We invite submissions for a special issue of Applied Soil Ecology focused on the spatial analysis and mapping of soil biodiversity data across Europe. This issue aims to highlight initiatives that explore the biotic and abiotic mechanisms behind spatial trends in soil biodiversity and the opportunities provided by coordinated data collection, management, recycling, and mapping. Research connecting soil biodiversity to soil functions or ecosystem services is particularly welcome. Contributions that provide tools and insights useful for policymakers, especially concerning soil biodiversity protection in agricultural, urban, or forest contexts, or the conservation of natural areas, are highly encouraged.
Background Information
Several European initiatives and processes, such as the Soil Mission, the Soil Health Directive proposal, and the recent proposal for a directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience, aim to protect, enhance, and restore soils with a focus on soil biodiversity. These policy goals necessitate a strong visibility of existing soil biodiversity data, accumulated through various research initiatives and studies over the last decades in Europe. Thus, the time has come to summarize and interpret all these data across Europe.
This special issue will concentrate on initiatives aimed at spatially analyzing and mapping soil biodiversity data on the European continent, from microbes to macrofauna. We are looking for research that delves into the mechanisms behind spatial trends in soil biodiversity and the benefits of coordinated initiatives for relevant data collection and mapping. Efforts to connect soil biodiversity to soil functions or ecosystem services are also welcomed. Topics beneficial for policymakers, including the protection of soil biodiversity in various contexts and the conservation of natural areas, are particularly encouraged.
Guest Editors
Dr. Maria Tsiafouli
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Ecology, School of Biology
Email: tsiafoul@bio.auth.gr
Prof. Jérôme Cortet
Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive
Email: jerome.cortet@univ-montp3.fr
Manuscript Submission Information
When submitting your manuscript, please select the article type “VSI: Soil Biodiversity in Europe.”
Please submit your manuscript before the submission deadline of January 31, 2024.
All submissions deemed suitable to be sent for peer review will be reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. Once your manuscript is accepted, it will go into production and will be simultaneously published in the current regular issue and pulled into the online Special Issue. Articles from this Special Issue will appear in different regular issues of the journal, though they will be clearly marked and branded as Special Issue articles.
Please ensure you read the Guide for Authors before writing your manuscript. The Guide for Authors and the link to submit your manuscript are available on the Journal’s homepage at Applied Soil Ecology | Journal | ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier.
