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Sustainability
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Advancements in Safeguarding Biocultural Diversity: The Path to Sustainability
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Advancements in Safeguarding Biocultural Diversity: The Path to Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability, Biodiversity and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 21 November 2025 | Viewed by 2891

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Julia Prakofjewa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
Interests: biocultural diversity; environmental sciences; ethnobotany; ethnomedicine; anthropology; environmental history; sustainability; systems thinking

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue underscores the critical role of biocultural diversity in advancing sustainable development. Biocultural diversity, which encompasses the interconnected species, knowledge, cultural practices, and languages that have co-evolved within socio-ecological systems, is fundamental to building resilience and driving transformative change in the face of environmental degradation and climate change. This Special Issue seeks to explore innovative approaches to preserving and integrating biocultural diversity into sustainability frameworks.

Topics of interest in this area include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Strategies for integrating biocultural diversity into sustainable food system transformation;
  • Biocultural diversity in urban and rural planning, with a focus on sustainable and equitable land use;
  • The economic and social benefits of maintaining biocultural diversity for the well-being of local communities;
  • Policy frameworks and community-led initiatives for protecting biocultural diversity.

By publishing various empirical case studies and actionable frameworks, this Special Issue will bridge the cultural and ecological dimensions of sustainability, providing insights that support resilient and equitable futures. This aligns seamlessly with Sustainability's mission to address pressing global challenges related to sustainable development.

Dr. Julia Prakofjewa
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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

  • biocultural diversity
  • knowledge systems
  • sustainable development
  • resilience
  • socio-ecological systems
  • transformative changes

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 4952 KB  
Article
Integrating InVEST and MaxEnt Models for Ecosystem Service Network Optimization in Island Cities: Evidence from Pingtan Island, China
by Jinyan Liu, Bowen Jin, Jianwen Dong and Guochang Ding
Sustainability 2025, 17(18), 8470; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17188470 - 21 Sep 2025
Viewed by 322
Abstract
As unique geographical entities, island cities boast abundant ecological resources and profound cultural values, serving as critical hubs for maintaining ecosystem services in coastal transition zones. Ensuring the stability of ecosystem services is strategically significant for sustainable urban development, while the construction of [...] Read more.
As unique geographical entities, island cities boast abundant ecological resources and profound cultural values, serving as critical hubs for maintaining ecosystem services in coastal transition zones. Ensuring the stability of ecosystem services is strategically significant for sustainable urban development, while the construction of Ecosystem Service Networks (ESNs) has emerged as a core strategy to enhance ecological functionality and mitigate systemic risks. Based on current research gaps, this study focuses on three key questions: (1) How to construct a Composite Ecosystem Service Index (CESI) for island cities? (2) How to identify the Ecosystem Service Networks (ESNs) of island-type cities? (3) How to optimize the ecosystem service networks of island cities? This study selects Pingtan Island as a representative case, innovatively integrating the InVEST and MaxEnt models to conduct a comprehensive assessment of ecological and cultural services. By employing Principal Component Analysis (PCA), a Composite Ecosystem Service Index (CESI) was established. The research follows a systematic technical approach to construct and optimize the ESN: landscape connectivity indices were applied to identify ecological source areas based on CESI outcomes; multidimensional resistance factors were integrated into the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model to develop the foundational ecological network; gradient buffer zone analysis and circuit theory were sequentially employed to refine the network structure and evaluate ecological efficacy. Key findings reveal: (1) Landscape connectivity analysis scientifically delineated 20 ecologically valuable source areas; (2) The coupled MCR model and circuit theory established a hierarchical ESN comprising 45 corridors (12 Level-1, 14 Level-2, and 19 Level-3), identifying 5.75 km2 of ecological pinch points, 7.17 km2 of ecological barriers, and 84 critical nodes—primarily concentrated in cultivated areas; (3) Buffer zone gradient analysis confirmed 30 m as the optimal corridor width for multi-scale planning; (4) Circuit theory optimization significantly enhanced network current density (1.653→8.224), demonstrating a leapfrog improvement in ecological service efficiency. The proposed “assessment–construction–optimization” integrated methodology establishes an innovative paradigm for deep integration of ecosystem services with urban spatial planning. These findings provide practical spatial guidance for island city planning, supporting corridor design, conservation prioritization, and targeted restoration, thereby enhancing ecosystem service efficiency, biodiversity protection, and resilience against coastal ecosystem fragmentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Safeguarding Biocultural Diversity: The Path to Sustainability)
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13 pages, 2959 KB  
Article
Economic Loss and Ecosystem Service Decline in Mediterranean Ponds (Andalusia, Spain): The Impact of Olive Groves over the Last 20 Years
by Gema Ortega, Juan Manuel Barragán, Juan Diego Gilbert, Fernando Ortega and Francisco Guerrero
Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2435; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062435 - 11 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1071
Abstract
Wetlands play an important role, not only in relation to diversity but also to human health and well-being, supporting a large number of ecosystem services. One of the most important losses of wetland ecosystem values is established by anthropogenic impacts or aggressions, which [...] Read more.
Wetlands play an important role, not only in relation to diversity but also to human health and well-being, supporting a large number of ecosystem services. One of the most important losses of wetland ecosystem values is established by anthropogenic impacts or aggressions, which are magnified in the current context of global change. This study investigates the economic losses resulting from anthropogenic environmental impacts on wetlands in the Alto Guadalquivir region (Jaén, southeastern Spain) between 1997–2003 and 2022, specifically focusing on the devaluation of ecosystem services. We assessed the economic value lost due to wetland surface reduction by comparing it with the economic gains derived from the conversion of these lands into olive groves, the primary driver of wetland destruction in the study area. Our findings reveal a substantial decline in wetland surface area, leading to significant economic losses that are not offset by the establishment of olive groves within these wetland basins. These results emphasize the critical need to protect the integrity of these ecosystems, recognizing their dual value from both economic and environmental perspectives through the sustained provision of crucial ecosystem services. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Safeguarding Biocultural Diversity: The Path to Sustainability)
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25 pages, 3185 KB  
Article
Biological Resources for Renewable Energies in the European Union: A Hierarchical Approach
by Emilia Mary Bălan, Cristina Georgiana Zeldea, Laura Mariana Cismaș, Marioara Iordan, Cristian Mihai Cismaș and Melinda Petronela Costin
Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1484; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041484 - 11 Feb 2025
Viewed by 851
Abstract
The bioeconomy is an essential framework for sustainable economic growth in the European Union (EU), leveraging biomass transformation into bioenergy, biofuels, and other high-value products. This study examines the socio-economic impact of bio-based electricity and liquid biofuels in EU from 2008 to 2021, [...] Read more.
The bioeconomy is an essential framework for sustainable economic growth in the European Union (EU), leveraging biomass transformation into bioenergy, biofuels, and other high-value products. This study examines the socio-economic impact of bio-based electricity and liquid biofuels in EU from 2008 to 2021, focusing on employment, turnover, and value added at factor cost. Cluster analysis shows that EU countries are divided into four groups based on socio-economic outcomes in the bioenergy sector, highlighting significant differences between Western and Eastern Europe. Notably, countries like Germany, France, and Italy lead in bioenergy development, supported by robust policy frameworks, while several Central and Eastern Europe Countries (CEECs), face challenges in advancing bioeconomy sectors. The analysis also puts forward a socio-economic indicator of bioeconomy (SEIB), which highlights national differences and potential growth paths for the bio-based energy sector. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to address regional inequalities and promote sustainable bioeconomic practices across the EU. The study underscores the need for consistent data collection to support future bioeconomy research and policy formulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Safeguarding Biocultural Diversity: The Path to Sustainability)
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