This proceedings volume gathers selected, peer-reviewed papers presented at the Dynamical Systems Theory and Applications International Conference - DSTA 2021, held virtually on December 6-9, 2021, organized by the Department of Automation, Biomechanics, and Mechatronics at Lodz University of Technology, Poland. This volume concentrates on studies on applications, while Volume II focuses on numerical and analytical approaches. Being a truly international conference, this 16th iteration of DSTA received submissions from authors representing 52 countries. The program covered both theoretical and experimental approaches to widely understood dynamical systems, including topics devoted to bifurcations and chaos, control in dynamical systems, asymptotic methods in nonlinear dynamics, stability of dynamical systems, lumped mass and continuous systems vibrations, original numerical methods of vibration analysis, nonsmooth systems, dynamics in life sciences and bioengineering, as well as engineering systems and differential equations. DSTA conferences aim to provide a common platform for exchanging new ideas and results of recent research in scientific and technological advances in modern dynamical systems. Works contained in this volume can appeal to researchers in the field, whether in mathematics or applied sciences, and practitioners in myriad industries.