Highlighting Key Research in Plant Ecology

The following article provides an overview of two planned manuscripts that are yet to be received by the Editorial Office and will be subject to peer review upon submission to MDPI journals. These studies focus on various aspects of climate change impacts, biodiversity, and conservation strategies. 
 
In their study titled "Potential impacts of climate change on the habitat suitability of seven dominant tree species in Greece," Nikolaos M. Fyllas from the University of Aegean explores how climate change is influencing species distribution and ecosystem function. Forests provide a multitude of ecosystem services; thus, understanding their vulnerability to climatic changes is crucial for effective adaptation planning. 
 
Fyllas uses species distribution modeling (SDM) as a tool for projecting potential range shifts under different climate scenarios. However, due to a lack of spatial data availability, this method's applicability often gets constrained. Therefore, Fyllas extends the European Atlas database with his own observations along with data from forest stewardship plans, increasing the dataset considerably for the focal species in Greece: pines, firs, and oaks. 
 
After developing SDMs under current conditions using the maximum entropy algorithm with predictive variables like soil and climatic data at ~1 km2 resolution level, they were used for future projections under the RCP45 and RCP85 scenarios for the 2060–2080 period. 
 
Results indicate significant reductions in potential distributions except for two drought-tolerant pine species, thereby suggesting a substantial impact on the Greek forestry sector, which could have important ecological, economic, and social implications demanding adequate mitigation measures implementation. 

 
In another paper entitled "Persistence of strictly endemic plant species of forest margins: The case of Cirsium alpis-lunae in northern Apennines (Italy)," authors Fenu G., Lazzaro L., Lastrucci L., and Viciani D. affiliated with the Institute Agricultural Environmental Sciences,Estonian University Life Sciences highlights the plight faced by narrow endemic plants often threatened due to the to the reduction small contingent individuals. 
  
For conservation efficacy, reliable basic information about distribution range, ecological requirements, and population traits is mandatory. However, such knowledge often remains incomplete or even missing for plants that have been neglected or recently described. 
 
To address this information gap, the authors carried out an extensive study on Cirsium alpis-lunae, a thistle exclusive to N-Apennines (Italy). They monitored all sites where this plant grows, collecting data on site attributes and population traits. 
 
Their results reveal that the plant is restricted to only 16 scattered sites with a variable surface area and number of individuals. Both reproductive and juvenile plants are affected by similar variables, particularly site surface,slope aspect, and canopy cover. 
 
The narrow ecological niche occupied by C. alpis-lunae was chiefly determined by canopy cover; as coverage increased,the number of individuals decreased. The species thrives at forest edges where peculiar ecological conditions limit forestry cover development; other factors like high inclination and substrate instability contribute further to limiting forestry vegetation, thereby ensuring the persistence these ecotones. 
 
Despite challenges in accessing these habitats,this study provides the first detailed picture of the C. alpis-lunae population, providing crucial data for identifying effective conservation measures. 
   
These manuscripts underline the importance understanding the potential impacts of climate change on biodiversity while emphasizing the need robust scientific data to inform effective conservation strategies in the face rapid environmental changes globally.