Impacts of Plant and Soil Biodiversity on Biomass Production

Dear Colleagues,

Biodiversity conservation programs have been implemented for several years. Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms on Earth. This diversity occurs at all levels of the organization of life: i.e., at the genetic level, at the species level and at the ecosystem level, i.e., at the level of the system of interrelationships between a set of living organisms (biocenosis) occupying a given environment (biotope). The mutual relationships between there are primarily trophic, whereby energy flows and matter circulates. These relationships are not only between the living organisms, i.e., the biocenosis, but also between them and the non-living parts, i.e., the biotope, and even between the individual components of the biotope. In the agricultural production field, as a result of human activity, specific ecological systems or ecosystems, called agroecosystems, are formed. These are sustained by the constant action of human, who carries out constant agrotechnical activities in these systems. There is also increasing recognition of the role of biodiversity and the need to protect it. The approach to biodiversity conservation has also changed, as we not only grow interested in protecting rare species of flora and fauna, but also recognize the role of commonly occurring species and their habitats. There is increasing talk of the tangible benefits we derive from the presence of biodiversity. These benefits are referred to as ecosystem services, the most important of which include the pollination of crops, the maintenance of soil fertility and the natural protection of plants against pests and pathogens. Increasingly, proposals exist that various programs should be implemented to protect biodiversity, with some areas allocating significant sums to their implementation. It is estimated that their benefits will far outweigh their costs. In many cases, their introduction is becoming a necessity to protect the natural environment from total degradation. Therefore, this Special Issue will focus on the impact of plant biodiversity and the soil environment on plant biomass production.

Prof. Dr. Piotr Szulc
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. Applied Sciences 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.

• biodiversity
• plant-soil interaction
• generative and vegetative yield
• natural environmental preservation