Resilient Land Systems in a Changing Climate

Dear Colleagues,

Land systems are critical to sustaining ecosystems, biodiversity, and human livelihoods; however, they face unprecedented challenges due to climate change including extreme weather events, shifting land use patterns, and ecosystem degradation. This Special Issue, “Resilient Land Systems in a Changing Climate”, aims to explore innovative strategies, policies, and practices that enhance the resilience of land systems in the face of these challenges. We invite contributions that address the interplay between climate change, land management, and sustainable development, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, adaptive land-use planning, ecosystem restoration, climate-smart agriculture, socio-ecological resilience, and the role of technology and governance in fostering sustainable land systems. By bringing together cutting-edge research and case studies, this Special Issue seeks to provide actionable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners working towards resilient and sustainable land systems in a rapidly changing world.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

1. Climate Change Impacts on Land Systems

• Assessing the effects of climate change on land degradation, desertification, and ecosystem services;
• Case studies on extreme weather events (e.g., droughts, floods) and their impacts on land use and livelihoods.

2. Land Cover Changes and Climate Feedback Mechanisms

• Investigating the impacts of land cover changes (e.g., deforestation, afforestation, and urbanization) on local and global climate systems;
• Quantifying the role of land cover changes in carbon sequestration, albedo effects, and hydrological cycles;
• Feedback loops between land cover changes, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate variability.

3. Adaptive Land Use Planning and Management

• Strategies for sustainable land-use planning under climate uncertainty;
• Integrating traditional knowledge and modern technologies in land management.

4. Ecosystem Restoration and Conservation

• Approaches to restoring degraded lands and enhancing biodiversity;
• The role of nature-based solutions (e.g., reforestation or wetland restoration) in building resilience.

5. Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Security

• Innovations in agricultural practices to improve resilience and productivity;
• Balancing food production with environmental sustainability in a changing climate.

6. Socio-Ecological Resilience and Community Adaptation

• The role of local communities in building resilient land systems;
• Socio-economic and cultural dimensions of land-use change and adaptation.

7. Governance, Policy, and Institutional Frameworks

• Policy interventions to promote sustainable land management and climate adaptation;
• Multi-level governance and international cooperation for resilient land systems.

8. Technological Innovations and Remote Sensing

• Applications of remote sensing, GIS, and big data in monitoring land systems;
• Emerging technologies for climate-resilient land management.

9. Urbanization and Land Systems

• The impact of urban expansion on land resources and ecosystems;
• Strategies for sustainable urban planning and green infrastructure.

10. Global and Regional Case Studies

• Comparative studies on land system resilience across different regions;
• Success stories and lessons learned from climate-resilient land management projects.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Lingxue Yu
Dr. Zhuoran Yan
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. 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.

• resilient land systems
• land cover changes and associated climate feedback
• climate change adaptation
• sustainable land management
• ecosystem restoration
• climate-smart agriculture
• socio-ecological resilience
• land-use planning
• biodiversity conservation
• governance and policy
• remote sensing and land monitoring