A Global Compendium of Nature-based Solutions in Small-Medium Islands

Mark D.C. Mansoldo; Elisa Serra; Erika Igondová; Aristides Moustakas; Abdullah Hüseyin Dönmez; Alexandra Tsatsou; Berre Kumuk; Christos Zoumides; Elli Tzirkalli; Emine Keleş Özgenç; Erich Wolff; Francesco Sica; Franziska Paul; George Zittis; Giuseppe Fenu; Hai Ying Liu; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Ioannis N. Vogiatzakis; Irene Christoforidi; Jean José Filippi; Katerina Shelagh Boucoyannis; Viviana Ligorini; Marilena Stamatiou; Marina Antic; Osman Kumuk; Periklis Kleitou; Paraskevi Manolaki; Peter Davids; Rocío Pineda-Martos; Savvas Zotos; Senka Ždero; Shiri Zemah-Shamir; Tanya Trenkova; Yael Shaked Mandelberg; Ziv Zemah-Shamir; Zorica Srđević; Mario V. Balzan

doi:10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6

A Global Compendium of Nature-based Solutions in Small-Medium Islands

Mark D.C. Mansoldo
, Elisa Serra
, Erika Igondová
, Aristides Moustakas
, Abdullah Hüseyin Dönmez
, Alexandra Tsatsou
, Berre Kumuk
, Christos Zoumides
, Elli Tzirkalli
, Emine Keleş Özgenç
, Erich Wolff
, Francesco Sica
, Franziska Paul
, George Zittis
, Giuseppe Fenu
, Hai Ying Liu
, Ioannis P. Kokkoris
, Ioannis N. Vogiatzakis
, Irene Christoforidi
, Jean José Filippi

Katerina Shelagh Boucoyannis, Viviana Ligorini, Marilena Stamatiou, Marina Antic, Osman Kumuk, Periklis Kleitou, Paraskevi Manolaki, Peter Davids, Rocío Pineda-Martos, Savvas Zotos, Senka Ždero, Shiri Zemah-Shamir, Tanya Trenkova, Yael Shaked Mandelberg, Ziv Zemah-Shamir, Zorica Srđević, Mario V. Balzan

Morris Kahn Marine Research Station

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Small and medium-sized islands (SMI) combine high ecological value with limited resources and vulnerability to climatic and environmental risks. Nature-based solutions (NbS) can contribute to addressing some of these challenges, but studies on the uptake and effectiveness of NbS in SMI remain scattered, with few systematic syntheses. Here, we introduce the SMI-NbS compendium, a comprehensive and open-access dataset compiling 280 NbS case studies implemented across SMI worldwide, developed through a systematic review of published and grey literature. Each SMI-NbS case study includes information on the location, NbS category, ecosystem types, societal challenges addressed, associated co-benefits, and links to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SMI-NbS compendium provides practical information on NbS implementation and identifies current research trends and gaps, such as the dominance of ecological and climate-focused NbS, with limited integration of other socio-economic challenges, thereby supporting further research and enabling knowledge exchange across the science-policy-practice interface to inform sustainable development pathways in SMI.

Original language	English
Article number	159
Journal	Scientific Data
Volume	13
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6
State	Published - Dec 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2026.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Statistics and Probability
Information Systems
Education
Computer Science Applications
Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty
Library and Information Sciences

Access to Document

10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6

Cite this

Mansoldo, M. D. C., Serra, E., Igondová, E., Moustakas, A., Hüseyin Dönmez, A., Tsatsou, A., Kumuk, B., Zoumides, C., Tzirkalli, E., Keleş Özgenç, E., Wolff, E., Sica, F., Paul, F., Zittis, G., Fenu, G., Liu, H. Y., Kokkoris, I. P., Vogiatzakis, I. N., Christoforidi, I., ... Balzan, M. V. (2026). A Global Compendium of Nature-based Solutions in Small-Medium Islands. Scientific Data , 13(1), Article 159. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6

@article{98b570ac83f745fab5eb9c9b50ca0560,

title = "A Global Compendium of Nature-based Solutions in Small-Medium Islands",

abstract = "Small and medium-sized islands (SMI) combine high ecological value with limited resources and vulnerability to climatic and environmental risks. Nature-based solutions (NbS) can contribute to addressing some of these challenges, but studies on the uptake and effectiveness of NbS in SMI remain scattered, with few systematic syntheses. Here, we introduce the SMI-NbS compendium, a comprehensive and open-access dataset compiling 280 NbS case studies implemented across SMI worldwide, developed through a systematic review of published and grey literature. Each SMI-NbS case study includes information on the location, NbS category, ecosystem types, societal challenges addressed, associated co-benefits, and links to the United Nations{\textquoteright} Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SMI-NbS compendium provides practical information on NbS implementation and identifies current research trends and gaps, such as the dominance of ecological and climate-focused NbS, with limited integration of other socio-economic challenges, thereby supporting further research and enabling knowledge exchange across the science-policy-practice interface to inform sustainable development pathways in SMI.",

author = "Mansoldo, \{Mark D.C.\} and Elisa Serra and Erika Igondov{\'a} and Aristides Moustakas and \{H{\"u}seyin D{\"o}nmez\}, Abdullah and Alexandra Tsatsou and Berre Kumuk and Christos Zoumides and Elli Tzirkalli and \{Kele{\c s} {\"O}zgen{\c c}\}, Emine and Erich Wolff and Francesco Sica and Franziska Paul and George Zittis and Giuseppe Fenu and Liu, \{Hai Ying\} and Kokkoris, \{Ioannis P.\} and Vogiatzakis, \{Ioannis N.\} and Irene Christoforidi and Filippi, \{Jean Jos{\'e}\} and Boucoyannis, \{Katerina Shelagh\} and Viviana Ligorini and Marilena Stamatiou and Marina Antic and Osman Kumuk and Periklis Kleitou and Paraskevi Manolaki and Peter Davids and Roc{\'i}o Pineda-Martos and Savvas Zotos and Senka {\v Z}dero and Shiri Zemah-Shamir and Tanya Trenkova and Mandelberg, \{Yael Shaked\} and Ziv Zemah-Shamir and Zorica Sr{\d}evi{\'c} and Balzan, \{Mario V.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2026.",

year = "2026",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Scientific Data ",

issn = "2052-4463",

publisher = "Nature Research",

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}

Mansoldo, MDC, Serra, E, Igondová, E, Moustakas, A, Hüseyin Dönmez, A, Tsatsou, A, Kumuk, B, Zoumides, C, Tzirkalli, E, Keleş Özgenç, E, Wolff, E, Sica, F, Paul, F, Zittis, G, Fenu, G, Liu, HY, Kokkoris, IP, Vogiatzakis, IN, Christoforidi, I, Filippi, JJ, Boucoyannis, KS, Ligorini, V, Stamatiou, M, Antic, M, Kumuk, O, Kleitou, P, Manolaki, P, Davids, P, Pineda-Martos, R, Zotos, S, Ždero, S, Zemah-Shamir, S, Trenkova, T, Mandelberg, YS, Zemah-Shamir, Z, Srđević, Z & Balzan, MV 2026, 'A Global Compendium of Nature-based Solutions in Small-Medium Islands', Scientific Data , vol. 13, no. 1, 159. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Global Compendium of Nature-based Solutions in Small-Medium Islands

AU - Mansoldo, Mark D.C.

AU - Serra, Elisa

AU - Igondová, Erika

AU - Moustakas, Aristides

AU - Hüseyin Dönmez, Abdullah

AU - Tsatsou, Alexandra

AU - Kumuk, Berre

AU - Zoumides, Christos

AU - Tzirkalli, Elli

AU - Keleş Özgenç, Emine

AU - Wolff, Erich

AU - Sica, Francesco

AU - Paul, Franziska

AU - Zittis, George

AU - Fenu, Giuseppe

AU - Liu, Hai Ying

AU - Kokkoris, Ioannis P.

AU - Vogiatzakis, Ioannis N.

AU - Christoforidi, Irene

AU - Filippi, Jean José

AU - Boucoyannis, Katerina Shelagh

AU - Ligorini, Viviana

AU - Stamatiou, Marilena

AU - Antic, Marina

AU - Kumuk, Osman

AU - Kleitou, Periklis

AU - Manolaki, Paraskevi

AU - Davids, Peter

AU - Pineda-Martos, Rocío

AU - Zotos, Savvas

AU - Ždero, Senka

AU - Zemah-Shamir, Shiri

AU - Trenkova, Tanya

AU - Mandelberg, Yael Shaked

AU - Zemah-Shamir, Ziv

AU - Srđević, Zorica

AU - Balzan, Mario V.

PY - 2026/12

Y1 - 2026/12

N2 - Small and medium-sized islands (SMI) combine high ecological value with limited resources and vulnerability to climatic and environmental risks. Nature-based solutions (NbS) can contribute to addressing some of these challenges, but studies on the uptake and effectiveness of NbS in SMI remain scattered, with few systematic syntheses. Here, we introduce the SMI-NbS compendium, a comprehensive and open-access dataset compiling 280 NbS case studies implemented across SMI worldwide, developed through a systematic review of published and grey literature. Each SMI-NbS case study includes information on the location, NbS category, ecosystem types, societal challenges addressed, associated co-benefits, and links to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SMI-NbS compendium provides practical information on NbS implementation and identifies current research trends and gaps, such as the dominance of ecological and climate-focused NbS, with limited integration of other socio-economic challenges, thereby supporting further research and enabling knowledge exchange across the science-policy-practice interface to inform sustainable development pathways in SMI.

AB - Small and medium-sized islands (SMI) combine high ecological value with limited resources and vulnerability to climatic and environmental risks. Nature-based solutions (NbS) can contribute to addressing some of these challenges, but studies on the uptake and effectiveness of NbS in SMI remain scattered, with few systematic syntheses. Here, we introduce the SMI-NbS compendium, a comprehensive and open-access dataset compiling 280 NbS case studies implemented across SMI worldwide, developed through a systematic review of published and grey literature. Each SMI-NbS case study includes information on the location, NbS category, ecosystem types, societal challenges addressed, associated co-benefits, and links to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SMI-NbS compendium provides practical information on NbS implementation and identifies current research trends and gaps, such as the dominance of ecological and climate-focused NbS, with limited integration of other socio-economic challenges, thereby supporting further research and enabling knowledge exchange across the science-policy-practice interface to inform sustainable development pathways in SMI.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105029406056

U2 - 10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6

DO - 10.1038/s41597-025-06476-6

M3 - Article

C2 - 41501094

AN - SCOPUS:105029406056

SN - 2052-4463

VL - 13

JO - Scientific Data

JF - Scientific Data

IS - 1

M1 - 159

ER -

A Global Compendium of Nature-based Solutions in Small-Medium Islands

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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