Applied Soil Ecology addresses the role of soil organisms and their interactions in relation to: agricultural productivity, nutrient cycling and other soil processes, the maintenance of soil structure, sustainability and fertility, the impact of human activities and xenobiotics on soil biota and bio(techno)logical control of soil-inhabiting pests and diseases. Overall, the journal considers studies dealing with the involvement of soil organisms in soil health, soil fertility and sustainability, both in human-managed (i.e. agricultural, forestry systems) and (semi)natural environments. Studies focused predominantly on plant responses without sufficient focus in soil organisms, as mentioned above, are usually not considered in Applied Soil Ecology. Â
The disciplines covered include the following, and preference will be given to articles which are interdisciplinary and integrate two or more of these disciplines:
• soil microbiology and microbial ecology
• soil invertebrate zoology and ecology
• root and rhizosphere ecology
• soil science
• soil biotechnology
• ecotoxicology
• nematology
• entomology
• plant pathology
• agronomy and sustainable agriculture
• nutrient cycling
• ecosystem modelling and food webs
An International Journal on Biocomplexity in the Environment and Theoretical EcologyEcological Complexity is an international journal devoted to publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed articles on the complex nature of ecological systems, observed and theoretical and special issues on related and emerging topics. In addition to ecological questions, the journal welcomes papers that ask ecological questions by linking natural and social processes at various spatio-temporal scales.Ecological Complexity will publish research into the following areas: • Ecosystems and the biosphere as complex adaptive systems • Self-organization of spatially extended ecosystems • Emergent properties and structures of complex ecosystems • Ecological pattern formation in space and time • The role of biophysical constraints and evolutionary attractors on species assemblages • Ecological scaling (scale invariance, scale covariance and dynamics across scales), allometry, and hierarchy theory • Ecological topology and networks • Studies towards an ecology of complex systems • Approaches to complex systems for the study of dynamic human-environment interactions • Using knowledge of nonlinear phenomena to better guide policy development for adaptation strategies and mitigation to environmental change • New tools and methods for studying ecological complexityThe papers that should appear in this journal are characterized by: • Biocomplexity related to the environment and vice versa • Inter disciplinarity (e.g. biology, ecology, environmental science, mathematics, modelling) • Integration of natural and social processes (esp. over time)
The Transdisciplinary Journal of the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE)The journal is concerned with extending and integrating the understanding of the interfaces and interplay between "nature's household" (ecosystems) and "humanity's household" (the economy). Ecological economics is an interdisciplinary field defined by a set of concrete problems or challenges related to governing economic activity in a way that promotes human well-being, sustainability, and justice. The journal thus emphasizes critical work that draws on and integrates elements of ecological science, economics, and the analysis of values, behaviors, cultural practices, institutional structures, and societal dynamics. The journal is transdisciplinary in spirit and methodologically open, drawing on the insights offered by a variety of intellectual traditions, and appealing to a diverse readership.Specific research areas covered include: valuation of natural resources, sustainable agriculture and development, ecologically integrated technology, integrated ecologic-economic modelling at scales from local to regional to global, implications of thermodynamics for economics and ecology, renewable resource management and conservation, critical assessments of the basic assumptions underlying current economic and ecological paradigms and the implications of alternative assumptions, economic and ecological consequences of genetically engineered organisms, and gene pool inventory and management, alternative principles for valuing natural wealth, integrating natural resources and environmental services into national income and wealth accounts, methods of implementing efficient environmental policies, case studies of economic-ecologic conflict or harmony, etc. New issues in this area are rapidly emerging and will find a ready forum in Ecological Economics.Ecological Economics Sections All submissions to Ecological Economics are reviewed using the general criteria of quality, creativity, originality, accuracy, and contribution to the field. There are several categories of articles to allow for a full range of constructive dialogue.News and Views Topical and timely short pieces reviewed by the editor and/or one outside reviewer at the editor's discretion. May include editorials, letters to the editor, news items, and policy discussions. Maximum 1500 words (600 words for letters).Commentary Essays discussing critical issues. Reviewed by two outside reviewers with the criteria weighted toward quality of the exposition and importance of the issue. Maximum 5000 words.Surveys Examination and review of important general subject areas. Reviewed by two outside reviewers with the criteria weighted toward importance of the subject and clarity of exposition. Maximum 8000 words.Methodological and Ideological Options Research articles devoted to developing new methodologies or investigating the implications of various ideological assumptions. Reviewed by two outside reviewers with criteria weighted toward originality and potential usefulness of the methodology or ideological option. Maximum 8000 words.Analysis Research articles devoted to analysis of important questions in the field. Reviewed by two outside reviewers with the criteria weighted toward originality, quality, and accuracy of the analysis, andimportance of the question. Maximum 8000 words.Book Reviews Reviews of recent books in the field. Reviewed by one outside reviewer with criteria weighted toward clarity and accuracy of the review, and importance of the book to the field. Maximum 1200 words.
The Journal of Ecosystem RestorationEcological engineering has been defined as the design of ecosystems for the mutual benefit of humans and nature. The journal is for those involved in designing, monitoring, or restoring ecosystems, and serves as a bridge between the fields of ecology and engineeringSpecific topics covered in the journal include: habitat reconstruction; ecotechnology; synthetic ecology; bioengineering; restoration ecology; ecology conservation; ecosystem rehabilitation; stream and river restoration; reclamation ecology; non-renewable resource conservation. Descriptions of specific applications of ecological engineering are acceptable only when situated within context of adding novelty to current research and emphasizing ecosystem restoration. We do not accept purely descriptive reports on ecosystem structures (such as vegetation surveys), purely physical assessment of materials that can be used for ecological restoration, small-model studies carried out in the laboratory or greenhouse with artificial (waste)water or crop studies, or case studies on conventional wastewater treatment and eutrophication that do not offer an ecosystem restoration approach within the paper.The journal welcomes full papers, short communications, reviews, and letters to the editor. We are pleased to publish papers from multidisciplinary approaches that are pertinent to a wide range of scholars, managers, practitioners, and policymakers across ecological sciences.All papers will be subject to peer review and they will be dealt with as speedily as is compatible with a high standard of presentation.
A Multidisciplinary Journal of Environmental Sciences and EngineeringEnvironmental Research is a multi-disciplinary journal publishing high quality and novel information about issues of global relevance and demonstrating applicability in a wide range of real-world environmental contexts. The journal welcomes research papers, review articles, and short communications, compatible with one of the following sections:Environmental Chemistry and EcotoxicologyEnvironmental Epidemiology and Human HealthEnvironmental Materials TechnologyEnvironmental Process TechnologyToxicologyEnvironmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology (Professor Robert Letcher, Dr Pierre Sicard)The section targets studies on the discovery, presence, behaviour, fate and distribution of anthropogenic substances in all environmental compartments and processes including air, soil, sediment, water and biota as well as in associated technospheres, atmospheres and ecospheres. However, studies that are purely method developmental with no focus on environmental application, are site-/region-specific and/or are case studies are not considered. The section also focuses on ecotoxicology and environmental toxicology in wildlife and other biota but does not include toxicology studies that are controlled and laboratory-based.Air, soil, sediment, water and biota chemical pollutants Bioconcentration, bioaccumulation and biomagnificationBiotransformation and environmental fateContaminant behaviour and environmental processesEcotoxicology and environmental toxicologyMarine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystemsEnvironmental Epidemiology and Human Health (Dr Payam Dadvand)This section covers the human health and wellbeing effects of environmental factors, mainly based on observational or experimental epidemiological studies on human participants. Please note that in vivo (e.g., animal studies) and in vitro toxicological studies do not belong to this section and should be submitted under the Toxicology section.Topics of specific interest include, but are not limited to, human health and wellbeing effects of:Ambient and indoor air, water, soil, noise, light at night, and radiation pollutionOrganic and inorganic chemicals (e.g. endocrine disruptors, pesticides, metals etc.). (If the study is based on data collected via complex sampling designs (e.g., NHANES), please see our requirements).Natural environments (e.g. green, blue, and brown spaces), and biodiversity (including planetary/one health studies), and urban design/planning,Climate change and its associated conditions (e.g., extreme weather conditions)Occupational exposuresAlso of interest for this section are novel methods for the assessment of human exposure to environmental factors that go beyond the state-of-the-art. Environmental Materials Technology (Professor Grzegorz Lisak)The Environmental Materials Technology (EMT) section invites studies with focus on development and application of new materials relevant to environmental protection and mitigation measures, environmental engineering, sustainable development and built environment. EMT section welcomes research articles, critical review articles and short communications that have high environmental relevance, scientific novelty and significance. Topics of specific interest include, but not limited to, are:Materials with applications in soil, water-loop, and air pollution controlWaste-derived materials and their applications in sustainable development and built environmentMaterials for greenhouse gases mitigation measures Materials for engineering environmentally relevant natural sinks Environmental assessment of materialsSubmissions without clear environmental relevance or research context will not be considered for publication in the EMT sectionEnvironmental Process Technology (Professor Aijie Wang)The Environmental Process Technology (EPT) section publishes studies which focus on reduction of pollutants and remediation of impaired environments. EPT section welcomes research articles, review articles and short communications that have high environmental relevance, scientific novelty and significance. Topics of specific interest include, but not limited to, are: Water Pollution Control Technology Air Pollution Control Technology Soil Pollution Control Technology Solid Waste Management and recycle Technology Eco-technology and Environmental Micro-biotechnology Environmental Management and Risk Control Technology Submissions without clear environmental relevance or research context will not be considered for publication in the EPT section. Toxicology (Dr Johan Øvrevik)The section targets controlled, laboratory-based studies on all aspects of toxicological effects from anthropogenic substances from all environmental compartments including air, soil, sediment, water, and food. Studies that provide new insight into safe/harmful exposure levels of environmental pollutants, contribute to identification of new harmful effects, and/or disentangle effects of complex mixtures including exposome effects are prioritized. Justification of exposure concentrations/doses are required. The section encourages assessment of environmentally relevant exposure levels and/or inclusion of dose-respons assessment to underpin risk assessment processes. The section also welcome controlled studies to address toxicokinetic and realistic target tissue doses, and studies providing causality to exposure-effect associations from epidemiological or environmental observations.Air, soil, sediment, water and food chemical pollutants and healthToxicokinetics and toxicodynamicsEffects of chemical mixtures and complex exposuresEmerging contaminants and novel effectsRisk assessmentCausation evaluationNaturally occurring toxins are not a prioritized topic, unless their effects are clearly linked to consequences of anthropogenic activities such as climate change or eutrophication. Studies that are purely method developmental with no focus on environmental application, are site-/region-specific, are based on single high-dose exposure without environmental relevance, and/or are case studies are not considered. The focus of the journal generally excludes papers that report results of toxicological effects of consumer products, such as tobacco and nicotine products, as well as occupational exposures, unless these papers have clear relevance to environmental topics.The following topics are out of the scope of all sections of our journal: laboratory studies involving conditions which are unrealistic in the natural environmentdrug discovery/effectiveness evaluation, analysis of policies (without considering human health and wellbeing effects) of green/circular economy, sustainable development, or carbon footprint reduction, infectious/communicable diseases without considering any environmental factors, health risk assessment studies if they are small and of local importance, bibliometric analyses.
The Journal for Nature Conservation addresses concepts, methods and techniques for nature conservation. This international and interdisciplinary journal encourages collaboration between scientists and practitioners, including the integration of biodiversity issues with social and economic concepts. Therefore, conceptual, technical and methodological papers, as well as reviews, research papers, and short communications are welcomed from a wide range of disciplines, including theoretical ecology, landscape ecology, restoration ecology, ecological modelling, and others, provided that there is a clear connection and immediate relevance to nature conservation.Manuscripts without any immediate conservation context, such as inventories, distribution modelling, genetic studies, animal behaviour, plant physiology, will not be considered for this journal; though such data may be useful for conservationists and managers in the future, this is outside of the current scope of the journal.
The Journal of Arid Environments is an international journal publishing high-quality research papers that provide original insights into critical scientific, environmental, ecological, and people-nature issues in the world's drylands. The journal recognises the value of interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary approaches to investigate and better understand the complex scientific and societal issues facing the world's drylands, as well as original single-discipline research. Papers must represent rigorous research from and specifically relevant to hyper-arid, arid, semi-arid or dry-subhumid environments, into past, present, or future conditions.Papers must have international relevance, and address clearly stated aims, hypotheses, or research questions. The journal does not accept case studies. A case study is a report or research that applies existing knowledge to a specific context or place, and does not advance knowledge or its research field sufficiently to have appeal to an international audience.
An International Journal of Landscape Science, Planning and DesignLandscape and Urban Planning is an international journal aimed at advancing conceptual, scientific, and applied understandings of landscape in order to promote sustainable solutions for landscape change. Landscapes are visible and integrative social-ecological systems with variable spatial and temporal dimensions. They have expressive aesthetic, natural, and cultural qualities that are perceived and valued by people in multiple ways and invite actions resulting in landscape change. Landscapes are increasingly urban in nature and ecologically and culturally sensitive to changes at local through global scales. Multiple disciplines and perspectives are required to understand landscapes and align social and ecological values to ensure the sustainability of landscapes. The journal is based on the premise that landscape science linked to planning and design can provide mutually supportive outcomes for people and nature.Landscape science brings landscape ecology and urban ecology together with other disciplines and cross-disciplinary fields to identify patterns and understand social-ecological processes influencing landscape change. Landscape planning brings landscape architecture, urban and regional planning, landscape and ecological engineering, and other practice-oriented fields to bear in processes for identifying problems and analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating desirable alternatives for landscape change. Landscape design brings plans, designs, management prescriptions, policies and other activities and form-giving products to bear in effecting landscape change. The implementation of landscape planning and design also generates new patterns of evidence and hypotheses for further research, providing an integral link with landscape science and encouraging transdisciplinary collaborations to build robust knowledge and problem solving capacity.
Pedobiologia (Journal of Soil Ecology) publishes peer reviewed articles describing original work in the field of soil ecology, which includes the study of soil organisms and their interactions with factors in their biotic and abiotic environments. Analysis of biological structures, interactions, functions, and processes in soil is fundamental for understanding the dynamical nature of terrestrial ecosystems, a prerequisite for appropriate soil management.The scope of this journal consists of fundamental and applied aspects of soil ecology; key focal points include interactions among organisms in soil, organismal controls on soil processes, causes and consequences of soil biodiversity, and aboveground-belowground interactions.The journal publishes:original research that tests clearly defined hypotheses addressing topics of current interest in soil ecology (including studies demonstrating nonsignificant effects);descriptions of novel methodological approaches, or evaluations of current approaches, that address a clear need in soil ecology research;innovative syntheses of the soil ecology literature, including metaanalyses, topical in depth reviews and short opinion/perspective pieces, and descriptions of original conceptual frameworks; andshort notes reporting novel observations of ecological significance.
Protist is the international forum for reporting substantial and novel findings in any area of research on protists. The criteria for acceptance of manuscripts are scientific excellence, significance, and interest for a broad readership. Suitable subject areas include: molecular, cell and developmental biology, biochemistry, systematics and phylogeny, and ecology of protists. Both autotrophic and heterotrophic protists as well as parasites are covered. The journal publishes original papers, review/mini-review articles and short historical perspectives.Protist was formerly known as Archiv fur Protistenkunde.