Marine and Coastal Algae: Biodiversity, Invasive Species, and Ecosystem Conservation
A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity and Functionality of Aquatic Ecosystems".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: marine macrophytes; taxonomy; morphogenesis; coastal la-goons; invasive species; non-indigenous macroalgae
Interests: seaweed biodiversity; transitional waters; long-term studies; non-indigenous species; impact
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Marine and coastal algae play a fundamental role in structuring aquatic ecosystems, supporting food webs, and sustaining key ecological functions such as primary production, nutrient cycling, and habitat formation. However, in recent decades these communities have been increasingly affected by accelerating environmental change, including ocean warming, altered nutrient regimes, habitat degradation, and the spread of non-indigenous species. The massive proliferation of some native species, which may exhibit unexpectedly invasive behaviour, represents an additional and often underestimated concern.
This Special Issue aims to provide an integrated platform for advancing our understanding of marine and coastal algal diversity, the threats posed by invasive species, and the imperatives for effective conservation measures in a rapidly changing scenario. Research focusing on invasive species—including their pathways of introduction, ecological impacts, and interactions with native communities—is particularly encouraged. Studies employing innovative tools, such as environmental DNA analyses and metabarcoding, are welcome. We also invite contributions that explore conservation strategies and management tools aimed at protecting marine and coastal ecosystems. This includes long-term monitoring programmes, restoration efforts, and modelling approaches that support informed decision-making in the context of ongoing environmental change.
Overall, this Special Issue seeks to foster an integrated perspective on macroalgal diversity, ecology, and dynamics, and the necessary conservation measures to ensure the sustainability of marine ecosystems in the face of climate change and anthropogenic stressors.
We look forward to your contributions!
Dr. Antonella Bottalico
Dr. Antonella Petrocelli
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. Water 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 2600 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
- coastal ecosystems
- ecosystem conservation
- environmental DNA
- habitat degradation
- invasive species
- long-term monitoring
- macroalgae
- macroalgal blooms
- marine biodiversity
- marine protected areas
- metabarcoding
- non-indigenous species
- restoration
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