Values and Challenges in Protection of Threatened Species and Communities of Plants, Lichens, and Fungi

Dear Colleagues,

The continuing decline in biodiversity is one of the most important issues being faced worldwide. Land clearing and degradation, field monocultures, habitat loss and degradation, and invasive alien species have strongly aggravated the impoverishment in biodiversity. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect studies that assess the biodiversity loss, extinction risk, and conservation status of species (plants, lichens, and fungi) and communities; that discuss the reasons for this loss; recognize threats; and that propose actions aimed at halting the loss of biological diversity and controlling threats affecting species and communities. This includes assessing the scale of the problem, discussing the available techniques, and highlighting the challenges to be faced in the future.

Manuscripts may include, but are not limited to: quantitative assessments of extinction risk of threatened plant, lichen, and/or fungal species and/or communities; fragmentation, invasive organisms, and global change effects on biodiversity; the mitigation of pressure and threats; in situ and ex situ conservation actions and/or strategies; conservation management; case studies; etc. The scale of interest may range from population to ecosystem.

This Special Issue of Sustainability invites the submission of research articles, reviews, short communications, case reports, concept papers, project reports, and letter, dealing with all aspects of the conservation of plants, lichens, and fungi.

The editors hope that this Special Issue will contribute to the discussion on these delicate and important issues, and that it will help increase the knowledge on the species and communities at risk of extinction, and, consequently, to contrast recognized threats and biodiversity loss.

Dr. Robert Philipp Wagensommer
Dr. Sonia Ravera
Dr. Claudia Perini
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.

• biodiversity
• bryophytes
• community
• conservation biology
• fungi
• Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC
• IUCN
• lichens
• plants
• protected areas
• red lists
• threatened species
• vascular flora
• vegetation