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Nature Conservation in Sustainability

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 22187

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Tourism Geography and Ecology, Institute of Tourism, Faculty of Tourism and Recreation, University of Physical Education in Krakow, 31-571 Krakow, Poland
Interests: plant ecology; nature conservation; plant invasions; sustainable development
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Guest Editor
Institute of Botany, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Krakow, Poland
Interests: biological recording of plants; plant taxonomy and ecology; invasive alien species; nature conservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

According to the report, Our Common Future, by Harlem Brundtland (published in 1987 by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development), development should be sustainable, i.e,. satisfy the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy theirs. The report pointed to the need to protect the diversity of genes, species, and all terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in nature. Many credible sources confirm that this is possible, in particular via protection of the quality of the environment and via the restoration, development, and maintenance of habitats that are essential to species.

This Special Issue intends to deepen the knowledge of in situ and ex situ nature conservation and its implications for sustainability. It is devoted to a wide spectrum of organisms from microorganisms and fungi to higher plants and animals, as well as to varied levels of biological organizations from individuals and populations through ecosystems and landscapes to biomes and biosphere.

Dear Colleagues,

As nature protection is one of the main pillars of sustainable development, we are organizing a Special Issue of the open-access journal Sustainability titled Nature Conservation in Sustainability. The Special Issue is being guest-edited by Kinga Kostrakiewicz-Gierałt and Artur Pliszko. The deadline for manuscript submissions is 30 October 30 2021.

The Special Issue intends to deepen the knowledge of in situ and ex situ nature conservation and its implications for sustainability. It aims to provide an innovative and reliable source of scientific information for researchers, policymakers, and land-managers by gathering relevant studies on various aspects of nature conservation. The Specieal Issue welcomes studies including original research articles, case studies, and reviews from a wide range of disciplines, including theoretical ecology, landscape ecology, restoration ecology, ecological modeling, and others, provided that there are a clear connection and immediate relevance to nature conservation. Manuscripts devoted to a wide spectrum of organisms  from microorganisms and fungi to higher plants and animals, as well as to varied levels of biological organization from individuals and populations through ecosystems and landscapes to biomes and biosphere are welcome.

Contributors from different fields are invited to submit their articles on topics including (but not limited to):

  • biodiversity conservation on any spatial scale (local, regional, or global) and temporal scale;
  • current and projected concequences of anthropogenic transformations of habitats and ecosystems;
  • innovations and good practices in nature conservation;
  • management of protected areas;
  • ecological restoration.

Dr. Kinga Kostrakiewicz-Gierałt
Dr. Artur Pliszko
Guest Editor

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.

Keywords

  • biodiversity conservation
  • ecological restoration
  • ex situ and in situ preservation
  • management of protected areas
  • red list species

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 174 KiB  
Editorial
Nature Conservation in Sustainability
by Kinga Kostrakiewicz-Gierałt and Artur Pliszko
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4166; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074166 - 31 Mar 2022
Viewed by 1158
Abstract
Nature protection is one of the main pillars of sustainable development, striking a proper balance between anthropocentric and ecocentric justifications [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Conservation in Sustainability)

Research

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11 pages, 679 KiB  
Article
Impact of Secondary Succession in the Xerothermic Grassland on the Population of the Eastern Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens)—Preliminary Studies
by Monika Podgórska and Grzegorz Łazarski
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12575; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212575 - 14 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1838
Abstract
We studied the impact of secondary succession in xerothermic grasslands on a population of Pulsatilla patens, a species of European Community interest. We established two permanent plots with a high number of individuals of P. patens in a xerothermic grassland in Southern [...] Read more.
We studied the impact of secondary succession in xerothermic grasslands on a population of Pulsatilla patens, a species of European Community interest. We established two permanent plots with a high number of individuals of P. patens in a xerothermic grassland in Southern Poland. We compared two areas, the first in open grassland (plot A), and the second with overgrowing vegetation (plot B). We assessed the population structure as well as the individual traits of the species. The total abundance of P. patens in the open xerothermic grassland was five times higher than in the overgrowing xerothermic grassland. A randomly clustering distribution was noted only in plot A; in plot B a random type of distribution occurred. The density structure of the rosettes was higher in plot A. The mean number of leaves in rosettes of P. patens as well as dimensions of intermediate stems and leaves of the species is strongly correlated with habitat conditions. The shadowing caused by shrubs and trees and high weeds observed in the overgrowing xerothermic grassland negatively impacted on the number of individuals, distribution, structure and morphology of P. patens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Conservation in Sustainability)
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11 pages, 2058 KiB  
Article
The Range Contraction and Future Conservation of Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus) in China
by Mingxiao Yan, Bojian Gu, Mingxia Zhang, Wei Wang, Rui-Chang Quan, Jiaqi Li and Lin Wang
Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11723; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111723 - 23 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3080
Abstract
The Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus) is vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures and has undergone an extensive decline through much of its range in Southeast Asia. However, little is known about the changing distribution of Green Peafowl in China through historical periods. We [...] Read more.
The Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus) is vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures and has undergone an extensive decline through much of its range in Southeast Asia. However, little is known about the changing distribution of Green Peafowl in China through historical periods. We described a 5000–6000 years distribution change of Green Peafowl in China by using historical archives. We examined the present distributions of Green Peafowl by using camera traps and transect surveys and predicted the suitable habitat to support future conservation planning for this species. Although Green Peafowl was once widely distributed across China, the species experienced a southward range retreat over the past 5000–6000 years and is now restricted to a small part of Yunnan. The results of prediction from maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) showed that the size of suitable habitat of Green Peafowl in Yunnan was 17,132 km2. The suitable habitat concentrated in nine prefectures of Yunnan and Pu’er, Chuxiong, and Yuxi accounted for 48.64%, 27.39% and 15.83%, respectively. These results suggest that central Yunnan can cover most of the current larger and more contiguous populations of Green Peafowl in China and should be protected. Moreover, some areas in southern Yunnan, such as Xishuangbanna, can be a candidate for reestablishing populations, given that the species disappeared in this region less than 20 years ago and has a large remaining habitat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Conservation in Sustainability)
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14 pages, 2392 KiB  
Article
Phytosociological Data in Assessment of Anthropogenic Changes in Vegetation of Rzeszów Reservoir
by Maria Ziaja, Tomasz Wójcik and Małgorzata Wrzesień
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 9071; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169071 - 13 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2045
Abstract
Phytosociological research on aquatic and marsh vegetation was conducted in Rzeszów Reservoir (SE Poland): 134 relevés according to the Braun-Blanquet method were collected there in 2016 and compared to 91 relevés published in 1994 (225 relevés in total). Changes in vegetation type, diversity [...] Read more.
Phytosociological research on aquatic and marsh vegetation was conducted in Rzeszów Reservoir (SE Poland): 134 relevés according to the Braun-Blanquet method were collected there in 2016 and compared to 91 relevés published in 1994 (225 relevés in total). Changes in vegetation type, diversity measures, species composition, and Ellenberg Indicator Values (EIVs) for light, moisture, reaction, and nitrogen were analysed. Over the 22 years (1994–2016), the greatest changes were noted in communities of the classes Lemnetea and Potametea and the alliance Salicion albae. The long-term observations demonstrated the disappearance of 14 phytocoenoses and the occurrence of 12 new ones. An expansion of marsh communities (Typhetum latifoliae, Typhetum angustifoliae, Glycerietum maximae, Leersietum oryzoidis) was noted, causing a decline of several species and vegetation types. According to canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), four environmental variables (light, moisture, nitrogen, and pH) were related to plant distribution. The strong disturbances reflected in intensive eutrophication were due to human activity, which is the main factor shaping the ecological succession and overgrowing of the reservoir. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Conservation in Sustainability)
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20 pages, 3822 KiB  
Article
Design of Protected Area by Tracking and Excluding the Effects of Climate and Landscape Change: A Case Study Using Neurergus derjugini
by Somaye Vaissi
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5645; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105645 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2657
Abstract
This study aimed to use the applications of Ensemble Species Distribution Modelling (eSDM), Geographical Information Systems (GISs), and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for the design of a protected area (PA) for the critically endangered yellow-spotted mountain newt, Neurergus derjugini, by tracking and excluding [...] Read more.
This study aimed to use the applications of Ensemble Species Distribution Modelling (eSDM), Geographical Information Systems (GISs), and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for the design of a protected area (PA) for the critically endangered yellow-spotted mountain newt, Neurergus derjugini, by tracking and excluding the effects of climate and landscape changes in western Iran and northeastern Iraq. Potential recent and future distributions (2050 and 2070) were reconstructed by eSDM using eight algorithms with MRI-CGCM3 and CCSM4 models. The GIS-based MCDA siting procedure was followed inside habitats with high eSDM suitability by eliminating the main roads, cities, high village density, dams, poor vegetation, low stream density, agricultural lands and high ridge density. Then, within the remaining relevant areas, 10 polygons were created as “nominations” for PAs (NPAs). Finally, for 10 different NPAs, the suitability score was ranked based on ratings and weights (analytical hierarchy process) of the number of newt localities, NPA connectivity, NPA shape, NPA habitat suitability in 2070, NPA size, genetic diversity, village density and distance to nearest PAs, cities, and main roads. This research could serve as a modern realistic approach for environmental management to plan conservation areas using a cost-effective and affordable technique. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Conservation in Sustainability)
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Review

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16 pages, 1472 KiB  
Review
A Systematic Review on the Local Wisdom of Indigenous People in Nature Conservation
by Azlan Abas, Azmi Aziz and Azahan Awang
Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3415; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063415 - 15 Mar 2022
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 9458
Abstract
The local wisdom of indigenous people in nature conservation plays a critical part in protecting the planet’s biodiversity and the overall health of the ecosystems. However, at the same time, indigenous people and their lands are facing immense threats through modernization and globalization. [...] Read more.
The local wisdom of indigenous people in nature conservation plays a critical part in protecting the planet’s biodiversity and the overall health of the ecosystems. However, at the same time, indigenous people and their lands are facing immense threats through modernization and globalization. This study aims to systematically review and analyze the local wisdom of the indigenous people in nature conservation. The present study integrated multiple research designs, and the review was based on the published standard, namely the PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). This study used Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus as the main databases in searching for the required articles. Through content analysis, this study can be divided into seven main categories: (a) forest management, (b) flora and fauna conservation, (c) food security, (d) water management, (e) land management, (f) weather forecasting, and (g) others. The findings offer some basics on how academics can adopt and adapt the existing local wisdom of indigenous people in nature conservation into the scientific framework and design to answer the Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature Conservation in Sustainability)
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