Collections

Special Collection of papers in Vegetation Ecology and Diversity for the 33rd European Vegetation Survey (EVS)

This Collection of articles is featured, but not limited, to researches presented in the 33rd European Vegetation Survey (EVS) conference held in Perugia from April 28th – May 2nd 2025. Authors whose studies deal with diversity, dynamics, conservation, and restoration of European vegetation are invited to submit their articles to this dedicated Collection on Vegetation Ecology and Diversity journal.

Deadline: December 31st 2026

Special Collection of papers in Vegetation Ecology and Diversity for the 33rd European Vegetation Survey (EVS)

This Collection of articles is featured, but not limited, to researches presented in the 33rd European Vegetation Survey (EVS) conference held in Perugia from April 28th – May 2nd 2025. Auth ...

Trait-based ecology focuses on plant acclimation and adaptation strategies to their growth environment by analysing trait distributions along environmental gradients at multiple spatial scales and levels of biological organization, providing general rules matching trait patterns to environmental conditions. By crossing taxonomic boundaries, trait-based ecology provides a powerful framework to generalize ecological patterns and processes including species sorting along environmental gradients, community assembly, and ecosystem functioning. These insights can provide predictive expectations about how vegetation might respond to environmental changes, an urgent concern for plants in the Anthropocene. However, interpreting patterns and processes emerging from trait-based approaches ultimately requires knowledge of the species under examination, resulting in an entanglement with vegetation ecology. This Topical Collection aims to bridge vegetation- and trait-based ecology by welcoming studies investigating trait-based patterns and processes using conceptual and methodological frameworks pertinent to vegetation ecology. Finally, we envision a Topical collection that can provide a hub for developing a comprehensive understanding of plant diversity at multiple spatial scales and levels of biological organization. For this reason, we encourage submissions exploring trade-offs in species' ecological strategies and their variability from species to communities, as well as new conceptual and methodological frameworks proposing new ways forward for bridging vegetation- and trait-based ecology. Contributions examining the effects of conservation and restoration practices on species, communities, and ecosystems are also welcome, as they offer valuable insights for advancing biodiversity protection in natural, and semi-natural ecosystems.

Trait-based ecology focuses on plant acclimation and adaptation strategies to their growth environment by analysing trait distributions along environmental gradients at multiple spatial scales and levels of biological organization, providing general rules matching trait patterns to environmental con ...

This Permanent Collection is a continuation of the one launched under the previous journal title, Plant Sociology, and the earlier publications are available here.

Vegetation databases are enhanced collections of several hundred or even thousands of vegetation plots (phytosociological relevés). In many cases, these plots originate from small-scale studies or derive from unpublished projects or theses and they are focused on restricted areas; however, the accumulation of such data over time has often resulted in extensive coverage. This data has long-term applications, and its breadth can offer new perspectives or reveal more complex relationships and processes within ecosystems compared to the original studies. The primary motivation behind creating a database is to better understand vegetation variation along geographical and ecological gradients or to document vegetation changes due to specific treatments or natural events. Once created, a larger database can address more complex, in-depth, or multidisciplinary research questions. Compiling a database is a challenging task. It requires standardizing species and syntaxon names across all surveys, determining geographic coordinates, and sometimes adding new information (such as bedrock type, soil type, climate, and management practices). To recognize these efforts, the journal is launching this Topical Collection of papers describing new databases, thematic datasets, or significant upgrades of existing ones. The aim is to increase data accessibility and to encourage data exchange among scientists across broader areas and research fields.

This Permanent Collection is a continuation of the one launched under the previous journal title, Plant Sociology, and the earlier publications are available here.

Vegetation databases are enhanced collections of several hundred or even thousands of vegetation plots (phytosociological relevés). In ma ...

This Permanent Collection is a continuation of the one launched under the previous journal title, Plant Sociology, and the earlier publications are available here.

Remote sensing is a powerful and versatile technology that involves the acquisition of information about the Earth's surface, utilizing various platforms such as satellites, aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A variety of sensors capture data across different spectral bands, enabling detailed observation and analysis of terrestrial ecosystems. This technology has revolutionized the field of vegetation ecology by providing the means to monitor, analyze, and manage vegetation across large spatial scales with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. One of the main advantages of remote sensing in vegetation studies is its ability to collect information over extensive areas that are often inaccessible or impractical to survey through traditional field methods. This capability is particularly crucial for large-scale ecological studies, change detection, habitat mapping, and monitoring biodiversity. Remote sensing technology also offers high temporal resolution, allowing for continuous and repeatable observations that are essential for tracking changes in vegetation dynamics over time. Furthermore, image processing techniques enable the integration of multi-spectral and hyper-spectral data, which can reveal detailed information about vegetation health, species composition, and ecological processes. This Topical Collection aims to compile cutting-edge research that leverages remote sensing for vegetation ecology. We invite contributions that focus on recent methods for vegetation classification, vegetation mapping of habitats, and advancements in phytosociology enhanced by remote sensing techniques. Additionally, studies that employ both satellite and UAV imagery to develop innovative methods and applications in vegetation analysis are highly encouraged. Through this collection of papers, we hope to showcase the latest advancements in remote sensing technology and its transformative impact on the study and management of vegetation.

This Permanent Collection is a continuation of the one launched under the previous journal title, Plant Sociology, and the earlier publications are available here.

Remote sensing is a powerful and versatile technology that involves the acquisition of information about the Earth's surface, utilizing v ...

This Permanent Collection is a continuation of the one launched under the previous journal title, Plant Sociology, and the earlier publications are available here. 

Bryophytes are a group of land plants of small size but with a large ecological impact. Although bryophytes display high species diversity, a major limitation in their use as study organisms has been the lack of basic floristic, ecological, and alpha-taxonomic knowledge in many regions. The distribution of these plants depends on the general climatic and ecological factors, and interaction with other living beings. These factors interact with each other in many ways. Humidity is one of the main drivers influencing their survival, although most of them can stand prolonged periods of drought. In fact, during periods of dryness, mosses, despite being dehydrated, maintain their vitality. The Bryophyte life cycle is slow and can last for several months and sometimes, for some species, even years. The return of water restores the normal rhythm of the plant’s life. Bryophytic vegetation is also determined by the physical and chemical characteristics of the substrate on which it lives. The physical structure of the substrate allows air circulation and water retention, which depends on its chemical nature. For all these characteristics that differentiate Bryophytes from vascular plants, they deserve in-depth dedicated studies. Precisely with this Topical collection, we aim to collect contributions that deal with these types of vegetation and their peculiar species composition and to analyze how bryophytes are affected by climate change with different responses in distribution ecology and reproductive biology. Overall we intend to increase the level of bryophytic knowledge, deepening all those aspects of bryophyte communities often neglected.

This Permanent Collection is a continuation of the one launched under the previous journal title, Plant Sociology, and the earlier publications are available here. 

Bryophytes are a group of land plants of small size but with a large ecological impact. Although bryophytes display high species diversi ...