The Role of Non-vascular Vegetation for Ecosystem Functioning and Climate in Different Regions of the World
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 4671
Special Issue Editors
Interests: vegetation modelling; non-vascular vegetation; ecophysiology; biogeochemistry
Interests: plant-microbe interactions; plant microbiome; ecological genomics
Interests: antarctica; biomonitoring; lichens; growth rate; diversity; temperature; precipitation; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce this Special Issue, titled “The Role of Non-vascular Vegetation for Ecosystem Functioning and Climate in different Regions of the World”. Bryophytes, lichens, terrestrial algae, and cyanobacteria share several physiological characteristics that distinguish them from vascular plants, such as their lack of active control over water loss and uptake. This is compensated for by their ability to survive dry periods while in an inactive state, which explains the worldwide distribution of non-vascular vegetation in extreme habitats such as rock surfaces. In contrast to their global abundance, however, only limited knowledge exists regarding the role of non-vascular vegetation for ecosystem functioning across the globe. Recent studies suggest that organisms may have a surprisingly large impact on biogeochemical processes and the climate in various ecosystems. They may contribute up to half of the nitrogen and carbon input of an ecosystem, particularly at high-latitudes, and they can intercept more than a third of rainfall in forest canopies, affecting the local climate. When in the form of biological soil crusts, they have been shown to reduce soil erosion. The impacts of non-vascular vegetation on soil surface properties such as albedo, thermal conductivity, or water storage may alter ecosystem processes ranging from the energy balance to succession trajectories. A main obstacle for a more quantitative assessment of these numerous potential effects of non-vascular vegetation is the relatively low number of studies, which results in uncertainty when up-scaling estimates. In addition to climatic variation, the dependence of ecosystem functioning on species composition of non-vascular communities adds to this uncertainty. With this Special Issue, we aim to highlight the potential key functional role of non-vascular vegetation and to promote research that increases our overall knowledge in this regard. We welcome original papers on all topics related to non-vascular vegetation and ecosystem functioning, including both empirical and modelling approaches.
Prof. Dr. Philipp Porada
Dr. David J. Weston
Prof. Dr. Leopoldo G. Sancho
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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
- non-vascular vegetation
- bryophytes
- lichens
- biological soil crust
- epiphytes
- ecosytem functions
- biogeochemical cycles
- soil–vegetation–atmosphere exchange
- ecosystem succession
- ecosystem ecology
- ecophysiology
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 polices can be found here.