Biodiversity, Conservation Biology and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Thirty years after the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), many scientific initiatives have characterized the work of scientists on the topic of conservation and characterization of the world's genetic heritage, at all levels. Today, biodiversity is also recognized for the role that it can play in the ecological transition, as well as being crucial for the recovery of ecosystems contributing in this way to the mitigation of the climate crisis. Biodiversity conservation, therefore, assumes global relevance not only to prevent the disappearance of natural genetic resources but also as a tool for food security and rural economics. In fact, biodiversity assumes global relevance on multiple aspects that were once underestimated. There is increasing and consistent talk today about the value of soil biodiversity as a tool for enhancing fertility and counteracting desertification; there is much talk about the bacterial and fungal biodiversity that is needed in yeast and fermentation processes, especially in the production of highly traditional foods in many parts of the world. Biodiversity is looked at in environmental protection, regeneration and techniques aimed at maximum carbon sequestration as a component of climate-changing gases.

In such a diverse framework, this Special Issue on Biodiversity, Conservation Biology and Sustainability aims to welcome scientific reports from the international community engaged within the large framework of biodiversity conservation according to innovative methods and, therefore, with different purposes. In fact, the international context attributes a wide variety of approaches to this topic, which also includes agroecology as a tool for strengthening ecological regeneration pathways in agriculture.

For this SI, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) broad themes that see biodiversity as a scientific thread. Contributions that look at plant biodiversity on the ecological level in both mountain and lowland spaces are welcome, as are contributions related to the economic, environmental, and social role of biodiversity of agricultural interest, both of plants and animals. Scientific contributions aimed at the chemical, nutritional and nutraceutical characterization of genetic resources will also be appreciated, with particular regard to processes for the enhancement of species, ecotypes, varieties, microorganisms, and breeds that are underutilized or at risk of genetic erosion/extinction.

This Special Issue invites the international scientific community to contribute to aggregating knowledge and new methodological acquisitions but also to represent a model for initiating project collaborations.

I look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. Francesco Sottile
Guest Editor

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• biodiversity
• ecosystems
• conservation
• valorization
• ecology