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Sustainable Freshwater Ecosystems: Diversity, Assessment and Management

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 1670

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: lake functioning; lake restoration and sustainable assessment; mesocosms; zooplankton functional groups; microfauna in food webs
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Guest Editor
Department of Water Protection, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
Interests: methods for assessing environmental conditions of shallow water bodies using zooplankton; functioning of small water bodies; biology and ecology of rotifers and crustaceans; the role of the catchment transformation of small water bodies as determinant of the zooplankton structure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Fisheries, Apiculture, Wildlife Management and Special Zoology, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: fisheries; genetics; ecology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: freshwater ecology; zooplankton; meiofauna; Rotifera

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Freshwater systems play a pivotal role in sustaining human life, serving as the lifeblood of agricultural production, industrial processes, urban development, and the diverse biota upon which our existence depends. Despite their fundamental importance, these vital systems face an escalating crisis, a fact consistently underscored by a growing body of research. The impending global water crisis has caught the attention of researchers worldwide, highlighting its importance and the imminent threat it poses. In response to the pressing global water crisis, sustainable water management has emerged as a critical imperative. This entails meeting current water needs without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to satisfy their own demands. This Special Issue delves into the multifaceted dimensions of sustainable water management, emphasizing its role in addressing the increasing water demand on a global scale. This approach not only delineates the development and utilization of sustainable water resource management but also aims to equip water managers with actionable insights into ecosystem functioning. This Special Issue aims to underline the need for a comprehensive assessment of freshwater systems and stress the importance of tailoring these assessments to meet the informational needs of diverse end-users. In doing so, we seek publications bridging the gap between scientific understanding and practical application, paving the way for informed decision making and the preservation of this invaluable resource for future generations.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Maria Spoljar
Prof. Dr. Natalia Kuczyńska-Kippen
Prof. Dr. Tea Tomljanović
Dr. Tvrtko Drazina
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. 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

  • water quality of aquatic ecosystems
  • restoration of hydrosystems
  • biomanipulation
  • agricultural leaching
  • urban vs. pristine catchment area
  • human efforts in the freshwater sustainability

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 3739 KiB  
Article
Ecological Dynamics and Conservation Strategies for Mediterranean Salt Marshes: Insights from a Pilot Study of Biodiversity and Environmental Drivers in the Palud Marsh, Croatia
by Mirela Sertić Perić, Tvrtko Dražina, Petar Žutinić, Josip Rubinić, Natalia Kuczyńska-Kippen, Chen Zhang and Maria Špoljar
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10523; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310523 - 30 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1144
Abstract
Salt marshes support high biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services, yet are increasingly threatened by climate change, reduced freshwater input, and human activities. This pilot study examined the physico-chemical characteristics and biodiversity of the Palud salt marsh in Istria, Croatia, during July 2021, [...] Read more.
Salt marshes support high biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services, yet are increasingly threatened by climate change, reduced freshwater input, and human activities. This pilot study examined the physico-chemical characteristics and biodiversity of the Palud salt marsh in Istria, Croatia, during July 2021, focusing on phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macrozoobenthos communities across different habitats. The results show that while parameters like water temperature and pH remained stable, dissolved oxygen and nutrient levels fluctuated significantly. Water depth decreased due to drought and tidal oscillations, affecting salinity and nutrient concentrations. Phytoplankton communities were dominated by Bacillariophyta, with Cryptophyta, particularly Cryptomonas sp., having the highest abundance. Zooplankton communities were dominated by Rotifera, especially Brachionus plicatilis, while the macrozoobenthos communities were dominated by Ostracoda, with some variation in gastropod and chironomid abundance across sites. These findings indicate the dynamic nature of plankton and benthos communities in response to changing water levels in the Palud marsh. This study highlights the need for targeted conservation strategies to preserve the ecological integrity of Mediterranean salt marshes. Sustainable management practices must account for water level fluctuations, the role of aquatic vegetation, and the resilience of these ecosystems, emphasizing their importance in supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services in the face of environmental change. Full article
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