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Journals in Agricultural and biological sciences

The Agricultural and Biological Sciences collection advances science-based knowledge for the improvement of animal and plant life and for secure food systems that produce nutritious, novel, sustainable foods with minimal environmental impact. Food Science titles include not only those products from agriculture but all other aspects from food production to nutrition, health and safety, chemistry to security, policy, law and regulation. Biological Sciences address animal behaviour and biodiversity, organismal and evolutionary biology, entomology, marine biology and aquaculture, plant science and forestry.

    • Journal of Food Engineering

      • ISSN: 0260-8774
      Journal of Food Engineering (JFE), since its first issue in 1982, aims to provide an international forum for publication of original research papers on any subject at the interface between food and engineering, particularly those of relevance to industry with emphasis on novelty, engineering rigor and clear perspectives of applications, including:Engineerin... properties of foods, food (multi-phase and multi-scale) physics and physical chemistry with their effects on food processing with novelty and relevance of engineering properties to food manufacturing.Innova... methods, sensors and actuators for food processing, quality and safety, packaging, storage, and supply chain, Advanced engineering aspects of analysis, design and optimization of food processing, control of food processing equipment and plant,Artificial intelligence and data-driven innovations with an emphasis on industrial applications, andSustainability and economics of the proposed solutions for food engineering, including alternative processes.With respect to process design and optimization, mathematical modeling studies with validation and process applications in conventional and novel processing illustrating food engineering principles are of particular interest. The use of specific software in modeling studies should avoid using the black-box approach and present the fundamental details of the applied modeling approach. Design and optimization studies should demonstrate engineering rigor rather than only observational comparisons. For analytical techniques (such as imaging methods and image processing with machine learning, and the use artificial intelligence), the manuscripts should demonstrate the required scientific background and potential innovative food process applications. Food packaging related manuscripts focusing on quantitative analysis (e.g., release kinetics, diffusion modelling, novel shelf-life modelling methods) are also of interest for publication in JFE.For review articles, critical comprehensive reviews should present a detailed background of the given subject with critical opinions of the authors suggesting challenges and priorities for the future research. The authors must have a significant scientific background on the topic to discuss the insights obtained from the literature with a critical assessment of the food engineering rigor of the reviewed works. Our expectation of engineering rigor in works published in JFE has various aspects:clear presentation of the underlying (e.g., physical or chemical) mechanism and its rationale within the (food) engineering discipline,developme... of theoretical considerations that are well grounded in physical/chemical sciences, experimental design and approaches described in a sufficient manner so that they can be replicated in another laboratory,data analysis based on well-established statistical methods,development of mathematical models with validation and for broader application of results, discussion of results that demonstrate how the work uniquely contributes to new knowledge, andwhen appropriate, application of results to industrial-scale problem-solving, with an emphasis on quantitative approach and analysis.
    • Journal of Insect Physiology

      • ISSN: 0022-1910
      All aspects of insect physiology are published in this journal which will also accept papers on the physiology of other arthropods, if the referees consider the work to be of general interest. The coverage includes endocrinology (in relation to moulting, reproduction and metabolism), pheromones, neurobiology (cellular, integrative and developmental), physiological pharmacology, nutrition (food selection, digestion and absorption), homeostasis, excretion, reproduction and behaviour. Papers covering functional genomics and molecular approaches to physiological problems will also be included. Communications on structure and applied entomology can be published if the subject matter has an explicit bearing on the physiology of arthropods. Review articles and novel method papers are also welcomed.This journal is available at a special rate to members of the Entomological Society of America http://www.entsoc.or... 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
    • Agricultural and Forest Meteorology

      • ISSN: 0168-1923
      Agricultural and Forest Meteorology is an international journal for the publication of original articles and reviews on the inter-relationship between meteorology, agriculture, forestry, and natural ecosystems. Emphasis is on basic and applied scientific research relevant to practical problems in the field of plant and soil sciences, ecology and biogeochemistry as affected by weather as well as climate variability and change. Theoretical models should be tested against experimental data. Articles must appeal to an international audience. Special issues devoted to single topics are also published.Typical topics include canopy micrometeorology (e.g. canopy radiation transfer, turbulence near the ground, evapotranspiration, energy balance, fluxes of trace gases), micrometeorological instrumentation (e.g., sensors for trace gases, flux measurement instruments, radiation measurement techniques), aerobiology (e.g. the dispersion of pollen, spores, insects and pesticides), biometeorology (e.g. the effect of weather and climate on plant distribution, crop yield, water-use efficiency, and plant phenology), forest-fire/weather interactions, and feedbacks from vegetation to weather and the climate system.Keyword index available on https://www.elsevier...
    • Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

      • ISSN: 0167-8809
      An interdisciplinary journal on the interactions between agroecosystems and the environmentAgricultu... 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.Agric... 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/mitigatin... 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/compli... 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
    • Agricultural Systems

      • ISSN: 0308-521X
      Agricultural Systems is an international journal that deals with interactions - among the components of agricultural systems, among hierarchical levels of agricultural systems, between agricultural and other land use systems, and between agricultural systems and their natural, social and economic environments. Manuscripts submitted to Agricultural Systems generally should include both of the following:substantiv... natural science content (especially farm- or landscape-level biology or ecology, sometimes combined with social sciences), and substantive analysis and discussion of the interactions within or among agricultural systems components and other systems.Preference is given to manuscripts that address whole-farm and landscape level issues, via integration of conceptual, empirical and dynamic modelling approaches.The scope includes the development and application of systems analysis methodologies (diagnosis, simulation and mathematical modelling, participatory modelling, multi-criteria assessment, trade-off analysis, participatory design, etc.) in the following areas:agroecology and the sustainable intensification of agriculture as well as transition pathways for sustainable intensification; decision-making and resource allocation in agricultural systems; the interactions between agricultural and non-agricultural landscapes; the multiple services provided by agricultural systems from food security to environmental services; adaptation and transformation of agricultural systems in the era of global change; development and application of tools and methods for agricultural systems design, assessment and management; innovation systems and multi-stakeholder arrangements that support or promote change and/or informs policy decisions; and big data and the digitalisation of agriculture and their effects on agriculture.The following subjects are discouraged:economet... descriptive or other statistical analyses that exclude systems considerations, landscapes, land use change studies, or other economic analyses without substantive natural science content; development of typologies unless the typology developed forms the basis for further systems analysis; results from crop or livestock trials unless from systems trials or the results address systems issues; studies focusing on social or political outcomes that lack a clear systems framework and direct application to agricultural systems (i.e. the farm production system or landscape, their activities or components, their interactions or synergies); conceptual frameworks without empirical implementation (unless submitted as a short communication); studies focusing on specific chemical constituents of plant or animal species or their products; studies of the operation or efficiency of agricultural or food processing machinery, or of agricultural supply chains without a substantive biological component; life cycle analysis (LCA) studies that are primarily descriptive unless LCA is combined with other types of methods that address interactions within agricultural systems or between those systems and their environment.Such subjects are not considered for publication unless they clearly provide substantive and highly generalizable new insights regarding processes operating at farm or landscape levels or describe novel analytical methods applicable to a wide variety of agricultural systems.
    • Forest Ecology and Management

      • ISSN: 0378-1127
      Science to Sustain the World’s ForestsForest Ecology and Management focuses on scientific articles linking forest ecology with forest management, with potential application of biological and ecological knowledge to the management and conservation of plantations and natural forests.The journal encourages communication between scientists in disparate fields who share a common interest in ecology and forest management, bridging the gap between scientists and forest managers. A peer-review process ensures the quality and international interest of the manuscripts accepted for publication. Authors are invited to benefit from editorials that provide advice for constructing strong papers.We encourage submission of papers that will be of strong interest and value to the Journal's international readership. Some key features of papers with strong interest include: 1. Clear connections between the ecology and management of forests; 2. Novel ideas or approaches to important challenges in forest ecology and management; 3. Studies that address a population of interest beyond the scale of single research sites (see the editorial, Three key points in the design of forest experiments, Forest Ecology and Management 255 (2008) 2022-2023); 4. Review Articles on timely, important topics. Authors are invited to contact one of the Editors to discuss the suitability of a potential review manuscript, which can be a regular review, an Mini review or a Tamm review (see the Guide for Authors for details about each type of review article).We invite to read the following editorial article with more advice in relation to preferred articles: How to avoid having your manuscript rejected: Perspectives from the Editors of Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 473, 1 October 2020, 118321.The Journal encourages proposals for special issues examining important areas of forest ecology and management. Potential guest editors should contact one of the Editors to initiate a discussion about topics, potential papers, and other details.
    • Food and Bioproducts Processing

      • ISSN: 0960-3085
      FBP aims to be the principal international journal for publication of high quality, original papers in the branches of engineering and sciencededicated to the safe processing of biological products. It is the only journal to exploit the synergy between biotechnology, bioprocessing and food engineering. Papers showing how research results can be used in engineering design, and accounts of experimental or theoretical research work bringing new perspectives to established principles, highlighting unsolved problems or indicating directions for future research, are particularly welcome. Contributions that deal with new developments in equipment or processes and that can be given quantitative expression are encouraged, including modelling and digitalisation studies. The Editorial Board is especially interested in papers that extend the boundaries of food and bioproducts processing using engineering principles.The journal publishes regular special issues focusing on specific topics. The core topic areas covered are:Biotechnology and Bioprocessing • Biocatalysis and biotransformations • Biocompatible materials and scaffolds • Bioprocess modelling and optimization • Bioreactor design and control • Bioseparation • Fermentation and bioreactor design • Microbial physiology and metabolic engineering • Product formulation • Scale-up and preservation technologyBiorefinin... and Integrated Bioresource Engineering • Process integration of biorefineries • Feedstock fractionation and separation in relation to biorefinery integration • Biorefineries and the Food-Energy-Water nexus • Biorefinery value chain optimisation • Integration of biorefinery concepts with food processing • New functional food ingredients and non-food materials made feasible through the biorefinery context • Biorefinery sustainability metrics • Dynamic modelling and analysis of biorefinery systemsFood and Drink Process Engineering • Engineering for food safety • Environmental issues in food manufacture • Minimal processing techniques • Packaging • Plant, process and product design • Processing and microstructure interactions • Unit operations, process modelling and optimization in food engineeringHygienic Manufacture and Product Safety • Fouling and cleaning • Good manufacturing practice • Hazard analysis • Heating and cooling methods, including freezing, pasteurization and thermal sterilization • Hygienic design • Non-thermal processes • Process Analytical Technology (PAT) • Regulation and validationPapers should be written in precise and concise English. Guidance on writing is available in the following open access articles:https://www... https://www.scienced... https://www.scienced... https://www.scienced... https://www.scienced... Introduction should identify, clearly, the new science or novel contribution to knowledge in the work, and how it differs from previous studies in the field. FBP has a strong engineering focus and the Discussion should indicate how the findings can be applied to other, related but different systems. Papers that are not likely to be published are those:• That use experimental design techniques to obtain response surfaces but gain little insight from them, and do not compare results to established mechanistic models; • Demonstrating the application of existing methods to particular materials without providing new insights or quantitative models that would allow the findings to be applied to other materials without extensive experimentation; • That are empirical and ignore established mechanistic models, e.g., empirical drying curves; • Concerning the extraction, encapsulation and/or antioxidant activity of a specific food or biological material without providing insight that could be applied to a similar but different material; • Containing only chemical analyses of biological materials or foodstuffs; • Primarily concerned with food formulation; • That are primarily concerned about sensory evaluation and colour
    • Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology

      • ISSN: 0885-5765
      Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology provides an International forum for original research papers, reviews, and commentaries on all aspects of the molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, histology and cytology, genetics and evolution of plant-microbe interactions.Papers on all kinds of infective pathogen, including viruses, viroids, prokaryotes, fungi, and nematodes, as well as mutualistic organisms such as Rhizobium and mycorrhyzal fungi, are acceptable as long as they have a bearing on the interaction between pathogen and plant.Research Areas Include:• Recognition in plant immunity • Cell biology of plant-microbe interactions • Plant molecular defense responses, including transcriptome, proteome, miRNA profiling, metabolome • Mechanisms of specific resistance, induced resistance and non-host -resistance • Plant hormones and regulators in plant-microbe interactions • Molecular biology of phytoalexins and other secondary metabolites of the host and their roles in resistance • Pathogen effectors involved in pathogenicity and interaction with the host • Pathogen infection mechanisms and host defense suppression • Novel approaches for disease control • Induction of plant immunity and biotechnology of resistance • Pathogen molecular diagnostic.
    • Flora

      • ISSN: 0367-2530
      Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of PlantsFLORA, the scientific botanical journal with the longest uninterrupted publication sequence (since 1818), considers manuscripts in a range of areas of botany which appeal to a broad international scientific readership. The journal publishes original contributions and review articles on plant structure (morphology and anatomy), plant developmental biology (ontogeny), phytogeography (including phylogeography), plant population genetics, plant functional ecology (including ecophysiology), plant population ecology, biotic interactions between plants and other organisms, plant community ecology, and ecosystem ecology. Suggestions for Special Issues are welcome, as are compilations of manuscripts (both original and review articles) for Special Features on a specific topic. Manuscripts on the following subjects are highly welcome, especially when they integrate between areas or research approaches: comparative and evolutionary aspects of morphology, anatomy and development, ecophysiology of plant species related to their distribution, mechanisms of ecological interactions in plant communities (e.g. plant-plant interactions, plant-soil feedback, and plant-animal interactions), reproductive ecology including plant-pollinator interactions, genetic and spatial structure of plant populations, and functional diversity in plant communities. Manuscripts focused on floristics or vegetation studies will only be considered if they go beyond a purely descriptive approach and have relevance for interpreting plant structure, distribution or ecology. Manuscripts whose content is restricted to taxonomy, phylogeny, nomenclature, or geobotany of local interest, or applied agricultural, horticultural, pharmacological or silvicultural aspects, or experimental studies dealing exclusively with investigations at the cellular or subcellular level will not be considered for publication.Article typesResearch article: Reporting original results of a theoretical, explorative or experimental botanical research. Typically, 6000-8000 words in length, but longer articles are also being considered, when the content justifies the extent. See formatting guidelines for the structure of the article in the manuscript preparation guidelines below.Review article: The review articles providing an up-to-date overview of a research area and/or scientific problem fitting into the scope of the journal. Review article should go further than the simple summary of published literature and should provide an in-depth analysis of the selected topic and should indicate research gaps or further directions of research. Should be drafted up to 8000 words, but longer manuscripts also being considered when the content justifies the extent. Potential authors are invited to submit an outline, abstract and list of authors first before the full submission of the manuscript.Opinion article: short pieces with a word count to 3000 words of the main text, presenting new ideas and insights, commentaries, opinion responses or new analyses to a published paper of the journal. Opinion article submissions will be assessed first by the editors and in case the topic is of broad interest of the journals potential readership will undergo regular review process for the journal. Commentaries are possible to papers published in the last 12 months in the journal and considered when they provide constructive and well-founded critiques or provide useful arguments for further development of a formerly published research idea. Opinion articles can convey new research ideas or hypotheses for discussion, and it is not necessary to support the idea with own-data-driven analyses. Opinion articles can be single-authored or multi-authored but no more than five authors. Potential authors are invited to submit an outline, abstract and list of authors first before the full submission of the manuscript.Editorial article (for editors, editorial board members and guest editors only)Humboldt Review article (by invitation only): The “Humboldt Review” article type was named after the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), who was the first describer of the phenomenon of climatic zonation of plant communities and the describer of the first plant functional types among other numerous discoveries. The “Humboldt Review” article type has been established in 2025 to honour eminent researchers in any field covered by the journal’s scope. In each year, 1-2 researchers will be selected by the chief editor(s) based on the nominations of the section editors of the journal for being invited to provide an opinion-review or synthesis paper on their field of research. The guidelines for drafting a Humboldt Review are the same as for a review paper with the exception that the review candidate should also provide a bio sketch up to 250 words and a photograph of her- or himself, which is published together with the accepted manuscript. The Humboldt Reviews are also peer-reviewed publications assessed by invited researchers for scientific rigour and quality.Submission of Papers with Graduate or Undergraduate Students as Lead Authors FLORA has initiated a section in its journal dedicated to highlighting exceptional, original research publications that are part of PhD, graduate, or undergraduate student theses and carry the name of the student, preferably as the lead author.Papers in this category will be published under the heading "Highlighted Student Research" and will be marked accordingly in the table of content of the volume in which it is published.The papers must be recommended for this honor by FLORA Handling Editors, following the normal peer review process and additionally taking the following criteria into account:the student contribution to the work is substantialinnovativ... research question or methodologyhigh quality of study / experimental design and dataabove-average quality of data analysis, presentation and discussionwell written textStudents who wish their papers to be considered for the honor have to explain in the cover letter the main reasons why the paper represents an outstanding contribution to the field, referring to the criteria above, and should indicate such a wish by marking the appropriate box as a FLORA Highlighted Student Research paper during the online submission process. The supervisor should confirm in the cover letter that research was generated during a BSc, MSc, or PhD degree.
    • Aquatic Botany

      • ISSN: 0304-3770
      An International Scientific Journal dealing with Applied and Fundamental Research on Macroscopic Submerged, Floating and Emergent Plants in Marine and Freshwater EcosystemsAquatic Botany offers a platform for papers relevant to a broad international readership on fundamental and applied aspects of marine and freshwater macroscopic plants in a context of ecology or environmental biology. This includes molecular, biochemical and physiological aspects of macroscopic aquatic plants as well as the classification, structure, function, dynamics and ecological interactions in plant-dominated aquatic communities and ecosystems. It is an outlet for papers dealing with research on the consequences of disturbance and stressors (e.g. environmental fluctuations and climate change, pollution, grazing and pathogens), use and management of aquatic plants (plant production and decomposition, commercial harvest, plant control) and the conservation of aquatic plant communities (breeding, transplantation and restoration). Specialized publications on certain rare taxa or papers on aquatic macroscopic plants from under-represented regions in the world can also find their place, subject to editor evaluation. Studies on fungi or microalgae will remain outside the scope of Aquatic Botany.Interesting for further reading:Editorial: What is a plant? and what is aquatic botany?Elisabeth M. Gross, Thomas Wernberg, Jorge Terrados http://dx.doi.org/10... Aquatic botany since 1975: Have our views changed?Jan E. Vermaat, Elisabeth M. Gross http://dx.doi.org/10...