Journals & Publications

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  The Ecological Society of America has over 100 years of journal publishing history and offers some of the most widely read and cited journals in the field of ecology. The seven journals in our portfolio encompass a wide range of paper types to include an array of aims and scope of study, making them an important and accessible outlet for scientists, researchers, practitioners, professionals, citizen scientists, and others seeking to publish their work. ESA staff provide editorial support with our publishing partner, John Wiley & Sons, and several discounts towards publication in ESA journals are available from our publisher and from ESA. Publishing in ESA journals contributes to ESA programs for students, early career researchers, and underrepresented groups, and we thank our editors, reviewers, authors, and readers for their support.

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  Underwater noise pollution disrupts the ability of marine organisms, such as fish and invertebrates, to perceive sound and communicate. By maintaining the animal–environment relationships that reduce acoustic disturbances, habitat-mediated soundscape conservation may help to mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic noise pollution. The global decline of coral reefs and kelp forests provides an opportunity to explore this. In their paper in the March issue of Frontiers, Cox et al. suggest that the noise-attenuation capacity of a marine habitat depends on its composition and physical complexity, the loss or degradation of which can promote undesirable acoustic states. Fortunately, recovery from these detrimental states can be accomplished through acoustic enrichment or habitat restoration.

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  The African elephant (Loxondonta africana)—pictured on the March cover of Ecosphere—has experienced range contraction of more than 50% since the 1940s mainly due to habitat loss and poaching for ivory. It is difficult to obtain accurate estimates of elephant abundance in forested areas because there is no easy way to observe and count them. In their paper in the February issue of Ecosphere, Ayebare et al. developed a novel modeling framework using Bayesian inference that integrates across spatial and temporal variability in “sign production” (elephant dung) to produce elephant abundance estimates in Maramagambo Forest Reserve in western Uganda. The researchers also applied their method to chimpanzees in the region that make nests nightly.

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  On the cover of the March issue of Ecology, a broadclub cuttlefish (Sepia latimanus) passes dark stripes downward over its head while approaching prey in the waters off Kri Island (Raja Ampat, Indonesia). By observing this species in the wild using self-contained breathing apparatus (scuba), How et al.'s contribution in the February issue of Ecology shows that broadclub cuttlefish hunt prey using four very different displays—leaf, passing-stripe, pulse and branching coral. This is a vast variety of adaptations for hunting, each of which may employ a different mechanism that camouflages movement, hindering prey from detecting or identifying the approaching predator.

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  Remote sensing approaches—like the LiDAR-equipped drone in Ecological Monographs's February cover image—have emerged as powerful tools for quantifying 3-D vegetation structure. In their study in the November 2024 issue, Coverdale et al. combined high-resolution measurements of vegetation structure with long-term data from a large-herbivore exclosure study in Kenya to explore the relationship between herbivores, plant diversity, and vegetation structure. The authors found that herbivores, especially elephants (Loxodonta africana), directly influence individual plant morphology, but also indirectly affect tree and herbaceous structure by altering plant diversity.

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  Lateritic rocky outcrops in the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot are unique open ecosystems that support diverse, endemic, and threatened amphibians. In their paper in the January issue of Ecological Applications, Jithin et al. examine how rice paddies and mango orchards impact amphibian communities in these landscapes undergoing rapid agricultural transformation. The study finds that land-use change alters microhabitats resulting in distinct community compositions, highlighting the varied effects of different agricultural practices. The March issue's cover photograph features Microhyla nilphamariensis, one of the study species, at a lateritic rock outcrop.

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  The January issue of the ESA Bulletin examines the impacts of social change and technology on ecological education: "On the crossroads of ecology and education" reviews significant contributions from ecologists and educational theorists emphasizing the importance of connecting ecology and education; "Free online multiplayer games as inclusive tools for teaching ecology" explores integrating computer-based games as a learning tool; "From prototype to reality: moving beyond the technology hype in ecological research" documents the trials of creating and integrating an operational device for ecological research.

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  We are delighted to announce a call for submissions for Earth Stewardship. This exciting new Open Access journal, launched with our publishing partner, John Wiley & Sons, calls for a broad spectrum of scientifically and technologically innovative and groundbreaking contributions including cross-cultural perspectives from leading researchers, policymakers, traditional custodians of land and sea and indigenous communities. Earth Stewardship publishes applied and theoretical articles to promote a broad, intercultural, and participatory foundation for earth stewardship.

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