In support of World Wetlands Day 2026, BMC Ecology and Evolution invites submissions for an article collection focused on research that informs efforts to manage, restore, and conserve wetlands.

Wetlands are areas where either salty or fresh water is present on the surface or just below the soil, encompassing a diverse range of habitats from fens to mangroves. Despite covering only 6% of the Earth's surface, wetlands support an abundance of life, hosting 40% of all plant and animal species. They provide important ecosystem services, such as water purification and flood control, and serve as carbon sinks, helping to combat climate change.

However, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate. Over the past 50 years, we have lost 35% of the world's wetlands. The primary drivers of this loss include human activities such as draining and filling wetlands for agricultural and construction purposes, pollution, overfishing, resource overexploitation, the introduction of invasive species, and the impacts of climate change.

We invite submissions of research on topics including, but not limited to:

• Impact of environmental stressors on wetland ecosystems (e.g. forecasting changes in wetland species distributions under climate and anthropogenic pressures)
• The role of keystone species in wetland restoration and management
• Mechanisms driving invasive species success in wetlands
• Functional roles of biodiversity in maintaining wetland ecosystem services
• Nature-based approaches for flood mitigation and water management (e.g. to remove excess phosphorus)
• Ecosystem restoration: challenges and successes (e.g. mangroves, seagrass meadows and abandoned agricultural landscapes like rice paddies)
• Integrating ecological, social, and policy frameworks to enhance wetland resilience

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 15: Life on Land.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

BMC Ecology and Evolution invites researchers to submit their work on soil ecosystems and their implications for environmental sustainability. Soils are living, dynamic systems that support a vast array of organisms, from tiny microbes to plants and animals. They play a vital role in keeping our planet healthy by recycling nutrients, storing carbon, and helping regulate water and climate. Understanding how soil life functions and adapts is essential for tackling major environmental challenges like climate change, habitat loss, and soil degradation.

This collection of articles aims to showcase the latest research in soil ecology, emphasizing the interactions among soil organisms, biogeochemical processes, and ecosystem functions across various landscapes. We invite submissions that explore the following topics:

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Microbial and faunal diversity in soils: Patterns, drivers, and functional roles of bacteria, fungi, protists, and invertebrates

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Soil biogeochemistry and ecosystem functioning: Nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and soil health in both natural and managed ecosystems

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Soil-plant interactions: Rhizosphere processes, plant-microbe symbioses, and their effects on vegetation dynamics

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Land use and climate change impacts on soil communities: Responses of soil biodiversity and functions to agricultural intensification, urbanization, pollution, and climate shifts

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Soil metagenomics, phylogenetics, and functional ecology: Advances in molecular approaches for studying soil microbial and faunal communities

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Conservation and restoration of soil ecosystems: Strategies for maintaining soil biodiversity and ecosystem services in degraded landscapes

All manuscripts submitted to BMC Ecology and Evolution, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 15: Life on Land.