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Land
Special Issues
Feature Papers for "Land, Soil and Water" Section
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Feature Papers for "Land, Soil and Water" Section

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land, Soil and Water".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2025 | Viewed by 624

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Nick B. Comerford

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Quincy, FL32351, USA
Interests: forest soils and management; tropical/subtropical; soils; soil ecosystem services; soil organic carbon management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil derives its importance from the fundamental role it plays in ecosystem science and human health. Soil supports climate regulation, food security, and biodiversity conservation, to name just a few factors. Mismanagement can result in compromising human and ecosystem health. It is a key aspect of defining critical ecosystem services and the benefits that people and ecosystems derive from the processes that define a healthy soil. Yet, as a famous soil scientist once said, “Science and Nature have conspired to keep soils in the dark”.  Therefore, the "Land, Soil and Water" section of the Journal Land seeks to shine more light on key soil research topics. We are announcing a Special Issue that seeks to feature significant papers that define the most important soil research topics. A Feature Paper is defined as one that represents a team of accomplished scientists who bring their combined effort into producing a significant piece of work, and is an original research article or review paper that gives insights into current theories, delves into key topics or subtopics of soil, or is seminal in its nature. The topics that are welcome include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Mechanisms of soil organic carbon storage and stability.
  • Impacts of warming and extreme weather events on soil processes.
  • Microbial and plant interactions in promoting soil fertility.
  • Integrative soil management for minimizing fertilizer and pesticide dependence.
  • Mapping and preserving soil microbial and faunal diversity.
  • Impact of biodiversity loss on soil functionality.
  • Role of soil in hydrological cycles under changing climate conditions.
  • Nature based solutions for enhancing soil resilience.
  • Applications of AI and machine learning in soil data analysis.
  • Impacts of nanoparticles, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants on soil health.
  • Soil pedotransfer functions.

Prof. Dr. Nick B. Comerford
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. Land 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

  • soil and climate change
  • soil health
  • sustainable agriculture
  • soil biodiversity
  • soil ecosystem service
  • artificial intelligence applications to soil
  • emerging soil contaminants

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 6507 KiB  
Article
Revitalizing Marginal Areas of Basilicata (Southern Italy) with Saffron: A Strategy Approach Mixing Alternative Cultivation System and Land Suitability Analysis
by Nunzia Cicco, Vincenzo Candido, Rosa Coluzzi, Vito Imbrenda, Maria Lanfredi, Michele Larocca, Annarita Lorusso, Carla Benelli and Adriano Sofo
Land 2025, 14(4), 902; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040902 - 19 Apr 2025
Viewed by 224
Abstract
The abandonment of farmland in Europe is a significant issue due to its environmental, socio-economic, and landscape consequences. This tendency mainly impacts marginal and inner areas, located far from large urban districts, because of biophysical and/or socio-economic factors. Although European and national regulations [...] Read more.
The abandonment of farmland in Europe is a significant issue due to its environmental, socio-economic, and landscape consequences. This tendency mainly impacts marginal and inner areas, located far from large urban districts, because of biophysical and/or socio-economic factors. Although European and national regulations try to turn the fragility of these territories into an opportunity for sustainable development, many of these areas, especially in southern Europe, continue to suffer socio-economic disparities. For this reason, it is necessary to consider regional and district-wide initiatives that can economically revitalize marginal areas while safeguarding their natural capital. Alternative cropping systems, capable of optimizing the quality of some food crops, can play an essential role in the economic development of populations living in marginal areas. These areas, represented by inland zones often abandoned due to the difficulty of applying mechanized agriculture, can represent an opportunity to rediscover sustainable and profitable practices. Among the high-value crops, saffron (Crocus sativus L.), “red gold” and “king of spices”, stands out for its potential. Indeed, thanks to the use of tuff tubs, a more eco-sustainable choice compared to the plastic pots already mentioned in the literature, it is possible to improve the quality of this spice. Furthermore, Crocus sativus L. not only lends itself to multiple uses but also represents a valid opportunity to supplement agricultural income. This is made possible by its high profitability and beneficial properties for human health, offering a way to diversify agricultural production with positive economic and social impacts. It is known that the saffron market in Italy suffers from competition from developing countries (Iran, Morocco, India) capable of producing saffron at lower costs than European countries, thanks to the lower cost of labor. Therefore, this study seeks to identify marginal areas that can be recovered and valorized through an eco-sustainable cultivation system with the potential to enhance the quality of this spice, making it unique and resilient to competition. Specifically, this paper is organized on a dual scale of investigation: (a) at the local level to demonstrate the economic-ecological feasibility of saffron cultivation through the adoption of an alternative farming technique on an experimental site located in Tricarico (Basilicata—Southern Italy, 40°37′ N, 16°09′ E; 472 m. a.s.l.) that, although fertile, is not suitable for mechanized cropping systems; (b) at the regional level through a spatially explicit land suitability analysis to indicate the possible location where to export saffron cultivation. The final map, obtained by combining geo-environmental variables, can be considered a precious tool to support policymakers and farmers to foster a broad agricultural strategy founded on new crop management systems. The adoption of this alternative agroecological system could optimize the use of land resources in the perspective of increasing crop productivity and profitability in marginal agricultural areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for "Land, Soil and Water" Section)
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