Microbial Diversity and Ecology in Different Environments
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026
Special Issue Editors
2. Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE), Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems (ARISE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: environmental microbiology focused on the study of the microbiomes from different environments; genomics; taxonomy; bionematicides; biological control agents; biological polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: plant microbe interaction; molecular genetics; multi-omics and system biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Microbial communities represent the most abundant and diverse life forms on Earth, inhabiting every ecological niche from the deepest ocean trenches to the highest atmospheric layers. Understanding the metabolic diversity and ecological functions of microorganisms across different environments is fundamental to advancing our knowledge of ecosystem functioning, biogeochemical cycles, and biotechnological applications.
This Special Issue focuses on the comprehensive characterization of microbial diversity and ecology across various environments, including terrestrial ecosystems (soil, rhizosphere, plant-associated microbiomes), aquatic systems (marine, freshwater, sediments), extreme environments (hypersaline, acidic, high-temperature, polar regions), and host-associated microbiomes (animals, plants, humans). We encourage submissions that employ cutting-edge approaches, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and culturomics , to explore microbial community structure, function, and dynamics. Other omics to understand the molecular mechanisms related to microbial characteristics are welcome.
Particular emphasis is placed on studies that correlate microbial diversity with ecosystem functions, investigate host-microbe interactions, and explore the biotechnological potential of novel microorganisms and their metabolic pathways. We expect research addressing microbial adaptation mechanisms, community assembly processes, response to environmental changes, and the discovery of new bioactive compounds or enzymes with industrial applications.
This Special Issue aims to bridge fundamental microbial ecology with applied biotechnology, fostering interdisciplinary approaches that advance our understanding of microbial life and its potential for addressing global challenges in agriculture, environmental remediation, and biotechnology.
Dr. Diogo Neves Proença
Prof. Dr. Maria Carolina Quecine Verdi
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. Microorganisms 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 2700 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
- microbial diversity
- environmental microbiology
- microbiomes
- metagenomics
- microbial ecology
- biotechnological applications
- functional genomics
- extremophiles
- plant-microbe interactions
- soil microbiology
- marine microbiology
- biodegradation
- bioactive compounds
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