About the Journal of Plant and Animal Ecology
Advancing ecological understanding through peer-reviewed research on species interactions, population dynamics, ecosystem processes, and biodiversity conservation - connecting field scientists, conservation practitioners, and policy makers worldwide.
Ecological Science for a Biodiverse Future
The Journal of Plant and Animal Ecology (JPAE) (ISSN 2637-6075) publishes rigorous, interdisciplinary research that illuminates how organisms interact with each other and their environments. As an open access, peer-reviewed journal backed by Open Access Pub, JPAE accelerates the dissemination of discoveries spanning behavioral ecology, community dynamics, conservation biology, restoration science, and ecosystem management.
Our global community of ecologists, conservation biologists, wildlife managers, and environmental scientists relies on JPAE to share evidence-based insights that inform habitat protection, species recovery, adaptive management, and climate resilience strategies. We publish field studies, experimental research, modeling analyses, and synthesis papers that address pressing ecological challenges from local populations to planetary biodiversity.
JPAE's editorial philosophy emphasizes methodological transparency, reproducible science, and equitable global access via Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licensing. Authors benefit from rapid peer review, data-driven editorial guidance, and strategic visibility campaigns that position research for uptake by scientists, practitioners, educators, and decision-makers.
Ecological research demands journals that respect field complexity, methodological diversity, and the urgency of conservation action. JPAE serves as a responsive publishing partner for research teams documenting species distributions, quantifying habitat change, testing management interventions, or modeling ecosystem responses to anthropogenic pressures.
Our editorial board - comprising population ecologists, behavioral scientists, conservation biologists, restoration practitioners, and landscape ecologists - curates submissions that deliver translational value for diverse stakeholders. Each manuscript receives tailored review focusing on statistical robustness, ecological validity, ethical field practices, and policy relevance.
Accepted articles are enriched with structured abstracts, geographic metadata, species-specific tags, and cross-referenced conservation databases to maximize discoverability. JPAE's post-publication amplification includes DOI registration, indexing submissions, search optimization, social media promotion, and integration into thematic collections highlighting priority conservation themes.
JPAE welcomes manuscripts that deepen mechanistic understanding, quantify ecological patterns, or translate science into conservation action across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems. We intentionally promote geographic diversity and methodological innovation to reflect the global nature of ecological challenges.
Empirical studies presenting novel findings on plant and animal ecology, including field observations, experiments, and modeling approaches.
Research focused on species and habitat conservation, threat mitigation, protected area effectiveness, and biodiversity management strategies.
Detailed documentation of unique ecological events, rare species occurrences, or site-specific conservation interventions with broader implications.
Comprehensive syntheses of existing literature using rigorous, reproducible methods to evaluate ecological patterns or conservation outcomes.
Authoritative overviews of current knowledge in specific areas of plant and animal ecology, highlighting research gaps and future directions.
Innovative methodological approaches, field techniques, analytical tools, or standardized protocols advancing ecological research practices.
Concise reports of significant findings that warrant rapid publication due to time-sensitive ecological or conservation relevance.
Descriptions of valuable ecological datasets that enhance transparency, reproducibility, and data reuse in the scientific community.
Practical innovations in instrumentation, software, or field equipment that improve data collection and analysis in ecological studies.
Expert viewpoints on emerging trends, conceptual advances, or strategic priorities in ecology and conservation science.
Evidence-informed commentary on policy, ethics, or societal implications of ecological research and biodiversity conservation.
Editorial Board
JPAE's editorial board integrates leading ecologists from North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America - ensuring balanced perspectives on conservation priorities, methodological standards, and field research realities. Associate editors steward specialized topic streams including behavioral ecology, restoration science, conservation genetics, and ecosystem modeling to maintain excellence across disciplinary boundaries.
Editorial policies foreground methodological transparency, ethical field practices, reproducibility, and actionable conservation insight while supporting early-career ecologists through constructive peer review and professional development opportunities.
Every submission undergoes JPAE's single-blind peer review process, with double-blind options available when author anonymity supports unbiased evaluation. Reviews emphasize statistical rigor, methodological appropriateness, ecological validity, and conservation relevance while providing developmental feedback regardless of publication outcome.
- Methodological Quality: Reviewers evaluate study design, sampling protocols, statistical analyses, spatial/temporal replication, and alignment with established ecological methods.
- Ethical Standards: Manuscripts must document animal handling protocols, institutional approvals, permits, and adherence to wildlife research ethics.
- Transparency Requirements: Plagiarism screening via iThenticate, conflict of interest disclosure, funding transparency, and data/code availability statements are mandatory.
- Responsiveness: Editorial communications outline decision rationales, revision expectations, and clear timelines to support efficient author planning. The average time to first decision is 20 days, and the typical submission-to-publication timeline is 35 days.
JPAE's manuscript workflow accommodates field researchers balancing data collection, grant obligations, and teaching responsibilities. Authors submit via the streamlined Manuscript Zone portal or email to [email protected], with receipt acknowledgment within 72 hours. The typical timeline from submission to publication is 35 days, with first decisions issued in approximately 20 days.
- Review JPAE's Aims & Scope and Instructions for Authors to align formatting, statistical reporting, and ethical documentation.
- Prepare a cover letter (?500 words) summarizing ecological significance, methodological strengths, and compliance with animal research protections or field permits.
- Submit manuscripts, figures, supplementary data, and geographic/species metadata via the submission portal, documenting authorship contributions using CRediT taxonomy.
- Respond to reviewer feedback with point-by-point rebuttals; revised manuscripts are typically reassessed within 7-10 days.
- Collaborate with production editors on copyediting, proof approval (48-hour turnaround), and metadata verification before online publication, which occurs within 4 days of final acceptance.
Authors requiring language polishing can access JPAE's language editing service. Research consortia or institutions publishing multiple papers annually may explore membership packages providing APC discounts and priority processing.
JPAE publishes all content under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Authors retain copyright, enabling unlimited reuse in education, conservation planning, policy briefs, and future publications with proper citation. Global readers benefit from immediate, barrier-free access - critical for evidence-based conservation action.
Our data archiving permissions support preprint deposition, institutional repositories, and specialized databases (Dryad, Zenodo, Figshare, Movebank). Field data involving sensitive species locations should follow conservation protection protocols while maximizing research transparency.
Article processing charges apply only after acceptance. View pricing, waiver pathways, and institutional agreements on the APC information page. Researchers from low- and middle-income countries, early-career ecologists, and student-led projects may request discretionary fee support.
JPAE's discoverability strategy ensures broad exposure across conservation, biodiversity, and environmental science platforms. Articles are distributed through library systems, citation databases, academic networks, and specialized ecological repositories.
- Indexing Services: Open Policy Finder, Scilit, ResearchBib, SciSpace, IP Indexing, Cosmos Impact Factor, CiteFactor, Paperpile, SJIF, and ecology-focused databases.
- Academic Search: Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Crossref, and targeted submissions to discipline-specific repositories.
- Institutional Cataloging: Featured by universities including Wageningen University & Research, Nottingham Trent University, The Open University (CORE), and Bayreuth University.
- Community Engagement: Dissemination via ResearchGate, Academia.edu, conservation listservs, and JPAE thematic collections.
Aligned with our Call for Papers, JPAE regularly highlights priority themes including climate adaptation, biodiversity loss, ecosystem resilience, and human-wildlife coexistence. Follow topic updates, webinars, and special issue invitations to align submissions with conservation priorities.
JPAE authors and reviewers consistently praise the journal's responsiveness, rigorous yet constructive review, and commitment to supporting ecological scholarship across career stages and geographic contexts.
JPAE curates thematic collections and special issues spotlighting urgent ecological questions. Researchers can propose guest-edited issues through the special issue proposal portal or contribute to active calls via the special issue submission page. These platforms unite ecologists, conservation practitioners, policy analysts, and community stakeholders to address complex environmental challenges.
Readers can track newly published research through the current issue, explore past scholarship in the previous issues archive, or subscribe for tailored updates. Educators are encouraged to integrate JPAE articles into coursework, field training, and conservation capacity-building programs.
Advance Ecological Understanding with JPAE
Whether you study population dynamics, species interactions, ecosystem processes, or conservation strategies, JPAE offers a trusted publication home. With a 45% acceptance rate, 20-day first decision, and 4-day publication timeline, we deliver speed and selectivity. Partner with an editorial team that values scientific rigor, methodological innovation, and conservation impact.
