Author Guidelines
1. AIMS AND SCOPE
Ecology Letters is a forum for the very rapid publication of the most novel research in ecology. Manuscripts relating to the ecology of all taxa, in any biome and geographic area will be considered, and priority will be given to those papers exploring or testing clearly stated hypotheses. The journal publishes concise papers that merit urgent publication by virtue of their originality, general interest and their contribution to new developments in ecology. We discourage purely descriptive papers and those merely confirming or extending results of previous work. Articles are published free of charge unless the author elects to publish their paper as open access service.
2. TYPES OF ARTICLES
Letter: Maximum of 5000 words and 6 figures, tables or text boxes.
Method: Maximum of 5000 words and 6 figures, tables or text boxes.
Perspective: Maximum of 7500 words and 10 figures, tables or text boxes.
Synthesis: Maximum of 7500 words and 10 figures, tables or text boxes.
Technical Note: Must address articles published in Ecology Letters. Maximum 800 words and 2 figures or tables. Text boxes are not allowed.
Viewpoint: Maximum of 2000 words and 2 figures or tables. Text boxes are not allowed.The maximum number of words indicated above are for the main text only (excluding title page, abstract, acknowledgements, reference list, table/figure/box legends).
Note: We understand that formatting manuscripts for journals can be time consuming. We also know that it can be frustrating when you have spent time formatting a manuscript for a journal only to have it rejected without peer-review. We are consequently now happy to allow Letter manuscripts to be submitted in style formats of Nature, Science, and PNAS at initial submission. If you are submitting a manuscript in the format of another journal, please indicate it in the title page of the manuscript. If the manuscript receives a revise decision, we will then ask that you format it to meet Ecology Letters guidelines at that point. Please note that at initial submission we still do require, for all manuscripts regardless of the format style, a novelty statement, a cover letter, and a title page including an authorship statement, a data statement, the number of words in abstract/main text and the number of figure/table/boxes.
Letter represents original research findings in ecology and are the primary manuscript type of the journal. Emphasis is placed on new contributions to ecological theory, bodies of empirical knowledge or the practice of ecology. Contributions need to have a substantial nexus with ecology, and purely evolutionary or environmental science contributions that do not make contributions to general ecology are rarely published. Applied ecology manuscripts are welcome and should contribute to general ecological knowledge to fit within the scope of the journal as determined by its Editorial Board.
Perspective, Synthesis and Method are commissioned by one of two processes:
(1) Direct invitations from the Perspective, or Synthesis or Method Editors, with consultation with the Editorial Board and Editor-in-Chief.
(2) Unsolicited proposals, which will be evaluated by the Perspective or Synthesis or Method Editors, in consultation with the Editorial Board and Editor-in-Chief, prior to a full submission. Proposals should be no more than 300 words long, describe the nature and novelty of the work, the contribution of the proposed article to the discipline, and the qualifications of the author(s) who will write the manuscript. Proposals should be sent to the Editorial Office (ecolets@cefe.cnrs.fr).
Manuscripts for Perspective, Synthesis or Method papers submitted without an invitation or an approved proposal will not be considered. Please note that our encouragement of a proposal in no way prejudges the quality of a submission, and all manuscripts are subject to our full evaluation procedures. Some encouraged manuscripts are rejected editorially, without peer review, if we believe that they are unlikely to receive sufficient reviewer support to merit publication.
Method reports on new instrumentation, experimental procedures and statistical models that are expected to catalyse significant breakthroughs across ecology's sub‐disciplines. Papers should contain sufficient information to transfer methods to new settings, systems, and research questions. For instance, methods using unique reagents must explain how the new formulation may be acquired; quantitative methods must be accompanied by high quality code. All Method papers should focus on the method itself, but demonstrate use in a case study. The review criteria is based on the novelty and importance of the method.
Perspective. Ecology Letters is particularly interested in novel essays expressing new perspective that will appeal to a wide ecological audience. It is important that Perspective articles be focused on a topic of current interest. We are interested in new ideas, emerging frameworks, and controversial perspectives on hot areas of research. There is a need to present a view that is sufficiently complete to convince reviewers of the value of the contribution. There is the same expectation for the novelty of Perspective as for Letter. Those articles principally reviewing a topic, those that are just as statement of opinion, and those primarily discussing the author's own work will not be considered. Articles that are successful usually present a quantitative analysis, as a way of introducing a new perspective in ecology. Authors interested in submitting such a manuscript should first send a one-paragraph proposal (no more than 300 words) to the Editorial Office (see above).
Synthesis. Ecology Letters seeks Synthesis on fast moving and important topics that merit rapid consideration and publication. Synthesis articles are freely available online. Synthesis articles can include the traditional literature review, along with more quantitative meta-analyses, syntheses, and modelling approaches, so long as those are placed in a broad context appropriate for the topic being covered. Synthesis articles are expected to be of broad interest to the readership of Ecology Letters, should focus on novel principles emerging over the past several years, and should include critical evaluation, synthesis, and/or prospects for future research directions. Authors interested in submitting such a manuscript should first send a proposal to the Editorial Office (see above).
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