Conservation at the Crossroads: Forest Ecology, Wildlife Dynamics, and Emerging Challenges for Ecosystem Resilience

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests are at a critical crossroad, increasingly threatened by multiple stressors acting simultaneously that not only affect species distributions and population dynamics but also disrupt essential ecological processes such as trophic interactions, habitat connectivity, and resource availability. Many forested landscapes are approaching ecological thresholds beyond which recovery may be uncertain. Concurrently, wildlife populations that depend on forest ecosystems are experiencing range shifts, genetic isolation, and disrupted trophic interactions, leading to cascading effects on biodiversity and ecological stability. The decline in keystone species and apex predators can lead to cascading effects, destabilizing ecosystem function and threatening biodiversity. The urgency of addressing these issues is underscored by the need for adaptive management strategies that are responsive to real-time changes in ecosystems.

As we confront these mounting challenges, conservation strategies must evolve from traditional static models to adaptive, integrated conservation approaches that consider the dynamic and complex interactions between forest ecology, wildlife dynamics, and emerging environmental stressors to develop science-based strategies that enhance ecosystem resilience. A crucial component of this shift is the implementation of long-term ecological monitoring, advanced analytical tools, and predictive modeling to ensure the resilience of forest ecosystems and wildlife populations. Traditional methods such as field surveys, dendrochronology, and ecological assessments provide foundational data on species dynamics and forest health, offering critical baselines for understanding resilience and guiding future management strategies. These time-tested techniques, when combined with modern monitoring technologies such as remote sensing, machine learning, and species distribution modeling, enhance our ability to track ecosystem changes, assess species responses, and inform conservation decision-making. Additionally, fostering habitat connectivity, mitigating human–wildlife conflict, and adopting adaptive management approaches are crucial for sustaining biodiversity and promoting ecosystem recovery amidst accelerating environmental stressors.

This Topic seeks to advance interdisciplinary research that addresses contemporary threats to forest ecosystems and their wildlife. We welcome studies that explore species–habitat relationships, ecosystem responses to environmental stressors, the role of keystone and threatened species, and methodological advancements in conservation science. Submissions may include original research articles, reviews, short communications, and case studies that contribute to a deeper understanding of ecosystem resilience and adaptive conservation solutions. By fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration and data-driven conservation strategies, this Topic aims to develop science-based interventions that sustain forest biodiversity and ecosystem function in the face of unprecedented global change.

Dr. Yiannis G. Zevgolis
Dr. Triantaphyllos Akriotis
Dr. Anastasia Christopoulou
Prof. Dr. Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos
Dr. Dimitra-Lida Rammou
Prof. Dr. Dionisios Youlatos
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Animals animals	2.7	4.9	2011	16.1 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Biology biology	3.6	5.7	2012	16.4 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Conservation conservation	-	-	2021	35.6 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Diversity diversity	2.1	3.4	2009	18.3 Days	CHF 2100	Submit
Ecologies ecologies	1.7	1.8	2020	25.1 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Forests forests	2.4	4.4	2010	16.2 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Land land	3.2	4.9	2012	16.9 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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All Animals Biology Conservation Diversity Ecologies Forests Land

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47 pages, 5721 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Stability Analysis of a Four-Species Periodic Diffusive Predator–Prey System with Delay and Feedback Control

by Lili Jia and Changyou Wang

Biology 2025, 14(5), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14050462 - 24 Apr 2025

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Abstract

In this work, we present a novel four-species periodic diffusive predator–prey model, which incorporates delay and feedback control mechanisms, marking substantial progress in ecological modeling. This model offers a more realistic and detailed portrayal of the intricate dynamics of predator–prey interactions. Our primary [...] Read more.

In this work, we present a novel four-species periodic diffusive predator–prey model, which incorporates delay and feedback control mechanisms, marking substantial progress in ecological modeling. This model offers a more realistic and detailed portrayal of the intricate dynamics of predator–prey interactions. Our primary objective is to establish the existence of a periodic solution for this new model, which depends only on time variables and is independent of spatial variables (we refer to it as a spatially homogeneous periodic solution). By employing the comparison theorem and the fixed point theorem tailored for delay differential equations, we derive a set of sufficient conditions that guarantee the emergence of such a solution. This analytical framework lays a solid mathematical foundation for understanding the periodic behaviors exhibited by predator–prey systems with delayed and feedback-regulated interactions. Moreover, we explore the global asymptotic stability of the aforementioned periodic solution. We organically combine Lyapunov stability theory, upper and lower solution techniques for partial differential equations with delay, and the squeezing theorem for limits to formulate additional sufficient conditions that ensure the stability of the periodic solution. This stability analysis is vital for forecasting the long-term outcomes of predator–prey interactions and evaluating the model’s resilience against disturbances. To validate our theoretical findings, we undertake a series of numerical simulations. These simulations not only corroborate our analytical results but also further elucidate the dynamic behaviors of the four-species predator–prey model. Our research enhances our understanding of the complex interactions within ecological systems and carries significant implications for the conservation and management of biological populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Conservation at the Crossroads: Forest Ecology, Wildlife Dynamics, and Emerging Challenges for Ecosystem Resilience)

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15 pages, 2895 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Reveal High-Altitude Adaptation in the Qinghai Toad-Headed Lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii

by Jun Zhong, Jian Chen, Yu-Hong Lu, Yu-Fei Huang, Ming-Sheng Hong and Xiang Ji

Biology 2025, 14(5), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14050459 - 24 Apr 2025

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Abstract

The plateau environments are always harsh, with low pressure, low oxygen, and low temperature, which are detrimental to the survival of organisms. The Qinghai toad-headed lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii has a wide range of altitude adaptation from 2000 to 4600 m. But it is [...] Read more.

The plateau environments are always harsh, with low pressure, low oxygen, and low temperature, which are detrimental to the survival of organisms. The Qinghai toad-headed lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii has a wide range of altitude adaptation from 2000 to 4600 m. But it is still unclear how organisms maintain tissue function by balancing energy supply and demand changes in high-altitude environments of P. vlangalii. We investigated the plateau metabolic adaptation through transcriptome and metabolome analyses of P. vlangalii from three populations at different altitudes of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The genes related to carbohydrate metabolism were significantly down-regulated at the high altitude. The metabolites alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate, beta-D-fructose 6-phosphate, D-glycerate 1,3-diphosphate, 3-phosphoglycerate, and phosphoenolpyruvate in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were down-regulated, too. The lipid metabolic and fatty acid synthase-related genes were up-regulated at a high altitude. In conclusion, the glycogen utilization-related genes and metabolites experienced broad down-regulation, while lipid-related genes and metabolites had a clear trend of up-regulation. Thus, we suggest that P. vlangalii tends to increase lipid utilization and reduce the dependence on glycogen consumption to acclimatize to the high-altitude environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Conservation at the Crossroads: Forest Ecology, Wildlife Dynamics, and Emerging Challenges for Ecosystem Resilience)

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