Aims & Scope
International Journal of Limnology (IJLI) publishes rigorous, interdisciplinary research on inland aquatic ecosystems, advancing the science of freshwater ecology, biogeochemistry, and sustainable water resource management through empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, and methodological innovations.
Core Research Domains (Tier 1)
Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics
- Lake stratification and mixing processes
- Riverine ecosystem structure and function
- Wetland hydrology and conservation
- Groundwater-surface water interactions
- Streamflow regimes and hydrological modeling
- Aquatic habitat fragmentation and connectivity
Long-term monitoring of thermal stratification patterns in temperate lakes and their influence on nutrient cycling and phytoplankton community composition.
Aquatic Biodiversity & Ecology
- Phytoplankton and zooplankton community dynamics
- Benthic macroinvertebrate ecology
- Fish ecology and population dynamics
- Aquatic plant ecology and macrophyte distribution
- Microbial ecology (bacteria, cyanobacteria, viruses)
- Aquatic food web structure and trophic interactions
Taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates as bioindicators of water quality in urban stream networks.
Biogeochemical Processes
- Nutrient cycling (nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon)
- Sediment biogeochemistry and transport
- Water chemistry and dissolved oxygen dynamics
- Eutrophication mechanisms and management
- Lake and river sedimentation processes
- Organic matter decomposition and mineralization
Quantifying phosphorus release from lake sediments under varying redox conditions and its contribution to harmful algal bloom formation.
Water Resource Management
- Water quality monitoring and assessment
- Freshwater conservation strategies
- River and wetland restoration ecology
- Sustainable water use frameworks
- Aquatic pollution assessment and remediation
- Riparian zone management
Evaluating the effectiveness of riparian buffer zones in reducing agricultural nutrient runoff and improving downstream water quality.
Secondary Focus Areas (Tier 2)
Cross-Disciplinary Applications
- Remote sensing for water quality monitoring
- GIS-based hydrological modeling
- Machine learning for species distribution prediction
- Limnological data analysis and statistical methods
- Environmental econometrics for water policy
Marine-Freshwater Interfaces
- Estuarine ecology and salinity gradients
- Coastal lagoon dynamics
- Brackish water ecosystems
- Marine-derived nutrient inputs to freshwater
Invasive Species & Disturbance
- Aquatic invasive species ecology and management
- Biological invasions and community assembly
- Ecosystem responses to disturbance
- Non-native species impact assessments
Climate-Water Interactions
- Climate change impacts on freshwater systems
- Water temperature dynamics and thermal regimes
- Precipitation patterns and watershed hydrology
- Climate adaptation strategies for water management
Emerging Research Frontiers (Tier 3)
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Fast-Track Review (4-6 weeks to first decision)
Standard Review (6-8 weeks to first decision)
Requires Strong Justification
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
- STROBE for observational studies
- PRISMA for systematic reviews
- ARRIVE for animal research
- CONSORT for experimental designs (where applicable)
- Transparent reporting of methods and data
Data & Ethics Policy
- Open data deposition encouraged (Dryad, Figshare, Zenodo)
- Ethics approval required for vertebrate research
- Field sampling permits documentation
- Conflict of interest disclosure mandatory
- Preprint posting permitted and encouraged
Methodological Rigor
- Statistical power analysis for experimental studies
- Reproducible analytical workflows
- Validated sampling and measurement protocols
- Quality control and assurance documentation
- Uncertainty quantification in models
Review Process
- Single-blind peer review (standard)
- Minimum two independent reviewers
- Statistical review for complex analyses
- Post-publication peer review enabled
- Transparent editorial decision letters
Editorial Performance Metrics
Ready to Submit?
If your research aligns with our scope and meets our editorial standards, we invite you to submit your manuscript.
Questions about scope fit? Contact our editorial office: [email protected]
