African Journal of Ecology

African Journal of Ecology
Title	African Journal of Ecology
Discipline	Ecology, Conservation Biology
Abbreviation	Afr. J. Ecol.
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell
Country	United Kingdom / South Africa
History	1963–present
Frequency	Quarterly
Issn	0141-6707

African Journal of Ecology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing research on ecology, conservation, and environmental science with emphasis on African ecosystems. The journal serves as a platform for work relevant to researchers across institutions such as University of Cape Town, University of Nairobi, University of Pretoria, Makerere University, and Stellenbosch University and for stakeholders linked to organizations like International Union for Conservation of Nature, BirdLife International, World Wildlife Fund, United Nations Environment Programme, and African Wildlife Foundation.

History

The journal was established in 1963 during a period when institutions such as University College London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Royal Society, and Zoological Society of London were influential in shaping early ecological publishing. Early editorial leadership included figures associated with Rhodes University, Fort Hare University, and colonial-era research stations connected to British Empire science networks, while contributors included researchers from Smithsonian Institution, Natural History Museum, London, Kew Gardens, National Museums of Kenya, and Iziko Museums. Over decades the journal intersected with initiatives by International Council for Science, African Academy of Sciences, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Rockefeller Foundation, and funding programs from European Commission and National Science Foundation that expanded African ecological research capacity.

Scope and Focus

The journal focuses on terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecology across African biomes such as the Sahara Desert, Sahel, East African Rift, Congo Basin, Kalahari Desert, Cape Floristic Region, and Madagascar. It publishes studies on species such as African elephant, Loxodonta africana, lion, Panthera leo, black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, mountain gorilla, Gorilla beringei beringei, and avifauna monitored by BirdLife International partners. The scope encompasses topics tied to reserves like Kruger National Park, Serengeti National Park, Masai Mara, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Table Mountain National Park and engages with policy-relevant debates involving Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar Convention, CITES, African Union, and regional bodies such as Southern African Development Community.

Publication and Editorial Practices

Published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of African research communities, the journal follows peer-review standards comparable to those of Nature, Science (journal), Proceedings of the Royal Society, Journal of Ecology (British Ecological Society), and Conservation Biology. Editorial boards have included academics affiliated with University of Dar es Salaam, University of Ghana, University of Ibadan, Addis Ababa University, and Cairo University. It accepts original research, reviews, and methodological papers and adheres to ethical frameworks promoted by organizations like Committee on Publication Ethics, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, and funders such as Wellcome Trust and Gates Foundation when applicable.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major services used by researchers linked to Scopus, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews, CAB Abstracts, and Google Scholar, alongside regional databases promoted by African Journals Online and institutional repositories at University of Cape Town Libraries. Metadata practices align with standards from CrossRef, ORCID, and DOAJ for discoverability and researcher identification.

Impact and Reception

Citations to the journal appear in literature associated with influential works by authors at University of Oxford, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Cornell University, and policy reports by United Nations Environment Programme, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, World Bank, and Food and Agriculture Organization. The journal’s impact factor and metrics are tracked alongside comparable titles like African Journal of Agricultural Research, Journal of Tropical Ecology, Biological Conservation, and Ecology Letters, informing tenure and funding decisions at institutions including University of Michigan, University of California, Berkeley, and Imperial College London.

Notable Articles and Contributions

Notable contributions include empirical studies on savanna dynamics citing work by researchers from Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and long-term datasets tied to projects such as the Long Term Ecological Research Network and regional monitoring initiatives coordinated with Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy. Influential papers have addressed topics central to debates involving land reform in South Africa (scholarly work from University of the Witwatersrand), community-based conservation exemplars from Namibia, and restoration ecology in Mozambique after conflicts involving actors linked historically to Civil War in Mozambique.

Access and Distribution

The journal is distributed in print and online via platforms used by Wiley Online Library, institutional subscriptions held by libraries at University of Cape Town, University of Nairobi, University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, and via aggregation by services used by NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund and governmental agencies like South African National Biodiversity Institute. Open access options and archiving policies reflect mandates from funders including Wellcome Trust, European Research Council, and national agencies such as National Research Foundation (South Africa).

Category:Ecology journals Category:African studies journals