Acta Oecologica is venue for the publication of original research articles in ecology. We encourage studies in all areas of ecology, including ecosystem ecology, community ecology, population ecology, conservation ecology and evolutionary ecology. There is no bias with respect to taxon, biome or geographic area. Both theoretical and empirical papers are welcome, but combinations are particularly sought. Priority is given to papers based on explicitly stated hypotheses. Acta Oecologica also accepts review papers.The forum section is reserved for short papers with critical discussion of current issues in ecology, as well as comments and viewpoints on previously published papers. Acta Oecologica does not publish book reviews, but comments on new books are welcome in the forum section.Benefits to authors We also provide many author benefits, such as free PDFs, a liberal copyright policy, special discounts on Elsevier publications and much more. Please click here for more information on our author services.Please see our Guide for Authors for information on article submission. If you require any further information or help, please visit our Support Center
An interdisciplinary journal on the interactions between agroecosystems and the environmentAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment is a leading interdisciplinary forum that publishes research investigating all aspects of agroecological science. Our objective is to advance understanding of the patterns and processes governing agroecosystem functions, interactions with the environment and provision of ecosystem services. A central theme is how agriculture influences the environment and how changes in that environment impact agroecosystems.Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment publishes novel, high impact research conducted at various spatial scales - from experimental plots and field trials to farm-, agroecosystem- and landscape-level investigations - with preference given to hypothesis-based and/or data-rich investigations. We particularly encourage broadly significant studies of agroecosystems that deal with cross-scale interactions, bridge scientific disciplines or integrate new knowledge and perspectives relevant to agroecosystem management or agri-environmental policies. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment rarely publishes papers focused on the management of a specific agricultural system in a particular environmental setting unless the research produces new and compelling findings; therefore, submissions should be placed in an international and/or widely comparative context.All manuscripts are initially screened on their topic suitability. AGEE's core subject-matter fields/topics include (but are not limited to): • Mechanisms governing bio-physical features and functioning of agroecosystems (e.g., the biogeochemistry, ecology, and sustainability of agricultural systems) • The interplay between agroecosystems and the environment (soil, air, and water) and the role of ecological processes in provision of ecosystem services • Agroecosystems and their role in catalyzing/mitigating global change (climate change, greenhouse gases and biodiversity loss) • Ecological consequences of land use intensification and other human impacts (soil degradation and erosion, water and waste management, and associated mitigation approaches) • Environmental implications of agricultural land use and land use change (biodiversity conservation and land management, and ecological restoration and stewardship)The following topics are discouraged unless they provide new information that complements AGEE's core subject-matter areas: • Inventory and survey analysis (including life cycle and energy analysis) • Impact assessment and environmental/compliance monitoring investigations • Exclusively greenhouse- or laboratory-based studies • Studies on the development of models or methodologies and pure model applications • Studies that are purely agronomic, socio-economic, or political
Climate Smart Agriculture provides a platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on agriculture in relation to climate change. The journal publishes original research articles, reviews, short communications, perspectives and comments, with an emphasis on, but not limited to the following:Greenhouse gas emission mitigation in agricultureCarbon capture and sequestration in agroecosystemsImpacts of climate change on agricultureAdaptation of agriculture to climate change
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture provides international coverage of advances in the development and application of computer hardware, software, electronic instrumentation, and control systems for solving problems in agriculture, including agronomy, horticulture (in both its food and amenity aspects), forestry, aquaculture, and animal/livestock farming. Its new companion journal, Smart Agricultural Technology provides continuity for smart application being applied in production agriculture.The journal publishes original papers, reviews, and applications notes on topics pertaining to advances in the use of computers or electronics in plant or animal agricultural production, including agricultural soils, water, pests, controlled environments, structures, and wastes, as well as the plants and animals themselves. On-farm, post-harvest operations considered part of agriculture (such as drying, storage, logistics, production assessment, trimming and separation of plant and animal material) are also covered. Relevant areas of technology include artificial intelligence, sensors, machine vision, robotics, networking, and simulation modelling.When determining the suitability of submitted manuscripts for publication, particular emphasis is placed on novelty and innovation, and the degree to which a manuscript advances the state of the art for computers/electronics in agriculture. Applying existing technology to a particular crop for the first time does not qualify as an innovation in computers/electronics for this journal. Research applying off-the-shelf hardware or software, without augmenting such technology with investigator-developed tools, innovations, or unique approaches, should be submitted to its companion journal, Smart Agricultural Technology, whose scope includes applied technology. Manuscripts that apply computers/electronics in an ancillary fashion or focus objectives and conclusions primarily on the application sciences (e.g., entomology, agronomy, engineering, economics, horticulture) should be submitted to one of those respective science journals.The journal recognizes that the use of previously published data sets (either alpha-numeric, quantitative, or imagery) can be extremely beneficial as researchers develop and prototype new machine learning or machine vision algorithms with potential application to agriculture. However, the journal views this prototyping work as preliminary in nature, and prospective authors should, prior to submitting such work to this journal, generate a more scientifically rigorous data set, collected by the authors under controlled and reported experimental conditions.
Crop and Environment is an international peer-reviewed, open-access journal devoted to publishing research conducted at local to global scale to overcome constraints to sustainable production of the world's major crops and cropping systems with a focus on innovations that improve productivity, resource use efficiencies, and environmental performance in conserving natural resources (including soils, water, and biodiversity). Publication in this journal requires adequate benchmark data on soils, climate, and production practices to allow replication of the reported research. This journal's objective is to be the most authoritative source of information about prospects for meeting food demand and the sustainable crop and soil management practices to achieve it.The areas and topics covered by the journal include but are not limited to: agriculture-environment-economic nexus; agricultural mechanization; agricultural remote sensing; agronomy; carbon-neutral agriculture; carbon sequestration; climate change; crop and soil interaction; crop ecology, crop management; crop modelling; crop nutrition; crop quality; crop physiology; crop protection; cropping system; farming system; food security; greenhouse gas emissions; nature-positive farming; post-harvest technology; precision agriculture; smart agriculture; and sustainable intensification.As an open access journal, all published articles will be freely accessible to everyone worldwide through the Elsevier platform. Article types include: original paper, short communications, reviews, highlights, perspectives, letters to the editor, and editorials. The article-processing charge (APC) is covered by Huazhong Agricultural University during the first three years since inauguration.
The Official Journal of the European Society for AgronomyThe European Journal of Agronomy, the official journal of the European Society for Agronomy, publishes original research papers reporting experimental and theoretical contributions to field-based agronomy and crop science. The journal will consider research at the field level for agricultural, horticultural and tree crops, that uses comprehensive and explanatory approaches. The EJA covers the following topics:crop physiologycrop production and management including irrigation, fertilization and soil managementagroclimatology and modellingplant-soil relationshipscrop quality and post-harvest physiologyfarming and cropping systemsagroecosystems and the environmentcrop-weed interactions and managementorganic farminghorticultural cropspapers from the European Society for Agronomy bi-annual meetingsprecision farmingIn determining the suitability of submitted articles for publication, particular scrutiny is placed on the degree of novelty and significance of the research and the extent to which it adds to existing knowledge in agronomy. Confirmatory research and results routine cultivar or agronomy trials in which there are no identified biological processes will not normally be considered for publication. Modelling studies have to be informative and innovative and used to illustrate important generic issues facing agronomy. Studies in which a model is only tested against observed data for its goodness-of-fit are not generally welcome. Field experiments need to be either multi-locational or multi-year and normally three at least and be accompanied by appropriate statistical analysis. Glasshouse experiments are only accepted in exceptional circumstances. Review articles are normally written on invitation from the Editor-in-Chief. Authors intending to prepare review papers for the Journal are advised to consult the Editor-in-Chief before writing their reviews. Forthcoming special issues are focusing on uncertainty analysis in models and the status of non-renewable resources in agriculture.
Farming System provides a platform to discuss farming system design, integrated crop and livestock production, farming management, and economic and sustainable development. The journal publishes original scientific papers, reviews, short communications, perspectives, and comments.The scope of Farming System includes:Farming System Design and Innovation: development and application of tools and methods for farming system design and management; decision-making and resource allocation in farming system; sustainability assessment and design of farming system and decision support tools; crop distribution and resources sustainability; crop modeling at either farm-, landscape-, regional-, national- and global-scale; the application of remote sensing in monitoring production at farm to global scale; farming system optimization;Farming System Development and Assessment: regional agricultural green development assessment; food security assessment from the perspective of farming system; the synergism assessment of crop production, economic benefits, ecosystem services, environmental sustainability of farming system; farming systems life cycle assessment (LCA); water footprint, carbon footprint, nitrogen footprint and other environmental footprints of farming system; crop resilience and adaption to climatic change;Sustainable Farming Management: sustainable intensification of resources, lower environmental consequence, carbon sequestration and emission reduction. For instance, diversified cropping, the combination of farming and animal husbandry, organic farming, low-carbon farming, eco-farming, green farming, circular agriculture, conservation agriculture, regenerative agriculture, environment-friendly agriculture, and climate-smart agriculture;Crop, Soil, and Environment Interactions: the mechanism of crop, soil, and environment interactions; crop growth process under different environments; the soil processes and microbial mechanisms supporting high crop yield, high efficiency, and low environmental impact;Research Frontier and Interdisciplinary in Farming System: new ideas, hypotheses, theories, and technologies that are adopted or fulfilled to solve the problems in farming system research and practice, such as new materials (nano-, chemical-, etc.), smart agriculture.
SCIENTIFIC NOVELTYField Crops Research is an international journal publishing scientific articles on:√ Original experimental and modelling research, meta-analysis of published data. √ Articles must demonstrate new scientific insights, original technologies or novel methods at crop, field, farm and landscape levels.FOCUS and SCOPEThe focus of Field Crops Research is crop ecology, crop physiology, agronomy, and crop improvement of field crops for food, fibre, feed and biofuel. The inclusion of yield data is encouraged to demonstrate how the field experiments contribute to the understanding of the bio-physical processes related to crop growth, development and the formation and realisation of yield. Articles on quality (grain, fibre, fodder), breeding and genetics, crop protection (diseases, pests, weeds), phenotyping, remote and non-contact sensing, soils, climate and greenhouse gas emissions, are encouraged, provided they are integrated with crop ecology, crop physiology, crop improvement and/or agronomy. Articles containing new insights into resource-use efficiency, crop intensification, precision and digital agriculture, climate smart practices and molecular and/or physiological breeding are welcome. Studies at lower levels of organisation (plant to molecular) must demonstrate scaling up to crop level or higher.SCIENTIFIC and PRESENTATION STANDARDManuscripts must be written in grammatically sound English.Objectives must flow from complete, brief, unbiased and updated review of the literature.Experimental design must match objectives.Field experiments must be repeated in at least two seasons or locations.Key agronomic practices and environmental conditions (soil, weather) must be detailed, and weather information should be shown in relation to crop phenology.Data must be analysed with appropriate statistics, and results have to be concise and address objectives.A separate discussion must not repeat results but place findings in agronomic context with conclusions fully justified by data.OUT of SCOPEResearch that is corroborative, descriptive, or only of local significance.Studies carried-out exclusively under controlled-environment (greenhouse, pot, or any system that constricts root growth) conditions.Studies on natural grasslands, horticultural (i.e., vegetable and fruit species), woody perennial and non-cultivated species.One-year field studies in one location or environment.Articles on crop storage, transportation and usage, and social studies on crops and cropping systems.
Motivation for Global Food Security arose from concern about the difficulty for scientists and policy makers to keep up with the expanding volume of information published about the challenge of ensuring food systems are meeting human food safety and nutritional requirements whilst protecting the environment, securing livelihoods, mitigating against climate change, and reducing inequalities. The journal takes the food system to incorporate all levels of food production from the supply of agricultural inputs and agricultural production through to final consumption, and the wider technological, environmental, economic, political and social context within which this occurs.Global Food Security aims to publish papers that contribute to better understanding of economic, social, biophysical, technological, political, and institutional drivers of current and future food security at the local to global levels. It aims to stimulate debate that is rooted in robust scientific analysis, has strong interdisciplinary connections, and recognizes the trade-offs that often occur because of reconciling competing objectives and outcomes in promoting the needed transformation of food systems.While integration across academic disciplines is encouraged, papers on specific elements of Global Food Security will also be considered if they address important constraints and have broad geographical relevance. The goal is to publish concise and timely reviews and synthesis articles related to research on the following elements of food security and food systems:Food availability - ensuring there is enough high quality and socially appropriate foods at the local to global levels.Food access - ensuring economic and physical access to safe, nutritious, and socially appropriate food through reduced poverty, well-functioning markets and conducive food environments.Food quality – ensuring food is safe to eat and of a high nutritional quality; ability to utilize foods in a manner that is safe and nutritious and aligned with the socio-cultural roles of food.Stability, environmental sustainability, and climate change – ensuring agri-food systems are resilient and sustainable.Wider socio-economic context and impacts of food systems – agency within the food system and impacts of efforts to promote the transformation of food systems towards sustainable food security on poverty inequalities, socio-cultural contributions of food systems, etc.The types of articles the Journal publishes include:Strategic reviews of research from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives related to sustainable food security based on the best available science, in a clear and readable form that is accessible to a wide disciplinary and professional audience, thus bridging the gap between the biological, social, and environmental sciences.Original research that has relevance to sustainable food security at the local to global level and where the wider implications beyond the specific context of the study are made clear. Also, where advanced technical research and data analysis techniques are communicated clearly and understandably to a diverse disciplinary and professional audience.Reviews, opinion pieces and debates that synthesize, extend and critique research approaches, methodologies, and findings from the evolving body of original research on global food security and agri-food system transformation.Distinguishing features of Global Food Security include:Incudes multiple papers that address specific and timely issues of importance to sustainable food security and the related transformation of food systems.publishes authors who are recognized authorities in their field.a focus on sustainable food security and related processes of food system transformation from the local to global level.a focus on examining the implications of localised and context-specific research for sustainable food security more generally from the local to global level.sustained effort to make technically complex analysis understandable and relevant to a multidisciplinary audience.a focus on challenging current paradigms and seeking to provide out-of-the box thinking on the technical, economic, social, political issues around sustainable food security.Given this focus, Global Food Security is considered an invaluable source of information for researchers, teachers, students, professionals, policy makers and the international media.
The Italian Journal of Agronomy (IJA) is the official journal of the Italian Society for Agronomy. It publishes quarterly original articles and reviews reporting experimental and theoretical contributions to agronomy and crop science. The journal deals with all aspects of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the interactions between cropping systems and sustainable development. Multidisciplinary articles that bridge agronomy with ecology, environmental and social sciences are also welcome.