Editorial

Abstract

We are in the midst of some exciting changes at Ecological Monographs. While our journal has long enjoyed its reputation as the place where many of the most influential papers in ecology are published, no scientific publication can rest on its laurels in the Internet Age. We are extremely proud of our recent accomplishments. a vastly improved layout, both in terms of aesthetics and functionality; links from the references to many of the articles cited; pay-per-view and “mini-subscription” options for access by non-subscribers; options to download reference information into EndNote, Procite, etc.; information on most-viewed articles during the preceding month; and improved issue alerts. Later this year, ESA Online Journals will move to a new platform hosted by Atypon, which will allow us to add even more cutting-edge features. Effective in 2008, we have changed the “moving wall” for articles to appear in JSTOR, from four to two years. We hope that by making the back issues of the journal more accessible, especially to scientists in fields peripheral to ecology, we will increase the readership and influence of papers published in the journal. The preliminary numbers indicate that 2007 was another banner year for submissions to Ecology/Ecological Monographs. We received 1452 submissions via EcoTrack, roughly 2.5% more than in 2006. For final decisions made in 2007 the acceptance rate was about 25%. Ecological Monographs has one of the highest impact factors among journals publishing primary research articles in ecology (7.102 according to the most recent Journal Citations Report). It has been ranked among the top four journals in ecological science for many years. Ecological Monographs serves the missions of Ecology and Ecological Applications for those papers that require greater length because the work reported is particularly complex and multi-faceted. These longer papers generally take longer to review, revise, and prepare for publication than their shorter cousins in Ecology and Ecological Applications. Nonetheless, we have made dramatic progress over the past few years in decreasing the time to publication (as is evident from the manuscript histories printed as footnotes to each published paper). It is increasingly common to see papers published within a year of submission. The backlog of accepted papers awaiting publication is essentially a thing of the past. Ecological Monographs is publishing more Concepts and Synthesis papers than in the past. These are papers that provide novel insights that the editors and reviewers believe will stimulate new avenues of research. Note that three of the eight papers in the present issue are Concepts and Synthesis contributions. We have also made the pages of Ecological Monographs more open to papers that focus on applied ecology. Such papers are often edited by members of the Ecological Applications Editorial Board. Finally, we are pleased to announce that ESA journals will soon be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as meeting their rigorous standards for using paper stocks that foster sustainable use of forest resources. The intent of the FSC system is to certify that recipients are “doing the right thing [to] eliminate habitat destruction, water pollution, displacement of indigenous peoples and violence against people and wildlife that often accompanies logging.” Look for the FSC certification logo later this year in our print journal.