Journal of Quaternary Science

Journal of Quaternary Science is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research on the Quaternary period, its stratigraphy, palaeoenvironments, and related analytical methods. It publishes original research, reviews, and technical notes addressing glacial cycles, palaeoclimatology, and human–environment interactions during the Pleistocene and Holocene. The journal serves academic audiences in geoscience, archaeology, and palaeobiology and is produced by an international editorial board under John Wiley & Sons.

History

The journal was established in 1986 amid a proliferation of specialized periodicals following developments in Royal Society-era palaeoclimatic synthesis and the expanding role of isotope geochemistry after work by researchers associated with Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Institution, and British Geological Survey. Early contributors included investigators from University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Copenhagen, and University of Tasmania, reflecting ties to projects such as the International Geophysical Year-inspired initiatives and later coordinated programs like the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA). Through the 1990s the journal responded to methodological advances exemplified by laboratories at Max Planck Society-affiliated institutes, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the United States Geological Survey. Editorial leadership transitions paralleled institutional shifts involving University of Sheffield, University of Liverpool, and University of Edinburgh, while special issues were organized in collaboration with symposiums linked to European Geosciences Union and Geological Society of London meetings.

Scope and Topics

The journal emphasizes stratigraphy and chronostratigraphy studies related to glacial and interglacial events recognized in cores from locations such as Greenland, Antarctica, the North Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and inland basins in Siberia, Patagonia, and East Africa. Common topics include palaeoclimatology reconstructions using proxies from Lake Baikal, Lake Malawi, and Loch Lomond sequences; tephrochronology tied to eruptions like Mount Vesuvius and Mount St. Helens; and geomorphology case studies in regions including the Alps, Himalayas, and Andes. The journal also publishes multiproxy investigations involving stable isotopes developed at facilities such as Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, luminescence dating work influenced by teams from University of Melbourne and Chinese Academy of Sciences, and ancient DNA studies linked to groups at Wellcome Sanger Institute and Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Human palaeoecology, archaeological stratigraphy with contributions from British Museum-associated researchers, and palaeobotanical analyses using collections from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew are within scope. Methodological advances reported often intersect with instrumentation from European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and climate model comparisons referencing products from Hadley Centre and National Aeronautics and Space Administration datasets.

Editorial Structure and Abstracting/Indexing

The editorial board comprises academics from institutions such as University of Copenhagen, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Bergen, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Toronto. Guest editors coordinate thematic issues stemming from meetings held at venues including Royal Society lecture series and European Geosciences Union assemblies. The journal is abstracted and indexed in major databases like Web of Science, Scopus, and subject indexes associated with GeoRef and CAB Abstracts. Its inclusion in citation tracking by Clarivate Analytics and visibility through platforms such as Google Scholar and PubMed-linked services assists cross-disciplinary discovery. Partnerships with institutional subscribers at British Library and university consortia including JISC facilitate distribution.

Publication and Access

Published eight times per year by John Wiley & Sons, the journal offers hybrid access models combining traditional subscription access used by libraries such as Bodleian Library with open access options compliant with mandates from funders like European Research Council and Wellcome Trust. Authors may choose article processing charges aligned with Wiley policies; copyright arrangements reflect agreements common to publishers such as Elsevier and Springer Nature. Digital publication integrates DOI assignment via CrossRef and archiving through services similar to Portico and national repositories including British Library digital collections. Special issues frequently arise from conferences sponsored by organizations such as INQUA and PAGES International Project Office.

Impact and Reception

The journal is cited in interdisciplinary work spanning palaeoclimatology, archaeology, and Quaternary geology and has influenced debates featured in reviews from institutions like United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) programs on geoheritage and discussions within International Arctic Science Committee. Metrics reported through Journal Citation Reports and analyses by Altmetric reflect community engagement; landmark articles have informed syntheses by panels convened at Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change-related workshops and national geological surveys including Geological Survey of Canada. The publication has been reviewed and referenced in specialist volumes produced by Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press and is regarded as a core outlet for Quaternary research alongside titles published by societies such as the Quaternary Research Association and journals associated with the European Quaternary Association.

Category:Quaternary science journals