IOP Publishing (IOPP) has published the first articles in the open access journal, Environmental Research: Ecology featuring research from a number of world-renowned ecologists. The journal represents one of three new interdisciplinary titles opening in 2022 that will extend IOPP’s Environmental Research series to six open access journals. The full suite of environmental journals provide universally accessible publishing options covering the most critical areas of environmental science and sustainability in support of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.
Environmental Research: Ecology is devoted to addressing the interface of environmental science, large-scale ecology, biodiversity and conservation. The journal publishes full-length research papers, without word restriction, alongside other content including authoritative reviews, perspectives and opinion pieces. It builds on the established reputation of Environmental Research Letters and shares the same modern publishing principles as part of IOPP’s expanding Environmental Research series.
IOPP’s Environmental Research series of journals combine outstanding levels of author service, inclusive editorial policies, strict quality assurance and have open science principles at their core. In the spirit of transparency and reproducibility, authors publishing in the journal are encouraged to share data and code where appropriate for the benefit of the research community. Authors also have the option to submit their papers for double anonymous and transparent peer review.
In support of the community and the journal’s first authors, the open access Article Publication Charges (APCs) are being covered by IOPP for all articles submitted to Environmental Research: Ecology through to the end of 2023.
Environmental Research: Ecology Editor-in-Chief Professor Scott Goetz, Northern Arizona University, USA says: “Ecosystems across the globe are undergoing enormous changes brought about by alteration of the climate system and related transformations associated with human activity. The need to both mitigate and adapt to these changes has been recognised by international policy agreements, yet policies need to be better informed by ecological research. Environmental Research: Ecology provides a platform for incorporating fundamental and applied ecological research using a diverse range of approaches to address realistic science-based policy solutions.”
Published in the first issue is an impactful study that examines the effects of past and current climate variability on global forest productivity. The work highlights sensitive regions where forests may be most at risk as the planet warms and temperatures become more extreme. Dr Winslow Hansen, from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, New York, lead author of the study comments: “Forests influence a number of ecological factors. Trees sequester carbon emissions that would otherwise cause climate warming, support much of the planet’s biodiversity, and provide essential services such as fuel, food, and clean water and air. Human-caused shifts in mean climate and climate variability could fundamentally alter 21st-century forests with profound consequences for our planet and its ecosystem. The new Environmental Research: Ecology journal provides a platform for climate scientists to further develop, explore, and discover new policies to protect our ecosystem and combat climate change.”
Dr Tim Smith, Associate Director at IOPP says: “This further expansion of our Environmental Research series builds upon the established reputation and publishing values of Environmental Research Letters and enhances the role we want IOP Publishing to have in serving a multidisciplinary field of great importance. The first articles in Environmental Research: Ecology as the latest addition to the portfolio provide an early glimpse of the quality and breadth of science that the ecology community can expect from a journal aimed at delivering a combination of outstanding publishing services and content for researchers worldwide.”
