Marine Benthos Biodiversity and Conservation

Dear Colleagues,

The marine benthos encompasses a diverse array of organisms, including algae, seagrasses, and invertebrates, which are crucial for the health and functionality of marine ecosystems. These organisms contribute to nutrient cycling, sediment stabilization, and provide habitat and food for other species. Additionally, some benthic macro-invertebrates act as bioindicators or bioremediators against environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals and microplastics, or are useful in ecosystem restoration.

Benthic biodiversity is currently under serious threat due to human activities and climate change. Pollution, overfishing, habitat loss, and alien species represent the main significant pressures on benthic populations, causing a decrease in species richness and biodiversity. Additionally, climate change, with increasingly frequent heatwaves, is upsetting the delicate balance of benthic realm.

Conservation is a vital concept that should be considered to protect the marine benthic biodiversity. For this purpose, effective strategies can include establishing marine protected areas, restoration, long-term monitoring plans, and sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices.

We encourage researchers to submit original papers and reviews that provide information on the current state of the marine benthos, the threats they face, and innovative measures to safeguard them. This knowledge is essential for developing more effective conservation actions and policies.

Dr. Roberto Carlucci
Dr. Roberta Trani
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 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 2600 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.