Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 33(1)

Published: Dec. 25, 2023

Molecular Ecology (MEC) continues to be one of the largest and most influential journals in fields ecology evolution. In 2022, a total 434 citable items were published journal, ranking third out 53 Clarivate's list Evolutionary Biology sixth 171 journals. A similar pattern is seen for citations, where MEC was cited 40,823 times (third fourth Ecology). Additional metrics include journal impact factor (4.9; eighth Biology) EigenFactor (0.030, fifth Biology). The latter metric measures number articles from past five years have been focal year. Google Scholar's h5-index, which h-index over years, offers longer term measure influence. has an h5-index 72, ranks among Lastly, downloads demonstrate wide interest research MEC, reaching close 1.9 million 2021 2022. first evolution require that data supporting results papers archived appropriate public archive (Rieseberg et al., 2010). Over we expanded policy code, programming scripts, software, as well detailed metadata. Earlier this year, members Resources (MER) Editorial Board (along with editors other journals) contributed article Evolution established minimum standards code (Jenkins 2023). While recommendations largely reinforce what are already doing, provides description best practices archiving data, metadata, such analyses given study can fully replicated. We will linking recommendation our author guidelines. also transitioning requiring made available reviewers during peer review. 2020, editorial indicate support Nagoya Protocol principle benefit sharing, educate authors readers about their responsibilities under (Marden 2020). encourages disclose benefits generated by Protocol. This followed encouraged use Biocultural, Traditional Knowledge, Cultural Institution Notices (Liggins 2021). Such intended raise visibility Indigenous communities within systems, encourage collaboration communities, provide platform them develop methodologies permissions biodiversity-related on indigenous land. To continue momentum, 'Indigenous perspectives/methodologies' added area aims scope, perspectives' 'traditional ecological knowledge' keywords MEC/MER websites. Authors now select perspectives methodologies' manuscript subject when submitting article, submitted using new assigned who expertise experience space. Like publishers, Wiley developed policies artificial intelligence (AI) tools ChatGPT large language models (https://authorservices.wiley.com/ethics-guidelines/index.html). Because AIs lack legal standing cannot held accountable or design, does not permit listed articles. However, if AI used development, requires contributions described Methods Acknowledgements. Final decisions whether usage permissible board. case Board, believe represents potentially valuable editing tool improve readability manuscripts, reducing barriers publication researchers, especially those speak English second language. improving spelling, grammar, clarity, ask acknowledge development required policy. 2023, maintained robust social media presence, building upon success previous years. molecology X account (formerly Twitter) boasted following 7400 followers, average more than 49 tweets posted per month. Monthly impressions reached 28,500, slightly less likely due changes landscape year concerns academics these changes. enhance outreach, collaborated team (WileyEcolEvol) strategically broaden audience. monitor community trends explore possibilities better serve molecular community, providing crucial direct source information scientific work MER. conjunction X, continued commitment in-house through Spotlight blog 2023. With 142 posts since 2019, featured interviews highlighted papers, amassing 23,000 visitors 37,000 views. adopted way interviewing tailored questions dynamism promote deeper engagement authors. should help lay broader understand conducted ecologists its implications. It fundamental mission MER hands-on training duties outstanding early career researchers. PhD postdoctoral recognized Harry Smith prize, invited join Junior (JEB). ensure JEB useful experiences members, process implementing three-year stepped programme designed offer exposure range tasks. Our together execute running platforms (Twitter Blog) creating content increasing journal's visibility. addition, second-year gain manuscripts guidance mentor. final tenure, attracting research, organizing special issues review Together, enthusiasm, forms invaluable asset Prize awarded annually 'an scientist significant ecology', selected independent award committee. Dr. Uma Ramakrishnan, Professor at National Centre Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India. Ramakrishnan known her studies tiger mammals, 'poster children' India's natural resources. Her included census estimates combined camera traps genetic surveys, historical inferences museum specimens, demonstrations gene flow impacting genomic variation inbreeding depression. Ramakrishnan's led conservation applications, example evidence Supreme Court ruling wildlife corridors must certain highway expansions. science communication service exemplary, she important role model scientists around world. recognizes paper graduate students scholars no 5 fellowship experience. prize named after FRS, founded served both Chief Managing Editor critical He until 2008, went his early-career scholars. 2023 Antonino Malacrinò 'Host species identity shapes diversity structure insect microbiota' (Malacrinò, 2022). His work, 'Invited Reviews Syntheses' presents leveraging powerful open insights into field microbiome research. committee, up excellent Alexander Blumenfeld colleagues titled, 'Consistent signatures urban adaptation native, invader ant Tapinoma sessile paper', runner-up Prize. al. (2022) genetic, behavioural, chemical populations sessile. They documented multiple transitions organization response urbanization, restricted between populations, adding growing human-altered habitats profoundly influence species. saw loss two distinguished longest-serving editors, Robert (Bob) Wayne Louis Bernatchez. Both joined 1997 became senior 1999. Bob helped Aims Scope authored sentence, 'Molecular publishes utilize techniques address consequential ecology, evolution, behaviour, conservation', primary guide decisions. When passed away December he editor (26 years!). addition regular 15 (2004–2018), recruiting dozen reviews topics covered full disciplinary microbes plants animals population genetics interactions environmental genomics. (119!) any author. recognition many 2016 lieu society ecologists, intellectual home community. includes (see above), focuses Resources, News Views perspectives, issues, reviews, opinion so forth. Ecologist (http://www.molecularecologist.com/), covers news reported venues beyond Ecology, eye interests people necessarily experts field. Please let us know you would like contribute perspective, review, opinion, organize issue. annual highlight advances (below). Every impactful chosen board perspectives. Among these, few standout From Cover pieces. nine pieces showcase how applications analytical advanced understanding novel across organizational scales, time. Three Gaertner (2023), Shi Bucholz examine adaptation, flow, speciation biological scales—from cellular levels. Understanding evolutionary forces shape architecture underpinning adaptive elucidating evolve changing environments. concept, (2023) analyse genome-wide broadcast-spawning nest-spawning riverine fish species, expected differ levels flow. find that, general, higher associated tighter clustering alleles, protects recombination. perspective piece, Schaal explain 'provides empirical foundational theoretical simulation studies' helps reveal complex nature evolves different organisms. How level? question investigating differentiation 'housekeeping functions' closely related hares. fibroblasts obtained wild hares regulation differences mountain brown hares, interfertile but ecologically distinct. show expression patterns hare affect processes including cell growth, respiration, metabolism, clear impacts cellular-level functions. Moreover, Palsson Steele note accompanying 'This suggests immortalized utility divergence metabolic traits basis organismal physiology'. Several hypotheses proposed relationships abundance diversity. test three hypotheses, conducting extensive surveys sequencing freshwater mussel southeastern USA. more-individuals hypothesis, posits areas exhibit greater richness, relationship abundance. they do positive correlations within-species Petersen Wares conclude 'their among-species variability … pushing forward frontier community-wide assessment applications'. biology long captivated dynamics coevolutionary relationships, Epstein Hague Leclaire nuanced comprehensive processes. well-studied legume-rhizobia symbiosis, GWAS approaches evaluate selection plant microbial genomes. suggested symbiotic may involve fitness conflicts partners characterized balancing symbiosis genes, little hypothesis. Instead, show, legume rhizobial partners, involved primarily stabilizing selection. As Carlson Frederickson write indicates 'that there ongoing conflict legumes rhizobia host symbiont genomes'. Antagonistic lead coevolution, often arms race organisms involved. cases coevolution cascading effects trophic fascinating system toxic Pacific newts predators, garter snakes, geographic mosaic escalation, increase newt toxicity matched increased toxin resistance retention snakes. Using combination experimental observational identify clines snakes hotspots bright coloration, serving aposematic signal own predators. Thompson notes paired 'the ripple throughout networks interacting species'. Whether host-microbiome classified remains topic some debate. Nevertheless, recent revealing far-reaching microbiome, extend health reproductive outcomes. microbiome's black-legged kittiwake, seabird specific compositions portions female bird's body (neck flank feathers, choanae, outer bill, cloaca) success, same result male birds. Turjeman correlative fitness—a deserves additional study. Research documenting Anthropocene shaping biodiversity increasingly focusing implications future affected ecosystems inhabit. Beichman Crossley Kocher approach vastly systems angles, demonstrating anthropogenic activity context-specific. declines California sea otter nearly hunted extinction 18th–19th centuries. Kreiner Booker 'combine spatiotemporal set simulations only quantify demographic change exploitation, consequences collapse persistence'. decline forward-in-time modelling could negative recovery populations. buffered historically low effective prior fur trade. human activities, trade, had obvious diversity, others apparent. ways land change, specifically agriculture, aquatic Utilizing existing 700 croplands degraded sharpest observed 1950s. contrast, rebounds converted uses, even urbanization. Atmore Buss highlights power publicly answer regarding current biospheric emergency'. Theories disease prevalence importance Anthropocene, difficult because life histories pathogens. 'dilution effect' theory, wherein pathogens controlled presence inefficient vectors ecosystem. combine DNA metabarcoding innovative tropical parasite Leishmania, mammalian reservoirs, sand fly vectors. decrease infection flies mammal high, dilution effect, density sandflies, leading overall effect infected vectors, which, Levi Massey point indicator Leishmania transmission risk'. Opinion present ideas viewpoints relevant ecology. These opinions speculative controversial discussion debate discipline. six Pegg describe efforts forecast risk cross-species transmission, received attention COVID-19 pandemic. make sugars, glycans, coat surface macromolecules accuracy assessment. another broadly paper, Čapková Frydrychová argues key assumptions telomere aging hold considered taxa, discrepancies resolved context strategies. Two focused utilized reversal days phylogeography genomics, report nuclear genome only. noted Blair unfortunate oversight organellar identification, addressing dispersal mechanisms limits. Blanchet put framework—based phylogenetically conserved candidate genes functional traits—for eco-evolutionary scales. longstanding questions. One maintenance history loci Arnqvist Rowe hypothesize frequency-dependent responsible polymorphism major epistatic piece tackles confusion inconsistent terms parallel convergent Cerca relation ancestral condition, taking place condition arising conditions. being done emerging entitled 'Ecological Inferences Long-Read Sequencing'. Dan Bock, Jianquan Liu, Polina Novikova, Loren Rieseberg editorial, compilation 19 'highlights utilizing long-read roles repetitive otherwise loci' (Bock issue diverse plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, share common themes: profiling epigenetic modifications (Nielsen 2023), novelty (Burley 2023; Ferguson Peona Wierzbicki genomics (Li, Yang, Yan (Cohen Hotaling Li, Wang, Nacif Shipilina Xie Zhu hybridization (Mérot Wersebe Zhang (Handy van Steenbrugge works variation, while traditionally study, substantial contribution speciation' Special Issue, Human-Associated Microbes, edited Tatiana Giraud, Jeanne Ropars, Eva Stukenbrock, Katherine Ryan Amato, Ricardo Rodriguez de la Vega. 21 focus various types domesticates, pathogens, host-associated microbiota, metagenomics, laboratory experiments. whole, main subjects: domesticated microorganisms thriving environments (Harrouard Silva von Gastrow fungal (Ali Louet Rogério Saubin Stalder Wang Zewdie metagenomics microbiomes (Bischofberger & Hall, Corsi Mac Alpine Moeller, Pedro Peimbert Alcaraz, Tessandier Yuan crops (Gao Richard Collectively Issue 'underline huge environment emergence spread provided mutualistic fungi bacteria' (Giraud Finally, Insights Ecological Processes via Community Metabarcoding 'papers high-throughput (HTS) classic particularly (amplicon) datasets complementary -omics and/or models/theory infer ecosystem processes' (Gillespie impressive collection 44 topics: assembly (Andujar 2022; Arjona Emerson Govender Guerrieri Ip, Chang, Oh, Kiemel Li Macheriotou Menéndez-Serra Nappi Noguerales Overcast Pino Van der Loos 2022), interaction (Ando Bell Dürrbaum Encinas-Viso Ficetola Taberlet, Graham Tun, Lowe Lu Lue Pitteloud Srivathsan Tommasi cross-scale (Brinker Câmara dos Reis Hu Kivistik Manthey Merges Michel Molina Navine Pereira Perez-Lamarque Morlon, Rolshausen invasive species/homogenization (Andrés Hampel Kennedy Rosemary Gillespie, Holly Bik, Michael Hickerson, Henrik Krehenwinkel, Isaac Overcast, Andrew Rominger writes taken together, gained approaches, dynamics' hope discussion, exceptional journal. wish thank readers, authors, reviewers, your support, welcome suggestions individuals reviewing contains reviewed 1 October 2022 30 September Aanen, Duur Abad-Recio, Ion Abbott, Jessica Abreu, Clare Adams, Nicole Rachelle Affenzeller, Matthias Afiq-Rosli, Lutfi Aguilar, Andres Aguillon, Stepfanie Aguirre, Windsor Ahi, Ehsan Pashay Ahrens, Collin Aivelo, Tuomas Akita, Tetsuya Albach, Dirk Alberoni, Daniele Aldred, Nick Allen, Natalie Allio, Rémi Almer, Jasmin Alonso, Conchita Alverson, Amos, William Amsler, Charles An, Shiheng Anastasiad

Language: Английский