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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 3133

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tao Long

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Guest Editor

Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
Interests: prevention and control of soil and groundwater pollution; biodiversity conservation and sustainable land use management

Dr. Mingchang Cao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
Interests: biodiversity investigation and assessment; scenario simulation; ecosystem service value assessment; biodiversity database and information system development; the protection and evaluation of habitats for rare and endangered species

Dr. Ming Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
Interests: soil microbial diversity; ecological restoration; soil health management and carbon sequestration; remediation of contaminated soil
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yamei Shao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
Interests: revegetation monitoring and effectiveness assessment; carbon exchange between terrestrial ecosystem and the atmosphere

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ecosystem sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and environmental restoration have become core issues in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in response to intensifying global climate change, escalating land use intensity, and persistent threats of ecosystem degradation. In recent years, significant progress has been made in soil biodiversity research, revealing the central role of microbiome functional networks, key species interactions, and coupled biogeochemical cycling mechanisms in maintaining ecosystem sustainability. Nature-based solutions (NbSs) and biotechnological innovations have provided new pathways for the restoration of degraded ecosystems. However, interdisciplinary challenges remain in quantifying ecosystem service capacity and assessing resilience, constructing conservation networks and migration adaptation mechanisms for biodiversity hotspots, integrating multi-scale biological interaction patterns and functional analyses, and enhancing the long-term effectiveness of ecological restoration measures along with soil health stability. To address these challenges, we need to understand the coordinated response relationships between ecosystem sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and environmental restoration across different spatial and temporal scales, considering both natural factors and anthropogenic activities. These understandings aim to provide policymakers and land managers with innovative and reliable evidence and knowledge for achieving sustainable utilization and protection of ecosystems.

The journal Sustainability specially invites Dr. Tao Long, Dr. Mingchang Cao, Dr. Ming Li, and Dr. Yamei Shao, all researchers from the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China, to co-organize the Special Issue "Ecosystem Sustainability, Soil Biodiversity, and Environmental Restoration". This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for exchanging and publishing cutting-edge research on ecosystem sustainability, soil biodiversity, and environmental restoration. Scholars from related disciplines, including ecology, resource and land management, soil science, botany, restoration ecology, ecological modeling, and ecosystem services, are welcome to submit original research articles, review papers, and case studies that build bridges connecting ecosystem sustainability, soil biodiversity, and environmental restoration. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Ecosystem service assessment and sustainable utilization;
Ecosystem resilience and thresholds;
Sustainable land use management;
Biodiversity conservation policies and network construction;
Soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions;
Soil health and carbon sequestration capacity;
Nature-based solutions;
Ecological restoration of degraded environments.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Tao Long
Dr. Mingchang Cao
Dr. Ming Li
Dr. Yamei Shao
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. 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

ecosystem sustainability
ecosystem resilience
biodiversity conservation
soil biodiversity
ecological restoration
nature-based solutions
soil health

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 3363 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Clustering of Front Yard Landscapes: Implications for Urban Soil Conservation and Green Infrastructure Sustainability in the Río Piedras Watershed

by L. Kidany Sellés and Elvia J. Meléndez-Ackerman

Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2821; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062821 - 13 Mar 2026

Viewed by 464

Abstract

Current sustainability discourse promotes sustainable yard practices as a means for residents to contribute to urban environmental health and soil conservation. Social–ecological research suggests that yard practices are shaped by multiscale social drivers, including social contagion, whereby visible expressions of individuality in front yard design are copied by nearby neighbors. This study evaluated residential areas within the Río Piedras Watershed (RPWS) in the San Juan metropolitan area to assess evidence of social contagion in front yard configuration and vegetation structure, and to examine whether these variables were associated with socio-demographic and economic characteristics when spatial effects were considered. A total of 6858 front yards across six highly urbanized sites were analyzed using Google Earth Street View imagery. Housing lot sizes were quantified, and yards were classified into eight landscape configurations based on green and gray cover elements. Woody vegetation structures, including trees, shrubs, and palms, were also quantified to generate estimates of functional diversity and a front yard quality index. Significant differences in yard characteristics were observed among sites. Spatial analyses revealed significant clustering at distances of 65–80 m, particularly for front yard configuration, while clustering of woody vegetation density was weaker. Local clustering patterns and the distribution of outliers varied across sites. Spatial lag models indicated that lot area positively influenced yard configuration and quality, and the density and diversity of woody vegetation. While socio-economic variables were not significant predictors of yard quality, their effects cannot be discarded. Overall, results are consistent with social contagion processes but also highlight neighborhood design as a key driver of clustering, alongside widespread conversion of green to paved front yards, with implications for soil and green infrastructure loss as well as environmental and human health in the RPWS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Sustainability, Soil Biodiversity, and Environmental Restoration)

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19 pages, 4411 KB

Open AccessArticle

Citrulline Modulates the Antioxidant Machinery of Two Faba Bean (Vicia faba) Cultivars: A Sustainable Biostimulant Strategy for Improving Crop Growth and Productivity

by Hebat-Allah Ali Hussein

Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2766; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062766 - 12 Mar 2026

Viewed by 281

Abstract

Citrulline (CIT), a natural non-protein amino acid and nitric oxide (NO) precursor, plays a vital role in plant physiological regulation. Its use as an eco-friendly biostimulant aligns with global efforts to reduce dependence on synthetic agrochemicals and strengthen sustainable crop production systems. This study represents the first report investigating the effects of exogenous citrulline (0, 0.5, and 1 mM) as a biostimulant/eustressor in two faba bean (Vicia faba) cultivars (Giza 843 and Sakha 1) and the first report to evaluate the variety and dose-dependent responses to foliar CIT application. The morphological, biochemical, and antioxidant responses were assessed. CIT significantly improved several growth and yield attributes in a cultivar-dependent manner, with Giza 843 performing best at 1 mM and Sakha 1 showing optimal shoot performance at 0.5 mM. CIT increased H₂O₂ levels, flavonoids, and catalase activity, which modulate the response mechanisms of treated plants of two varieties of faba bean. In contrast to Giza 843, Sakha 1 increased proline and the activities of peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase, which is parallel with decreasing soluble sugars and proteins in response to CIT application. These results showed that Sakha 1 had more effective defense mechanisms than Giza 843. These findings demonstrate that CIT at an optimal dose is a promising, eco-friendly biostimulant. It may be suitable to integrate into sustainable crop management programs to enhance crop resilience and productivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Sustainability, Soil Biodiversity, and Environmental Restoration)

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31 pages, 3868 KB

Open AccessArticle

Agro-Environmental Vulnerability and Ecosystem Sustainability in Peruvian Family Farming: Integrating Survey Data, Spatial Modeling and Remote Sensing

by Samuel Pizarro, Dennis Ccopi, Jose Otoya-Barrenechea, Juan Romero-Vasquez, María Tolentino-Soriano, Alexander Cotrina-Sanchez and Elgar Barboza

Sustainability 2026, 18(3), 1407; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18031407 - 30 Jan 2026

Viewed by 817

Abstract

Subsistence family farming in Peru is increasingly constrained by ecosystem degradation, climate variability, and limited access to productive services, particularly where environmental exposure is high. This study develops an Agro-productive and Territorial Vulnerability Index (IVAPT) to evaluate environmental, ecosystem, and socioeconomic vulnerability of subsistence agriculture at the district level nationwide. The index integrates district-level agricultural survey data (ENA-2024) with multi-temporal MODIS NDVI series (2000–2024) and comprehensive climatic, topographic, land-cover, and accessibility indicators, processed through multivariate statistics. Three objective weighting schemes (ENTROPY, CRITIC, PCA) construct thematic sub-indices of Environmental Exposure (EnvExp), Ecosystem Condition (EcoCond), and Socioeconomic Capacity (SocioCap). Results show more than half of Peru’s 1552 districts fall within moderate to very high vulnerability, with highest concentration in the Amazon region (Loreto, Ucayali, Madre de Dios), Andean-Amazonian transitions, and highland districts (Huancavelica, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Puno) where biophysical constraints, ecosystem pressure, and socioeconomic isolation converge. Dimensional spatial complementarity EnvExp peaking on coast, EcoCond in Amazon, SocioCap in Andes demonstrates effective vulnerability reduction requires dimension-specific interventions. Despite divergent weighting schemes, spatial patterns remained consistent, validating identified hotspots. IVAPT provides a reproducible framework supporting evidence-based territorial planning and targeted investments in water infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and climate adaptation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Sustainability, Soil Biodiversity, and Environmental Restoration)

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21 pages, 1829 KB

Open AccessArticle

Construction of Climate Suitability Evaluation Model for Winter Wheat and Analysis of Its Spatiotemporal Characteristics in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, China

by Chang Liu, Lei Hong, Mingqing Liu, Yanyan Ni, Jie Hu, Ming Li, Yining Zhu, Lianxi Wang, Jing Hua and Lei Wang

Sustainability 2025, 17(17), 7929; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17177929 - 3 Sep 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1075

Abstract

Climate change alters climatic factors, which in turn affect the suitability of crops to grow. Winter wheat is a major crop in the Beijing-Tianjin-Heibei region of China. To assess the climate factors on winter wheat production, the meteorological data (temperature, precipitation, sunshine, etc.) from 25 stations in the target region the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region of China from 1961 to 2010, the winter wheat yield data from 1978 to 2010, and the growth stages were used. A model of the suitability of light, temperature, and water was subsequently developed to quantitatively analyze the spatial and temporal variability of the suitability of the winter wheat to the climate of the region. Temperature suitability was high during the sowing and grouting periods (temperature suitability peaks at 0.941 during grouting) and lowest in the rejuvenation period. In terms of spatial distribution, it is strong in the south and low in the north, and it exhibits a gradual increase in interannual variation. Precipitation suitability fluctuates steadily, with a peak in the tillering stage and a trough in the jointing stage. In terms of spatial distribution, it is highest in the northeast and decreases in the west; in inter-annual changes, it fluctuates strongly with weak overall growth. Sunshine suitability is stable at 0.9 or above. In spatial distribution, it is high in the northwest and low in the southeast, and it decreases slowly in the interannual variations. The trend of climatic suitability is consistent with temperature and precipitation, showing a pattern of falling first and then rising. In terms of spatial distribution, the overall climate suitability is high in the south and low in the north. In inter-annual changes, climate suitability generally increases slowly. Temperature and precipitation are key factors. Moisture stress became the most important factor for winter wheat cultivation in the region. Sunshine conditions are typically sufficient. This study provides a theoretical basis for a rational layout of winter wheat growing areas in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the full utilization of climatic resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Sustainability, Soil Biodiversity, and Environmental Restoration)

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