Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing experimental and field research on marine organisms and ecosystems. Established in 1967, it publishes original articles, reviews, and short communications that address physiological, ecological, and behavioral processes in marine environments. The journal has contributed to literature cited by researchers associated with institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of Southampton, University of Tokyo, and Australian National University.

History

The journal was founded in 1967 amid expanding postwar research programs at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of British Columbia, Imperial College London, and University of Miami that paralleled initiatives like the International Indian Ocean Expedition and the rise of laboratory facilities such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Early editors and contributors included scientists affiliated with Smithsonian Institution, Royal Society, Max Planck Society, CNRS, and CSIC. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the journal reflected growing interests triggered by events such as the Deep Sea Drilling Project and policy developments tied to the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, while publishing work by researchers connected to NOAA, National Science Foundation, Natural Environment Research Council, European Marine Biology Symposium, and national academies like the National Academy of Sciences. In subsequent decades contributions expanded from laboratories at University of California, Santa Barbara, Dalhousie University, University of Bergen, Stockholm University, University of Cape Town, and University of Auckland addressing problems highlighted by incidents including the Exxon Valdez oil spill and scientific programs like the Census of Marine Life. The journal’s archive documents methodological shifts tied to techniques pioneered at Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Kitasato Institute, and Scottish Association for Marine Science.

Scope and Topics

The journal covers experimental studies spanning physiology, behavior, life history, and interactions among taxa such as phytoplankton, copepod research groups, bivalvia investigations from teams at University of Washington, University of Plymouth, and University of Glasgow, and work on echinoderm development linked to laboratories at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Australian Institute of Marine Science. Papers often integrate field programs like Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study, mesocosm experiments hosted by LOICZ-affiliated centers, and laboratory approaches developed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Topics include larval dispersal studies comparable to projects undertaken at Station Biologique de Roscoff, nutrient uptake experiments analogous to research at Marine Biological Laboratory, and bioenergetics modeling informed by methods from Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology. The journal frequently publishes studies relevant to conservation efforts led by International Union for Conservation of Nature, fisheries science practiced by Food and Agriculture Organization, and ecosystem assessments used by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change authors.

Editorial Structure and Publication Details

The journal is published by Elsevier with an editorial board drawn from researchers at institutions such as University of California, San Diego, University of Lisbon, University of Sydney, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and National Taiwan University. Manuscripts undergo peer review managed through editorial offices that often include editors with prior service at bodies like the Royal Society of Biology and the European Union research programs. Publication formats include full-length articles, reviews, and short communications; special issues have been organized in partnership with conferences such as the International Congress on the Biology of Fish, symposia at International Marine Conservation Congress, and workshops convened by SCOR and IOC of UNESCO. The journal maintains monthly frequency, offers electronic access via publisher platforms used by libraries such as Harvard University Library, British Library, and Bibliothèque nationale de France, and adheres to ethical guidelines endorsed by organizations like the Committee on Publication Ethics.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in major services including Science Citation Index, Scopus, BIOSIS Previews, Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts, and GEOBASE. Library catalogs and indexing entries appear in systems used by WorldCat, CrossRef, and national bibliographies such as those of Library of Congress, National Diet Library, and Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. Citation metrics are tracked by platforms including Web of Science and Google Scholar, and metadata are distributed through aggregators employed by repositories like PubMed Central for related marine biology content and institutional repositories at University of California and University of Oxford.

Impact and Reception

The journal has had a sustained presence in marine sciences with citation influence reflected in impact factors reported by Journal Citation Reports and use in reviews produced by panels of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and committees at National Research Council (United States). It is widely read by researchers affiliated with NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, European Commission-funded consortia, and academic departments at University of Oslo and University of Copenhagen. Articles from the journal have informed management discussions at organizations such as International Maritime Organization and conservation planning by BirdLife International and The Nature Conservancy. Its reception among specialist communities—plankton ecologists, benthic ecologists, larval biologists, and physiological ecologists—has been documented in citations in major texts from authors associated with Cambridge University Press, Elsevier Science, and Springer Nature.

Category:Marine biology journals