Aims & Scope

Scope

Biogeography welcomes all research relevant to the discipline, including but not limited to: conservation biogeography, functional biogeography, island biogeography, landscape ecology, paleobiogeography, phylogenetic (historical) biogeography, phylogeography and geogenomics, spatial and geographical elements of community ecology and macroecology, & statistical and parametric biogeography.

Aims

At Biogeography, our goals are two-fold: (1) to advance biogeography as a basic and applied science, and (2) to support #BetterPublishing. 

We advance biogeography through the publication of high-quality research focused on describing and providing explanations about biogeographic phenomena, patterns and processes responsible for the distribution of life on Earth at all spatial and temporal scales. Beyond the evaluation of contemporary biogeographical theories and application of available methods, Biogeography also aims to provide a venue for theory and method development, including innovative techniques that can help shape the future of the discipline towards a more comprehensive understanding on the geography of life while providing knowledge to alleviate the current biodiversity crisis. 

We support #BetterPublishing as co-developers and adopters of PEEER’s Joint Statement by Editors, which states:

“As the principal arbiters working regularly at the interface between the generation and dissemination of information, editors shall take leadership roles in publishing, including:

  • preserving the scholarly integrity of journals by rejecting any direct or indirect interference in editorial and peer review processes, which should depend on the disciplinary expertise and research experience of independent editorial boards 
  • fostering an editorial system that evaluates and protects a rigorous scientific process 
  • supporting access to research by employing processes that increase opportunities for diverse researchers, including promoting equity, early career support, and the inclusion of geographically underrepresented researchers 
  • facilitating training for community members in scholarly writing, as well as on the principles of better publishing to increase accessibility and equity
  • advocating for affordable and equitable publishing options including open access models and initiatives driven by learned societies
  • producing society journal(s) preferentially over journals owned by for-profit publishers.
  • encouraging transparency in relationships and operations
  • Informing journal owners/managers of concerns, best practices, and expectations of the scholarly publishing community
  • seeking guidance from emerging researchers about their concerns and hopes for publishing”