Announcements

Nine new journals covering multiple subjects launched their inaugural issues in December 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of the Editorial Board Members, and each journal will ensure its high-quality output by using excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

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

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Zhaoyang Dong City University of Hong Kong, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	energy storage technologies; energy storage system management; energy storage applications; strategies in renewable energy generation grid integration; distributed storage systems; economics and markets for energy storage View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Yang-Hui He 1. London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Royal Institution, UK 2. University of Oxford, UK Editorial | View inaugural issue	Euclidean geometry; differential geometry; algebraic geometry; complex geometry; discrete geometry; computational geometry; geometric group theory;  convex geometry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Michel Planat Université de Franche-Comté, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	differential topology; algebraic topology; manifold topology; homology theory; low-dimensional topology; fuzzy sets View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Rashid Al Abri 1. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman 2. Oman Medical Association, Oman Editorial | View inaugural issue	clinical practices as well as research and innovation in medical education, risk management in healthcare, and patient safety View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili* New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA *Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili passed away before the completion of the inaugural issue. His dedication and vision for JPBI will always be remembered and serve as a guiding inspiration. Editorial | View inaugural issue	early drug discovery and development; product characterization and pre-clinical testing; drug delivery systems and drug design; active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Weiyong Liu Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	theories, methodologies, technologies, and applications in the fields of laboratory medicine and clinical chemistry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar University of Granada, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	scientometrics; informetrics; bibliometrics; altmetrics; webometrics; research evaluation View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Fei Fan Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	regional growth theory and methods; regional system modeling and optimization; regional development policy; regional spatial evolution; environmental policy and instrument choice View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Kevin Cianfaglione Université Catholique de Lille, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	wild species and their habitats; wild environments and biodiversity; natural environment management; wild land preservation View journal scope | Submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com) if you would like to create more new journals.

Abstract
The Editorial Board Meeting for Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) was held on October 14, 2024, at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The meeting was organized by Associate Prof. Le Yu, the Section Editor–in–Chief of Land, Ms. Viola Gao, the Publisher, Ms. Hannah Tian, the Associate Publisher. It brought together eleven Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from five institutions, along with four members of the Land Editorial Office Team, to discuss the journal's development strategy. Since its establishment in 2012, Land has focused on land science, delivering timely, accurate, and comprehensive reports on significant research achievements from international scholars. Despite the journal's considerable progress, it continues to face challenges in effectively managing the academic quality of submissions and attracting high-quality original articles. During the meeting, the EBMs provided valuable feedback and suggestions on four key themes: (1) future development strategies, (2) improving manuscript quality control, (3) creating innovative Special Issues, and (4) strengthening the editorial team.
keywords: Land; editorial board meeting; journal development; innovation; land science; academic quality

Attendees
The meeting gathered eleven EBMs from five institutions: Tsinghua University, the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Normal University, China University of Geosciences Beijing, and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The attendees included Prof. Xiangzheng Deng, Prof. Chuanglin Fang, Prof. Shiliang Liu, Prof. Jianjun Zhang, Prof. Jinyan Zhan, Prof. Fang Li, Associate Prof. Mengyao Han, Associate Prof. Yongsheng Wang, Associate Prof. Wei Song, Associate Prof. Linshan Liu and Associate Prof. Le Yu, along with four members of the journal editorial team: Ms. Viola Gao, Ms. Hannah Tian, Mr. Simms Zhao, and Ms. Kaleen Fan (Figure 1).

Review and expectations of Land

During the meeting (Figure 2), the discussion incorporated suggestions offered by Associate Prof. Le Yu and Prof. Peng Gong, and it was additionally based on a report presented by Prof. Peng Gong. The points of this discussion have been summarized as follows:

• Suggestions for journal enhancement:
  • Gathering and incorporating feedback from EBMs to improve the journal's quality and processes.
• Promote the role of land science:
  • Continuing to emphasize the importance of land resources in urbanization and environmental governance.
  • Showcasing significant research achievements by international scholars to advance global knowledge.
• Strengthen the journal’s academic standing:
  • Working collectively to position Land as a leading international academic journal;
  • Providing decision-making support for global land and environmental governance initiatives.
• Develop editorial strategies:
  • Evaluating and refining the journal’s editorial processes, including peer review, to maintain high standards;
  • Exploring ways to further engage the Editorial Board in shaping the journal’s direction.
• Expand journal activities and outreach:
  • Planning and executing the 2024 international academic conference;
  • Establishing new awards to recognize excellence in the field;
  • Organizing author training sessions and online seminars to support scholarly development.
• Enhance awareness of open access publishing:
  • Highlighting the benefits of the open access publishing model to contributors and stakeholders;
  • Promoting an understanding of the journal’s achievements and operations among EBMs and the wider academic community.
• Monitor and improve key metrics:
  • Regularly assessing the journal’s performance using key metrics to identify areas for growth;
  • Sharing performance updates with EBMs to maintain transparency and foster collaboration.
• Strengthen collaborative efforts:
  • Encouraging the greater involvement of EBMs in journal initiatives and decision-making processes;
  • Leveraging collective expertise to drive innovation and academic influence.

The open discussion, carried out by the EBMs, focused on four main topics, which were the following:

• Future development strategies

 In the open discussion, the EBMs engaged in an in-depth and comprehensive discussion around the future development strategy of Land. (Figure 3).

First, it is recommended that the EBMs co-author an editorial or perspective article each year as feedback for the meetings. Additionally, they should update a review article annually to summarize the annual research hotspots, key advancements, and development trends in the field, providing the academic community with a comprehensive and concise overview of research dynamics. Furthermore, it is suggested that they collaborate closely with schools, institutions, and societies to attract high-quality submissions.
Secondly, in terms of the internationalization strategy, it is essential to diversify the author community and ensure a balanced presence of scholars from various countries. Moreover, it is of great significance to closely monitor the trends in international academic conferences to stay informed about emerging research directions and hot topics in different fields. After these conferences, the relevant manuscripts should be promptly sorted and filtered to incorporate the significant research findings into the journal's content framework. While Land has gained a certain degree of recognition in the field of land science, there is still a need to explore ways to enhance its visibility and attractiveness in broader academic areas, particularly in interdisciplinary and integrated fields. Therefore, it is recommended that the EBMs conduct a comprehensive review of the journal to clarify its unique positioning and distinctive features. This will enable the journal to stand out among numerous academic publications and attract more attention and submissions from interdisciplinary researchers, ultimately promoting its international development and overall impact.
Finally, the EBMs should enhance the journal’s influence by actively promoting academic activities. This can be achieved by co-organizing conferences, hosting events targeted at students, and publishing reports on trending topics and annual reviews in the field. In addition to these initiatives, effective article promotion is crucial. Regularly highlighting highly cited articles and organizing discussions around popular topics are recommended. To promote the dissemination and sharing of articles, the journal can utilize QR codes and create both online and offline promotional materials. The journal can foster sustainable development and significantly enhance its academic influence by implementing these strategies.

• Improving manuscript quality control:

The EBMs attached great importance to quality control. To tackle this concern, they thought the journal should concentrate on obtaining high-quality submissions and actively invite influential scholars to contribute articles.
The EBMs emphasized the necessity of maintaining stringent quality standards throughout the manuscript review process, with the quality of submissions being the primary consideration. Additionally, careful attention should be given to the backgrounds of the reviewers and the relevance of their research to improve the quality of review reports.
During the initial screening of submissions, the Editorial Team must evaluate the quality of figures and tables, the clarity of language, and the completeness and detail of the content. This thorough review is crucial before forwarding the manuscripts to the Editorial Board for final quality checks. Implementing this foundational review process is essential to mitigate potential issues that may arise later in the review process.

• Creating innovative Special Issues:

The EBMs unanimously concur that Land ought to implement several measures to develop frontier Special Issues to boost its academic influence.
First, by integrating classic topics and high-quality published articles, the journal should establish a centralized collection to sustain the annual vitality of updates within the field. In cases where certain classic topics are lacking suitable foundational Special Issues, interested EBMs should be invited to take the lead in developing new Special Issues.
Second, the journal should keep a close eye on the latest advancements in the field of land science and collaborate with international scholars to build academic bridges. Regular meetings should be held to work with experts to select projects and identify topics, ensuring that the content of Special Issues remains at the forefront of academic discourse.
Finally, encouraging the EBMs to write annual thematic articles on trending topics can assist in reflecting academic trends, stimulating the participation of scholars, and ensuring the continuous development and influence of the journal. Simultaneously, close attention should be given to international hot topics as well as new terms and policies. By employing academic language for dissemination, Land can enhance its capability to connect policy topics on an international scale, continuously explore new and classic issues, and thereby lay a solid foundation for innovation and development. This comprehensive strategy aims to position the journal as a leading platform in the field, driving the progress of land science research and academic exchanges.

• Strengthening the editorial team:

The attendees emphasized the importance of maintaining young EBMs. In addition to invitations from the Editorial Team, EBMs should proactively reach out to more young scholars and international researchers, encouraging their involvement in the journal's activities. This approach will help continuously refresh the Editorial Board and introduce new perspectives.
When seeking recommendations for candidates for various projects, it is advisable to establish clear criteria, such as requiring candidates to have a minimum number of published articles. This will enable the EBMs to recommend more suitable candidates effectively. Implementing these strategies will significantly enhance the journal's vitality and academic influence, fostering a dynamic environment that attracts fresh talent and diverse ideas.

Conclusion

This was the first Editorial Board Meeting for Land’s China region, during which many valuable ideas were proposed. All EBMs expressed their commitment and enthusiasm for the journal's development, valuing its significance in the field of land science while fully endorsing its handling procedures and publishing services. They offered important insights on future development strategies, improving manuscript quality control, creating innovative Special Issues, and strengthening the Editorial Team.
The EBMs reached a consensus on the journal's development strategy, which encompasses deepening the construction of a diverse and international scholar community, nurturing outstanding young scholars, and leveraging the journal’s platform to focus on cutting-edge content in land science. Concerning the construction of journal and Special Issue topics, the EBMs proposed tracking key projects to ensure that the content of Special Issues remains at the academic vanguard. They also recommended regularly reviewing achievements in the field of land science to stimulate greater participation and contribution from scholars. Moreover, the EBMs unanimously agreed that the quality of manuscripts is fundamental to the journal's development. All EBMs will remain dedicated to maintaining strict quality control over submissions while continuously pursuing innovation and development.

Researchers from Stanford University have recently published an update of the list of the top 2% most widely cited scientists—the World’s Top 2% Scientists.

The statistical data informing these rankings cover the period from 1960 to 2024, and the data is divided into two lists: “Lifetime Scientific Influence Ranking” and “2024 Annual Scientific Influence Ranking”. The “Lifetime Scientific Influence Ranking” calculates the comprehensive influence of scientists during their careers, and the “2024 Annual Influence Ranking” highlights the academic influence of scientists in the previous year. The World's Top 2% Scientists rankings, considered the most prestigious worldwide, is based on bibliometric information contained in the Scopus database and includes more than 200,000 researchers out of more than 10 million scientists considered active worldwide, with 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields taken into account.

We are pleased to share that 13 Editorial Board Members from Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) were featured as the World’s Top 2% Scientists in 2024.

The latest rankings reflect the significant influence and research excellence of scientists who are committed to furthering their knowledge for the benefit of the world.

As all of the articles published in our journal Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) are presented in an open access format, everyone has free and unlimited access to the full texts. We welcome you to read our annual recommended articles included in the issues released in 2024, listed below:

1. “Toward Evidence-Based Local Food Policy: An Agroecological Assessment of Urban Agriculture in Rome”
by Davide Marino, Francesca Curcio, Francesca Benedetta Felici and Giampiero Mazzocchi
Land 2024, 13(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010030
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/30

Highlights:

• Research objective: The aim of this research is to explore potential relationships between local food policies and agroecology by applying an agroecological assessment methodology to a city region context;
• Policy recommendations: This study recommends enhancing support for agroecology in urban agriculture through targeted local food policies, promoting both social and economic drivers of sustainability;
• Future implications: The results highlight the potential of agroecological practices and their integration into urban planning and policy frameworks.

Highlights:

• Spatial model assessment with a participatory process were combined in one approach;
• Both ecosystem services and disservices for human health were considered;
• Participant-generated green space designs result in a considerable self-assessed increase in use;
• Model-assessed positive and negative health effects of green space designs are limited;
• The combined approach produces clear outcomes regarding health benefits and use of designs.

3. “Soil Loss Estimation by Water Erosion in Agricultural Areas Introducing Artificial Intelligence Geospatial Layers into the RUSLE Model”
by Nikiforos Samarinas, Nikolaos L. Tsakiridis, Eleni Kalopesa and George C. Zalidis
Land 2024, 13(2), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020174
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/174

Highlights:

• The implementation of a Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) approach for the prediction of topsoil SOC and soil texture via Sentinel-2 satellite imagery data and AI architectures;
• Innovative integration of Artificial Intelligence into the RUSLE model for the generation of finer spatial resolution maps;
• Utilization of the Soil Data Cube self-hosted custom tool to process and handle a large volume of EO data.

4. “Potential Interactions between Climate Change and Land Use for Forest Issues in the Eastern United States”
by Brice B. Hanberry, Marc D. Abrams and Gregory J. Nowacki
Land 2024, 13(3), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030398
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/398

Highlights:

• We examined climate change and land use and disturbance changes in the eastern U.S.;
• Climate has not warmed but precipitation has increased;
• Climate and land use have interacted to reduce wildfire frequency and increase tree growth;
• Human activities facilitated the expansion of native tree species distribution, non-native species invasion, and damaging native species outbreaks;
• Recent climate change and land use have not influenced deer herbivory levels;
• A warmer and drier climate may reverse interactions with land use, varying by species;
• Management can correct non-climate stressors and support ecosystems against climate change.

5. “Structure and Carbon Capture of a Temperate Mixed Forest across Altitudinal Gradients in Northern Mexico”
by Luis U. Castruita-Esparza, Raúl Narváez-Flores, Mélida Gutiérrez, Aldo S. Mojica-Guerrero, Gerónimo Quiñones-Barraza and Javier Hernández-Salas
Land 2024, 13(4), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040461
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/4/461

Highlights:

• This research examined floristic diversity and biomass in a vast mixed pine-oak forest in Chihuahua, Mexico, at various altitudes;
• In a mixed pine-oak forest in Chihuahua, Mexico, species richness and diversity were greatest at lower altitudes, and lower at higher altitudes;
• At 2601-2850 m, forest carbon storage peaked. Pine trees held more carbon generally, yet at higher altitudes;
• Social protections and carbon credit sales aid carbon storage in shifting climates. Reforestation, genetic enhancements, and mixed stands may boost carbon storage.

Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) is an international and cross-disciplinary, peer-reviewed, open access journal on land system science, landscape, soil and water, urban study, land–climate interactions, water–energy–land–food (WELF) nexus, biodiversity research and health nexus, land modelling and data processing, ecosystem services, and multifunctionality and sustainability etc., published monthly online by MDPI. The International Association for Landscape Ecology (IALE), European Land-use Institute (ELI), Landscape Institute (LI) and Urban Land Institute (ULI) are affiliated with Land, and their members receive discounts on the article processing charges.

More information about the journal is available through the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/land.

We are currently recruiting Guest Editors for this journal and have put out an open call for Special Issue proposals. Special Issues present an opportunity for a group of authors to work on an interconnected set of papers on an innovative topic. We aim to solicit high-quality proposals that will be evaluated with a competitive procedure on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

Proposed Special Issues should have a well-articulated unifying topic and reflect, at an international level, the best work in a particular research area—either a well-established area or an important emerging area—in which future investigations may be boosted by the publication of a set of high-quality papers. Hence, an international group of Guest Editors and a few high-quality planned papers are encouraged.

As a Guest Editor, you would be responsible for the following:

• Defining the aims and scopes of Special Issues;
• Providing potential author lists and inviting high-quality contributions;
• Pre-screening, supervising the whole peer-review process, and making decisions on new submissions to the Special Issue (according to the review reports);
• Promoting the Special Issue at conferences, on social media and on other relevant platforms.

The Editorial Office will set up the Special Issue website, arrange promotional materials, assist with invitations to contribute papers, and take care of administrative tasks associated with the peer review process, including inviting reviewers, collating reports, and contacting authors, and professional production before publication.

As a Guest Editor, you would have the following privileges:

• A certificate of recognition as a Guest Editor of Land;
• The ability to publish one feature paper in your Special Issue;
• The ability to provide invited authors with discounts when they submit high-quality papers to be published in your Special Issue;
• Travel grant opportunities to attend featured conferences;
• Special Issue Reprints: If a Special Issue publishes more than 10 papers after a full peer review, it may be published as a reprinted Special Issue book with an ISBN, and each Guest Editor will receive a hard copy free of charge. Reprints will be brought to the conference booth for display as representatives of successful Special Issues;
• Promotion of the Special Issue and published papers on the journal's official social media account;
• Consideration as a Land Editorial Board Member candidate if a Special Issue is successful;
• The opportunity to participate in or host academic meetings or online seminars related to the Guest Editors' research focus;
• Further opportunities to apply for journal awards of Land;
• An ideal avenue for networking and communicating with scholars in the research community, as well as a chance to be an influential person within your discipline. The relationships you develop will last beyond the publication of your Special Issue, establishing a network for future collaboration.

Information to be provided in your proposal:

• A 300–500-word summary explaining the proposed topic’s significance, novelty, technical advancement, and adherence to the scope of the journal;
• A few keywords on the topic;
• A plan for obtaining high-quality papers or a list of at least three planned papers;
• A brief resume of the proposed Guest Editors together with their information (title, name, email, affiliation, personal website, keywords of interests);
• A proposed submission deadline (Special Issues normally run for 6–8 months).

You can submit your application directly via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journalproposal/sendproposalspecialissue/land.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Land Editorial Office if you are interested and would like further details or clarification.

We look forward to receiving your proposals.

Land Editorial Office

As all of the articles published in our journal Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) are presented in an open access format, everyone has free and unlimited access to the full texts. We welcome you to read our annual recommended articles published in 2024, listed below:

1. “Spatiotemporal Analysis of Soil Quality Degradation and Emissions in the State of Iowa (USA)”
by Elena A. Mikhailova, Hamdi A. Zurqani, Lili Lin, Zhenbang Hao, Christopher J. Post, Mark A. Schlautman and Gregory C. Post
Land 2024, 13(4), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040547
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/4/547

Highlights:

• The concept of soil quality (SQ) is defined as the soil's capacity to function to support plant and animal life, maintain water and air quality, and support human health, and is often applied at the field scale;
• Soil quality (SQ) is composed of inherent (soil suitability) and dynamic (soil health, SH) components that form a landscape-level SQ continuum (SQC);
• This study analyzed SQ degradation and emissions from land developments for the state of Iowa (IA) in the United States of America (USA);
• The results support pending soil health-related legislation in IA that works towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promoted by the United Nations (UN).

2. “Resilience of Terraced Landscapes to Human and Natural Impacts: A GIS-Based Reconstruction of Land Use Evolution in a Mediterranean Mountain Valley”
by Titouan Le Vot, Marianne Cohen, Maciej Nowak, Paul Passy and Franck Sumera
Land 2024, 13(5), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050592
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/592

Highlights:

• Terraced lands are a historical landscape under risk in Mediterranean mountains;
• Their surface and land-use trajectories are analyzed across five centuries in a GIS;
• Although mostly abandoned, they persist in the ground landscape;
• Their environmental and productive functions are part of their future resilience.

3. “Exploring Urban Service Location Suitability: Mapping Social Behavior Dynamics with Space Syntax Theory”
by Saleh Qanazi, Ihab H. Hijazi, Isam Shahrour and Rani El Meouche
Land 2024, 13(5), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050609
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/609

Highlights:

• Research objective: This paper investigates urban service suitability by integrating social factors with spatial analysis at the community level using space syntax theory;
• Main findings:

• This study identifies the optimal locations for essential governmental facilities, such as health clinics and fire stations, and suggests reallocation for some schools;
• It demonstrates ways to improve the placement of community amenities, finding ideal locations for parks but noting suboptimal placements for mosques;
• The study highlights areas for enhancement in commercial services, including gas stations and shops.

• Future implications: The insights from this research can guide policymakers and planners in creating more efficient, equitable, and accessible cities.

4. “Modeling Irrigation of Tomatoes with Saline Water in Semi-Arid Conditions Using Hydrus-1D”
by Sabri Kanzari, Jiří Šimůnek, Issam Daghari, Anis Younes, Khouloud Ben Ali, Sana Ben Mariem and Samir Ghannem
Land 2024, 13(6), 739; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060739
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/6/739

Highlights:

• Hydrus-1D successfully simulated soil water and salt dynamics in a soil profile, with tomatoes irrigated with saline water;
• The multiplicative S-model was the best model for reproducing a decrease in tomato relative yield due to irrigation water salinity;
• An increase in seasonal temperature of 2°C had no significant effect on tomato yield.

5. “Facilitated Forest Restoration Using Pioneer Seed Dispersers in Madagascar: The Example of Microcebus spp.”
by Jörg U. Ganzhorn, Jean-Basile Andriambeloson, Sylvia Atsalis, Lis M. Behrendt, Marina B. Blanco, An Bollen, Stéphanie M. Carrière, Lounès Chikhi, Melanie Dammhahn, Giuseppe Donati et al.
Land 2024, 13(12), 1971; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13121971
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/12/1971

Highlights:

• The aim of this research is to explore the potential contributions of a small primate seed disperser (genus Microcebus) to forest restoration projects at early stages when the restored vegetation cannot yet attract large seed dispersers, which are often targeted by the concept of “facilitated restoration”;
• Microcebus disperses the seeds of small-seeded plants such as pioneer herbs and shrubs, but also the seeds of some large trees;
• In reforestation plots bordering natural forest, these small animals could be lured into the restoration plots by planting fast-fruiting shrubs and herbs that set fruit within one to two years;
• Considering the potential roles of these small seed dispersers in restoration planting could accelerate the trajectory of a reforested area that might otherwise might remain species-poor for a long period of time towards a species-rich plant community.

The articles below have been selected as 2024 Issue Cover Articles by the Editorial Office of Land (ISSN: 2073-445X). These articles came from multiple fields within the scope of Land, and we hope they can provide insights and references for scholars in related fields.

	“How Can Drones Uncover Land Degradation Hotspots and Restoration Hopespots? An Integrated Approach in the Mount Elgon Region with Community Perceptions” by Hosea Opedes, Shafiq Nedala, Caspar A. Mücher, Jantiene E. M. Baartman and Frank Mugagga Land 2024, 13(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010001 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/1
	“Enhancing Sustainability and Yield in Maritime Pine Forests: Evaluating Silvicultural Models for Natural Regeneration” by André Sandim, Maria Emília Silva, Paulo Fernandes and Teresa Fonseca Land 2024, 13(2), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020170 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/170
	“Your Favourite Park Is Not My Favourite Park: A Participatory Geographic Information System Approach to Improving Urban Green and Blue Spaces—A Case Study in Edinburgh, Scotland” by Charlotte Wendelboe-Nelson, Yiyun Wang, Simon Bell, Craig W. McDougall and Catharine Ward Thompson Land 2024, 13(3), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030395 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/395
	“A Land Administration Data Exchange and Interoperability Framework for Kenya and Its Significance to the Sustainable Development Goals” by Clifford Okembo, Javier Morales, Christiaan Lemmen, Jaap Zevenbergen and David Kuria Land 2024, 13(4), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040435 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/4/435
	“Landscape Analysis and Coastal Planning: Ría de Arosa (Pontevedra, Spain)” by Carlos E. Nieto, Antonio Miguel Martínez-Graña and Leticia Merchán Land 2024, 13(5), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050645 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/645
	“Evaluating Urban Green Space Inequity to Promote Distributional Justice in Portland, Oregon” by Evan Elderbrock, Kory Russel, Yekang Ko, Elizabeth Budd, Lilah Gonen and Chris Enright Land 2024, 13(6), 720; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060720 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/6/720
	“Using Radiometric and Categorical Change to Create High-Accuracy Maps of Historical Land Cover Change in Watersheds of the Great Lakes Basin” by Andrew F. Poley, Laura L. Bourgeau-Chavez, Jeremy A. Graha, Dorthea J. L. Vander Bilt, Dana Redhuis, Michael J. Battaglia, Robert E. Kennedy and Nancy H. F. French Land 2024, 13(7), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13070920 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/7/920
	“Form-Based Code Revisited: Leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Optimization to Chart Commuting Efficiency Landscapes under Alternative City Planning Frameworks” by Reza Mortaheb, Piotr Jankowski, Alan Murray and Marcos Bastian Land 2024, 13(8), 1190; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081190 Available online: https://mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/8/1190
	“Twenty Years of Land Accounts in Europe” by Eva Ivits, Erika Orlitova, Roger Milego, Gergely Maucha, Barbara Kosztra, Emanuele Mancosu, Jaume Fons, Mirko Gregor, Manuel Löhnertz and Gerard Hazeu Land 2024, 13(9), 1350; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091350 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/9/1350
	“Agroecology for the City—Spatialising ES-Based Design in Peri-Urban Contexts” by Richard Morris, Shannon Davis, Gwen-Aëlle Grelet and Pablo Gregorini Land 2024, 13(10), 1589; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101589 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/10/1589
	“Identifying Potential Urban Greenways by Considering Green Space Exposure Levels and Maximizing Recreational Flows: A Case Study in Beijing’s Built-Up Areas” by Tao Liu, Le Yu, Xin Chen, Yunmiao Chen, Xiaomeng Li, Xinyi Liu, Yue Cao, Fan Zhang, Chenggang Zhang and Peng Gong Land 2024, 13(11), 1793; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111793 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/11/1793
	“Integrating Local Food Policies and Spatial Planning to Enhance Food Systems and Rural–Urban Links: A Living Lab Experiment” by Francesca Galli, Sabrina Arcuri, Giovanni Belletti, Andrea Marescotti, Michele Moretti and Massimo Rovai Land 2024, 13(12), 2014; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122014 Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/12/2014

MDPI will be attending the General Assembly 2025 of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), which will be held in Vienna, Austria, and online, from 27 April to 2 May 2025 at booth #2 in the Entrance Hall. The EGU General Assembly 2025 brings together geoscientists from all over the world to one meeting, covering all disciplines of Earth, planetary, and space science. The EGU aims to provide a forum where scientists, especially early career researchers, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geoscience.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.egu25.eu/.

Session Recommendation

We invite you to follow the sessions organized by MDPI journal scholars:

1. Drivers affecting global carbon sink of terrestrial ecosystems
Convener: Pekka Kauppi | Co-convener: Sean Sloan

2. Observational strategies and sensing techniques for marginal, poorly covered and degraded urban areas
Convener: Francesco Soldovieri | Co-conveners: Maurizio Mazzoleni, Fabio Tosti, Andrea Scozzari

3. Non-Destructive Testing and Earth Observation Methods for Sustainability and Resilience of Infrastructure and Built Environments
Convener: Andrea Benedetto | Co-conveners: Imad Al-Qadi, Andreas Loizos, Francesco Soldovieri, Fabio Tosti

Booth Event: Award Ceremony

MDPI will hold two award ceremonies during the EGU. You are welcome to visit booth #2 at the entrance hall and congratulate the outstanding winners on us.

Remote Sensing Travel Award
Winner: Dr. Nicola Nocentini
Award Presenter: Prof. Dr. Fabio Tosti (Associate Editor of Remote Sensing)

Dr. Nicola Nocentini is a researcher specializing in the spatiotemporal prediction of rainfall-induced landslides using dynamic machine learning approaches. He currently conducts research at both the University of Padua and the University of Florence, focusing on the improvement of landslide forecasting models for regional-scale early warning systems.

He earned his Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of Pisa, and he has collaborated with different institutions, including the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) in Oslo, where he contributed to the calibration of machine learning algorithms for landslide prediction. He has also been actively involved in projects with the Italian National Civil Protection Department, enhancing rainfall threshold models and web-based monitoring platforms.

Dr. Nocentini has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and presented his research at leading international conferences such as the EGU General Assembly and the World Landslide Forum. His expertise spans GIS-based modeling, statistical analysis, and AI-driven geohazard prediction, making significant contributions to the field of landslide risk assessment and mitigation.

Geosciences Best Paper Award
Winning Paper: “Improving the Estimation of the Occurrence Time of an Impending Major Earthquake Using the Entropy Change of Seismicity in Natural Time Analysis”
by Panayiotis A. Varotsos, Nicholas V. Sarlis, Efthimios S. Skordas, Toshiyasu Nagao, Masashi Kamogawa, E. Leticia Flores-Márquez, Alejandro Ramírez-Rojas and Jennifer Perez-Oregon
Geosciences 2023, 13(8), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences13080222
Award Presenter: Prof. Dr. Olivier Lacombe (Section Editor-in-Chief of Geosciences)

Prof. Dr. Panayiotis A. Varotsos is Emeritus Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Since the 1970s, he has focused on the dielectric properties of solids, including several rocks, and has established a rigorous foundation of the thermodynamic parameters that govern the formation and/or migration of defects in solids. In the beginning of the 1980s, Prof. Dr. Varotsos found that the presence of aliovalent impurities in ionic solids results in the formation of extrinsic defects, forming electric dipoles, the relaxation time of which depends on pressure (stress). He also showed that when the pressure reaches a critical value, σcr, a cooperative orientation of these dipoles may occur, which results in the emission of a transient electric signal. This may happen before an earthquake (critical point) since the stress gradually increases in the focal region before the rupture. These signals are termed Seismic Electric Signals (SESs) and have been experimentally detected since 1981, providing information on the magnitude and location of the epicenter of a forthcoming earthquake. Such signals have been observed at many occasions in Greece and in other countries. Moreover, in 2001, a new concept of time, termed natural time, was introduced, the analysis of which enables the study of the dynamical evolution of a complex system and identifies when the system approaches a dynamic phase transition. Such a transition is a major earthquake occurrence.

Prof. Dr. Varotsos has authored or co-authored approximately 300 publications and five monographs.

More than 100 German universities and research institutions have entered into a national agreement with MDPI. The publication agreement negotiated by ZB MED comes into effect on 1 January 2025 and is valid until the end of 2026. Joining the consortium is still possible until the beginning of 2025. We are delighted by the high level of interest this agreement has already garnered, reflecting the strong demand for accessible and cost-effective open access publishing solutions among German research institutions.

This new cooperation aims to make scientific gold open access publishing more affordable and less administratively burdensome for researchers in Germany. The agreement includes substantial discounts on article processing charges (APCs) for corresponding authors from participating institutions. It offers flexible payment options, including centralized invoicing or individual payment of fees by researchers or their institutions. Additionally, the agreement features a flat-fee model that enables institutions to precisely plan expenses and optimize their library budgets.

"MDPI can look back on over a decade of successful partnerships with German research institutions," says Peter Roth, MDPI Head of Publishing. "The new agreement marks another milestone in the long-standing co-operation between MDPI and the German scientific community. It emphasizes our commitment to developing up-to-date and inventive solutions for the diverse needs of scientific institutions to promote open research for the benefit of researchers."

Petra Labriga, Head of Strategic License Management at ZB MED, highlighted the agreement's significance: "As one of the world's leading Gold OA publishers, MDPI plays a central role in the German publishing landscape. We are particularly pleased that we were able to achieve considerable potential cost savings for scientific institutions and their authors at a national level through our negotiations."

The partnership reflects a common goal of advancing the idea of open access and supporting researchers in making their scientific excellence internationally visible.

"We would like to thank the ZB MED consortium team for their excellent collaboration," added Adrian Stefan Zamfir, MDPI Institutional Partnership Manager for the DACH region. "We are delighted that this agreement will give even more researchers in Germany access to our tried-and-tested and reliable publication platform."

Franziska Fischer (right), Commercial Director at ZB MED, an Peter Roth (left), Head of Publishing at MDPI, celebrate the signing of the new national open access agreement between MDPI and the ZB MED Consortium.

More Information

• Conditions and participation opportunities (German): Link
• Frequently asked questions (German): Link

Contact

• ZB MED: Team Konsortiallizenzen (konsortiallizenzen@zbmed.de) - Website
  MDPI: Adrian Stefan Zamfir, Institutional Partnership Manager (zamfir@mdpi.com)
  
  

About ZB MED

ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Sciences is an infrastructure and research centre for life science information and data. Its aim is to support and strengthen research for people and the environment: from medicine to biodiversity and environmental protection.

The work of ZB MED is orientated towards the strategic guidelines:

• Research + Networking: We conduct research together with the regionally, nationally, European and globally networked research community.
• Data science: We enable data analyses and generate new knowledge through research.
• Access to information: We provide sustainable access to information, literature and data as a central information infrastructure.
• Open + FAIR: We promote open and reproducible science in line with open science and FAIR principles.
• Knowledge and skills transfer: We actively impart knowledge, competences and skills.

More information at www.zbmed.de.

About MDPI

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI is one of the world's leading open access publishers with a current portfolio of more than 440 journals in all scientific disciplines. MDPI‘s goal is to advance open science worldwide through greater transparency, efficiency and collaboration. To date, more than 3.7 million researchers have published their results in MDPI journals. The editorial process is overseen by a large network of dedicated reviewers and editors and supported by more than 6500 MDPI employees. MDPI currently works with over 800 academic institutions and 180 scientific societies worldwide, which benefit from a wide range of MDPI services and products.