There is a consensus that drivers of biodiversity loss such as climate change, habitat degradation, invasion by non-native species, direct exploitation of natural resources, and chemical pollution need to be addressed in an inter- and transdisciplinary way, as single disciplines alone cannot do justice to their complexity, multi-layered nature, and interconnectedness. The aim of this Collection is to provide an overview of the current gaps, challenges, and developments related to inter- and transdisciplinary research on ecosystem health. The Collection explores the tensions inherent in the safeguarding of ecosystems and the well-being of human populations, while considering the diverse ways in which ecosystem health can be defined, assessed, and managed across different societal contexts. The concept of ecosystem health is dynamic and context-dependent, shaped by varying metrics, societal aspirations, and the values of different stakeholders. Crucial questions include: What constitutes a “healthy” ecosystem? Who defines this, and how are these definitions legitimized through different knowledge bases? How can inter- and transdisciplinary research help navigate the conflicts between these diverse perceptions and provide meaningful, policy-relevant insights?

This Collection invites contributions that address the following themes:

• Inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration: examining how co-production of natural and social sciences, policy, and practice can advance integrated approaches to understanding and managing ecosystem health.

• The tensions between nature conservation and resource use: examining the trade-offs between conserving ecosystems and the demands of economic development.

• The role of human values in defining and managing ecosystem health: exploring who determines what constitutes a "healthy" ecosystem and what knowledge bases legitimate these definitions.

• Reflections on methodological challenges of inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations.

• Chemical pollution: interaction with ecosystems and societies.

• Biodiversity metrics and metrics of drivers of biodiversity loss: developing metrics and workflows for sustainability reporting.

• The variability in ecosystem health assessment metrics: exploring how different metrics influence perceptions and decisions.

• Framework for corporate impacts: developing conceptual frameworks and practical workflows for impacts of the business and finance sectors on ecosystems and biodiversity.

Interdisciplinary articles connecting fields such as ecology, geography, environmental chemistry and toxicology, engineering, data and computational science, humanities, social ecology, social sciences, sustainable finance, and economics can be submitted. Theoretical informed as well as empirical papers are welcomed. Papers integrating knowledge and data from non-academic stakeholders are especially invited. The special volume will also be presented to academia, industry, politicians, and ministries, the DFG and research funding bodies in order to inform them accordingly.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be published online in the Collection page at the journal’s website as soon as they are accepted.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests will be handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.