New Insights into Ecosystem Services in a Changing Environment: Novel Ecosystems, New Beginnings

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Landscape Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 238

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
Interests: novel ecosystems; ecosystem function; biodiversity; plants–below ground organisms interactions; vegetation species composition and diversity; primary succession; vegetation dynamics; plants adaptation processes in relation to biotic and abiotic conditions of the natural and anthropogenic environments
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E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, 28 Jagiellonska Str., 40-032 Katowice, Poland
Interests: novel ecosystems; biodiversity; species and vegetation diversity; ecosystem function; invasive species; railway areas; plants’ adaptation processes in relation to biotic and abiotic conditions of the natural and anthropogenic environments
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Management, AGH University of Krakow, 30 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland
2. Department of Mining Engineering and Education, Dnipro University of Technology, 19 Yavornytskoho Ave., 49005 Dnipro, Ukraine
Interests: environmental engineering; chemical engineering; mechanical engineering; gasification; coal; thermal engineering; biomass conversion; energy; utilization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Technical Institute of Bakrajo, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Wrme Street-327/76, Qrga, Sulaymaniyah 46001, Iraq
Interests: biodiversity along spontaneous succession on post-mining areas (novel ecosystems); wetland vegetation of novel ecosystems as the biodiversity hotspots of the urban-industrial landscape; restoration and succession in mining landscapes; functional traits and ecosystem responses to climate change; composition and structure of soil microbial communities; environmental impacts of creosote-treated wood
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human-induced environmental changes have created habitat conditions that are often harsh, resulting in ecosystems that differ fundamentally from their historical counterparts—novel ecosystems. Understanding their role in providing ecosystem services is becoming increasingly vital in the era of the changing environment (sustainable development). These ecosystems often represent irreversible changes in ecosystem composition and functioning.

Our goal is to highlight both the opportunities and challenges that these new ecosystem systems pose for improving ecosystem functioning, their sustainable restoration, land management, and environmental policy, particularly in urban–industrial landscapes.

This Special Issue aims to redefine our understanding of ecosystem services by acknowledging novel ecosystem processes as dynamic contributors to the recovery and resilience of the disturbed part of the biosphere.

We invite contributions from a wide range of disciplines—including ecology, environmental science, spatial planning, ecological economics, and social sciences. Submissions may include original research articles, case studies, methodological advancements, and comprehensive reviews that integrate ecological theory describing natural and semi-natural ecosystems with innovative frameworks for assessing the ecosystem services of emerging ecosystems in transformed landscapes and habitats, such as post-mining and urban environments. Articles integrating biotic and abiotic interactions, socioecological perspectives, and ecosystem functioning under changing environmental conditions are particularly welcome.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Sustainability.

Dr. Gabriela Woźniak
Dr. Agnieszka Hutniczak
Prof. Dr. Roman Dychkovskyi
Dr. Jawdat Bakr
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • methods of ecosystem service assessment
  • ecosystem functioning parameters
  • disturbed habitats
  • sustainable development
  • ecosystem function assessment
  • landscape transformation
  • urban ecosystems
  • socioecological systems
  • nature-based solutions

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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