The current issue is the first one of the journal Vegetation Ecology and Diversity, formerly Plant Sociology, the international peer-reviewed journal of the Italian Society of Vegetation Science (SISV). Vegetation Ecology and Diversity (VED) publishes original research articles covering all aspects of vegetation, ranging from plant communities to landscapes, including dynamic processes and community ecology. It prioritizes papers that emphasize plant community ecology and vegetation surveys to advance ecological models, interpret and classify vegetation, map ecosystems, assess environmental quality, manage and conserve plant biodiversity, and interpret and monitor European habitats. All the articles are freely available in Open Access (OA). In the present Editorial, we introduce the new journal name, the new Editorial Board and Social Media Team, several Topical Collections, and initiatives to support young researchers.

Classification, habitat mapping, phytosociology, plant diversity, plant ecology, vegetation

We are delighted to announce an exciting new chapter for the Journal of the Italian Society of Vegetation Science (SISV), previously known as Plant Sociology from 2012 to 2024. Effective immediately in 2025, our society-owned venue has been rebranded as Vegetation Ecology and Diversity (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. 

The new journal name.

This change reflects our mission to encompass a wider spectrum of research articles and to better represent the dynamic and interdisciplinary field of vegetation science. Along with the name change, we are pleased to introduce a refreshed Editorial Board, new Topical Collections, and initiatives to support young researchers, signalling our commitment to fostering innovation and inclusivity in the field.

The decision to rename the journal marks a strategic step to align with contemporary scientific trends and to amplify our reach. Vegetation Ecology and Diversity with the acronym VED (Fig. 2) emphasizes our dedication to publishing high-quality research that addresses the complexity of vegetation dynamics, ecological interactions, and the diversity of plant communities. These topics will become extremely important in the following years and decades, providing scientific knowledge to address the conservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems in the face of global change. While our commitment to rigorous peer review and scholarly impact remains steadfast, the rebranding reflects our ambition to serve as a solid platform for vegetation scientists.

Figure 2. 

The acronym of the new journal name.

The SIVS plenary assembly voted on changing the journal name on November 24^th, 2024. Most of SISV members (93%) supported the change (only 3% were against it, and 4% abstained). Apart from the winning name of Vegetation Ecology and Diversity (selected by 79%), smaller support was also for the shorter titles Vegetation (14%) and Vegetation Ecology (7%), while other alternatives, namely Vegetation Diversity and Plant Sociology and European Restoration Ecology, did not gain any votes.

To support this expanded vision, we announce a new Editor-in-Chief, Gianmaria Bonari, and a renewed Editorial Board that includes a diverse team of esteemed scholars with different expertise. The full list of Editors and their affiliations can be found on our journal website: Editorial Board. We thank Daniela Gigante, who served the journal as Editor-in-Chief from January 2019 to February 2024.

Our Editorial Board has been carefully assembled to ensure representation of a wide range of disciplines within vegetation science as well as different disciplines and geographical territories being represented. Moreover, our editorial board maintains a well-balanced gender representation. The diverse expertise enables us to offer a robust and multidisciplinary approach to our review process, ensuring that Vegetation Ecology and Diversity continues to be a trusted and respected venue for groundbreaking research.

Here is a short biosketch of each of us:

Gianmaria Bonari – Editor-in-Chief, University of Siena, Italy. Interested in vegetation ecology, classification of habitats and plant communities, and conservation biology.

Irena Axmanová – Associate editor, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Interested in plant species diversity, alien species and community ecology across various spatial scales, and habitat types.

Gianluigi Bacchetta – Associate editor, University of Cagliari, Italy. Interested in geobotanical and conservation biology studies of the Mediterranean biota and on phytoclimatology and phytogeography as well.

Simonetta Bagella – Associate editor, University of Sassari, Italy. Interested in biological conservation, vegetation ecology and classification and habitat monitoring to support strategies for sustainable management in the context of global changes.

Federico Fernández-González – Associate editor, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain. Interested in vegetation classification, databases, nomenclature, mapping and monitoring, conservation biology, restoration ecology, and aerobiology.

Daniela Gigante – Associate editor, University of Perugia, Italy. Interested in vegetation science, conservation ecology, habitats monitoring and reporting, and biodiversity management.

Borja Jiménez-Alfaro – Associate editor, Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB), University of Oviedo - CSIC - Principality of Asturias, Spain. Interested in databases, biogeography of plant communities, habitat mapping, monitoring, and seed trait ecology.

Ali Kavgacı – Associate editor, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Türkiye. Interested in vegetation ecology and silviculture, and fire ecology.

Daniele Viciani – Associate editor, University of Florence, Italy. Interested in phytosociology, classification and mapping of vegetation types and habitats, with particular reference to the conservation aspects, also plant ecology, floristics and systematics of vascular flora, and history of botany.

To facilitate accessibility and organization of research, we have curated a series of topical collections available on our website: Topical Collections. The following collections are designed to provide readers with focused insights into key areas of vegetation science and are handled by our Guest Editors:

• Towards 2030: efforts in habitat recording and the reporting cycle of the Habitats Directive - A scientific collection for habitat conservation (Daniela Gigante, Giovanni Rivieccio, Federica Bonini)
• Vegetation classification: from classic to numeric approaches (Bianca Ott Andrade, Claudia Angiolini, Lorenzo Lazzaro)
• Vegetation databases: enhancing data integration and accessibility for ecological research (Adrian Indreica, Kiril Vassilev, Pauline Delbosc, Federico Fernández-González, Irena Axmanová, Borja Jiménez-Alfaro, Gianmaria Bonari)
• Advances in vegetation analysis through remote sensing technology (Gianmarco Tavilla, Valeria Tomaselli, Maria Adamo, Karol Mikula, Eliana Lima da Fonseca, Sergio Vargas Zesati)
• Role and impact of alien species in plant communities and habitat types (Daniele Viciani, Michele Lonati, Pietro Minissale, Adriano Stinca, Ginevra Nota, Denys Vynokurov)
• Vegetation study for the conservation and recovery of biodiversity (Carmelo Maria Musarella, Giovanni Spampinato, Eusebio Cano, Carlos José Pinto Gomes)
• Conservation and biodiversity of bryophytes in the ecosystems, and community variability (Silvia Poponessi, Annalena Cogoni, Marko Sabovljevic, Marta Puglisi)
• Species and community variability in vegetation dynamics and plant diversity conservation (Gianmaria Bonari, Silvia Del Vecchio, Fotios Xystrakis, Federico Fernández-González)
• Bridging vegetation and trait-based ecological research (Alessandro Bricca, Stefano Chelli, Francesco Petruzzellis, Giacomo Puglielli, Enrico Tordoni) (opening soon)

By organizing research into these categories, we aim to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and enable researchers to identify relevant studies with ease. We invite authors to contribute to these collections.

We are excited to introduce our new Social Media team, Giovanni Rivieccio and Michele Mugnai. With a shared passion for creativity and engagement, Giovanni and Michele will be managing our Facebook and Bluesky pages, bringing fresh ideas and dynamic content to our community. Their expertise ensures that our platforms will continue to be vibrant spaces for connection, updates, and meaningful interactions. Stay tuned for exciting posts, and feel free to reach out to them with your thoughts and feedback.

Supported by the Italian Society of Vegetation Science (SISV), we proudly introduce new publication fee discounts designed to support young researchers and early-career scientists. These initiatives aim to foster inclusive participation in vegetation science, particularly for students and researchers with limited financial resources.

As we embark on this new journey of Vegetation Ecology and Diversity, we are enthusiastic about the future. With a refreshed vision, an expanded Editorial Board, organized Topical Collections, and initiatives supporting inclusivity, our journal is well-positioned to advance vegetation science. We thank the Italian Society of Vegetation Science for their unwavering support and our global community of authors, reviewers, and readers.

We invite you to explore our new website, submit your latest research, and join us in shaping the future of the society-owned journal Vegetation Ecology and Diversity.