Arthropod Biodiversity and Ecology in Forest and Agricultural Ecosystems

Dear Colleagues,

Arthropods, comprising insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and other invertebrate groups, play a pivotal role in maintaining the health and productivity of forest and agricultural ecosystems. For decades, researchers have studied the intricate relationships between arthropod diversity, ecosystem functioning, and the services they provide, such as pollination, pest control, and nutrient cycling. However, recent anthropogenic disturbances and climate change have posed significant threats to arthropod biodiversity, leading to a decline in their populations and the services they offer. Consequently, understanding the ecology and biodiversity of arthropods in these ecosystems has become a pressing research priority.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge and cutting-edge research on arthropod biodiversity and ecology in forest and agricultural ecosystems. It seeks to address the following questions: How do arthropod communities respond to changes in habitat quality and diversity? What are the ecological mechanisms underlying these responses? How do arthropods contribute to ecosystem functioning and services? The scope of the Special Issue encompasses studies on arthropod diversity, distribution, behavior, interactions with other organisms, and their role in ecosystem processes across different forest and agricultural settings.

Recent studies have shed light on the importance of arthropod diversity in mediating the effects of tree diversity on forest productivity. Moreover, advancements in the field have also highlighted the impact of global change factors, such as climate warming and nitrogen deposition, on arthropod communities. Studies have revealed that these factors can alter arthropod population dynamics, community composition, and functional roles, with implications for ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation.
The Special Issue welcomes submissions that address the above-mentioned research questions and themes. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Studies on arthropod diversity patterns and drivers in forest and agricultural ecosystems.
• Investigations into the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying arthropod responses to habitat changes.
• Research on the role of arthropods in ecosystem processes, such as pollination, pest control, and nutrient cycling.
• Analyses of the impacts of global change factors (e.g., climate warming, nitrogen deposition) on arthropod communities and ecosystem functioning.
• Case studies showcasing successful conservation and management practices for arthropod biodiversity in forest and agricultural ecosystems.
• Reviews and meta-analyses summarize the current knowledge state and identify knowledge gaps in the field.

In summary, this Special Issue aims to bring together researchers from diverse backgrounds to share their latest findings and insights on arthropod biodiversity and ecology in forest and agricultural ecosystems, fostering collaboration and advancing the understanding of these critical components of our planet's biodiversity.

* “agriculture ecosystem/setting” mentioned above refers to a multi-level, multi-crop ecosystem related to forest crops or forest farms.

Dr. Theodoros I. Stathakis
Dr. Filitsa Karamaouna
Dr. Dimitrios Avtzis
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. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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.

• forest and agriculture ecosystem
• arthropod biodiversity
• forest arthropod ecology
• pest management
• arthropod community structure