Qiyao Han and Greg Keeffe
Land 2024, 13(1), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010065
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/65

7. “Estimation of Above-Ground Forest Biomass in Nepal by the Use of Airborne LiDAR, and Forest Inventory Data”
by Yam Bahadur KC, Qijing Liu, Pradip Saud, Damodar Gaire and Hari Adhikari
Land 2024, 13(2), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020213
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/213

8. “Spatial and Temporal Changes in Supply and Demand for Ecosystem Services in Response to Urbanization: A Case Study in Vilnius, Lithuania”
by Giedrius Dabašinskas and Gintarė Sujetovienė
Land 2024, 13(4), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040454
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/4/454

9. “Impacts of Soil Management and Sustainable Plant Protection Strategies on Soil Biodiversity in a Sangiovese Vineyard”
by Sara Del Duca, Stefano Mocali, Francesco Vitali, Arturo Fabiani, Maria Alexandra Cucu, Giuseppe Valboa, Giada d’Errico, Francesco Binazzi, Paolo Storchi, Rita Perria et al.
Land 2024, 13(5), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050599
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/599

10. “Transformative Impact of Technology in Landscape Architecture on Landscape Research: Trends, Concepts and Roles”
by Xiwei Shen, Mary G. Padua and Niall G. Kirkwood
Land 2024, 13(5), 630; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050630
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/630

We are delighted to announce that Issue 6, Volume 14 of Land (ISSN: 2073-445X), was released in June 2025. The following is a list of partial articles which we believe will be of interest to you:

Cover Story:

Section: “Land Systems and Global Change”
“An Assessment of the N Load from Animal Farms in Saline Wetland Catchments in the Ebro Basin, NE Spain”
by María Tierra, José R. Olarieta and Carmen Castañeda
Land 2025, 14(6), 1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061170

Section: “Landscape Ecology”
“Ecological Risk Assessment of Watersheds Based on Adaptive Cycling Theory—A Case Study of Poyang Lake Ecological and Economic Zone”
by Yixi Gu, Jiaxuan Wang, Xinyi Su and Kaili Zhang
Land 2025, 14(6), 1265; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061265

Section: “Land, Soil and Water”
“The “Soil of the Year” Campaign in Germany—Experiences from over 20 Years of Public Relations Work for Soil Awareness”
by Sonja Medwedski, Gerhard Milbert, Maike Bosold, Jeannette Mathews and Klaus Kruse
Land 2025, 14(6), 1250; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061250

Section: “Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues”
“Rescaling and Transforming: “Umbrella Agreements,” Planning Deals, and the Israeli Planning Regime”
by Sharon Eshel, Oren Yiftachel and Talia Margalit
Land 2025, 14(6), 1295; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061295  

Section: “Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions”
“Urban Green Spaces and Climate Changes: Assessing Ecosystem Services for the Municipality of Sassari (Italy)”
by Andrea De Montis, Antonio Ledda, Vittorio Serra, Alessandro Manunta and Giovanna Calia
Land 2025, 14(6), 1308; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061308

Section: “Land–Climate Interactions”
“Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices—Strategies to Conserve and Increase Soil Carbon in Hungary”
by Eszter Tóth, Marianna Magyar, Imre Cseresnyés, Márton Dencső, Annamária Laborczi, Gábor Szatmári and Sándor Koós
Land 2025, 14(6), 1206; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061206

Section: “Landscape Archaeology”
“Tree-Ring Chronological Investigation on the Oak Poles of the Prehistoric Settlement of “Gran Carro” in Lake Bolsena, Central Italy: Landscape and Human Occupation”
by Manuela Romagnoli, Mara Sarlatto, Swati Tamantini, Giulia Galotta, Maria Cristina Moscatelli, Egidio Severi and Barbara Barbaro
Land 2025, 14(6), 1147; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061147

Section: “Land, Biodiversity, and Human Wellbeing”
“Sacrificing Wilderness for Renewables? Land Artificialization from Inadequate Spatial Planning of Wind Energy in Evvoia, Greece”
by Vassiliki Kati, Konstantina Spiliopoulou, Apostolis Stefanidis and Christina Kassara
Land 2025, 14(6), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061296
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1296 

Section: “Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability”
“Sparing or Sharing? Differential Management of Cultivated Land Based on the “Landscape Differentiation–Function Matching” Analytical Framework”
by Guanyu Ding and Huafu Zhao
Land 2025, 14(6), 1278; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061278

Section: “Land Innovations – Data and Machine Learning”
“Social Intelligence Mining: Transforming Land Management with Data and Deep Learning”
by Mohammad Reza Yeganegi, Hossein Hassani and Nadejda Komendantova
Land 2025, 14(6), 1198; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061198

Section: “Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF) Nexus”
“A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems”
by Aavudai Anandhi, Ruth Book and Gulnihal Ozbay
Land 2025, 14(6), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061169

Section: “Land – Observation and Monitoring”
“Monitoring Slope Stability: A Comprehensive Review of UAV Applications in Open-Pit Mining”
by Stephanos Tsachouridis, Francis Pavloudakis, Constantinos Sachpazis and Vassilios Tsioukas
Land 2025, 14(6), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061193

Section: “Land Planning and Landscape Architecture”
“A Bibliometric Analysis on Designing Urban Green and Blue Spaces Related to Environmental and Public Health Benefits”
by Catarina de Sousa Silva, Simon Bell, Lenka Lackóová and Thomas Panagopoulos
Land 2025, 14(6), 1230; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061230

General
“A Review of Plant-Mediated and Fertilization-Induced Shifts in Ammonia Oxidizers: Implications for Nitrogen Cycling in Agroecosystems”
by Durga P. M. Chinthalapudi, William Kingery and Shankar Ganapathi Shanmugam
Land 2025, 14(6), 1182; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061182

“Enhancing Stream Ecosystems Through Riparian Vegetation Management”
by Jeong-Yun Gu, Jong-Won Lee, Sang-Woo Lee, Yujin Park and Se-Rin Park
Land 2025, 14(6), 1248; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061248  
Viewed by 475

We are delighted to share with you 10 reprints of Special Issues published in 2025 in Land (ISSN: 2073-445X). They were selected by the Land Editorial Office, each with 10 or more articles published. You can read more reprints of the Special Issues published by Land here.

We are delighted to share with you 10 reprints of Special Issues published in 2025 in Land (ISSN: 2073-445X). They were selected by the Land Editorial Office, each with 10 or more articles published. You can read more reprints of the Special Issues published by Land here.

Conference: 2025 Science and Technology Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences
Date: 18–20 July 2025
Location: Nanjing, China

MDPI will be attending the 2025 Science and Technology Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences as an exhibitor, welcoming researchers from diverse backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas.

The above conference is organized by the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences. The 2025 Science and Technology Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, which will take place in Nanjing, China, themed "Leading Green Technology Innovation to Boost Beautiful China", will serve as a platform for sharing forward-looking insights and future visions. The conference aims to advance research in ecological and environmental sciences, promote technological innovation, foster disciplinary development, and contribute to the progress of ecological civilization.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Atmosphere;
• Sustainability;
• Ecologies;
• Gases;
• Land;
• Conservation;
• Diversity;
• Earth;
• Eng;
• Environments;
• Hydrology;
• Technologies.

Six new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in June 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access. We are pleased to present the latest research and to make it accessible to all.

We extend our sincere thanks to all the Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Chang-Pu Sun, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing, China; Computational Science Research Center, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	quantum information and phenomena; condensed matter physics and statistical physics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; computational physics and mathematical methods View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Hualiang Lin, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	green and organic food; green infrastructures; green exercise; environmental impact of the healthcare sector; effects of climate change on human health | View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Francesco Veglio, University of L’Aquila, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue	ultra-pure substances; water purification; air purification; gas purification; inorganic chemical purification; purification technologies View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Junxing Zheng, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	computer-aided design and engineering; artificial intelligence and machine learning; building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins; robotics and automation in construction; smart sensors and Internet of Things (IoT); intelligent control systems and facilities management View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Assunta Di Vaio, University of Naples Parthenope, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue	sustainability, managerial, and biodiversity accounting; carbon management accounting; corporate social responsibility; artificial intelligence and disclosure View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Changjun Liu, Sichuan University, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	bioeffects of electromagnetic waves; electromagnetic science and engineering; microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz technologies; metamaterials and metasurfaces; communication, sensing, and networks; energy, power, and sustainable applications; quantum and emerging technologies; artificial intelligence and advanced fabrication View journal scope | Submit an article

Conference: 32nd International Cartographic Conference (ICC 2025)
Organization: Canadian Institute of Geomatics
Date: 17–22 Aug 2025
Location: Vancouver, Canada

The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the International Cartographic Conference is delighted to announce that the 32nd International Cartographic Conference is coming to Canada and will be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, from 17 to 22 August 2025. The theme for this conference is “Mapping the Future: Innovation, Inclusion, and Sustainability,” and it will be hosted by the Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG). The conference aims to serve as a forum where delegates can gather insights on scientific advancements, exchange expertise, and connect with peers in their respective domains.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• IJGI;
• Remote Sensing;
• Geomatics;
• Land;
• Earth;
• Forests;
• Imaging;
• Geographies;
• Atmosphere;
• Hydrology;
• Drones;
• Heritage;
• Data;
• Urban Science;
• Sustainability.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://icc2025.com/.