Aims & Scope
Core Research Domains
Tier 1: Priority FocusWildlife Ecology & Population Biology
- Population dynamics and demographic modeling
- Species distribution and range shifts
- Predator-prey interactions and trophic cascades
- Metapopulation structure and connectivity
- Life history strategies and reproductive ecology
- Community assembly and species coexistence
Long-term monitoring of wolf pack dynamics in relation to prey availability and habitat fragmentation across protected landscapes.
Conservation Biology & Management
- Threatened and endangered species recovery
- Protected area design and effectiveness
- Habitat restoration and rewilding initiatives
- Invasive species impacts and control
- Conservation prioritization and spatial planning
- Population viability analysis
Evaluating corridor effectiveness for large carnivore movement between fragmented habitats using GPS telemetry and genetic connectivity analysis.
Behavioral Ecology & Ethology
- Foraging strategies and optimal behavior
- Mating systems and sexual selection
- Parental care and offspring survival
- Social organization and group dynamics
- Migration patterns and navigation
- Antipredator behavior and risk assessment
Investigating how urbanization alters bird song frequency and complexity, with implications for mate selection and reproductive success.
Landscape & Habitat Ecology
- Habitat selection and resource partitioning
- Landscape connectivity and corridor design
- Edge effects and habitat fragmentation
- Land-use change impacts on wildlife
- Ecosystem resilience and disturbance ecology
- Spatial ecology and movement patterns
Quantifying how forest fragmentation affects small mammal community composition and functional diversity across agricultural landscapes.
Secondary Focus Areas
Tier 2: Cross-Disciplinary ResearchConservation Genetics
Genetic diversity assessment, population structure, gene flow, inbreeding depression, and evolutionary adaptation in wild populations.
Climate Change Biology
Species responses to climate variability, phenological shifts, range expansions/contractions, and climate-driven extinction risk.
Human-Wildlife Interactions
Human-wildlife conflict mitigation, wildlife damage management, coexistence strategies, and socio-ecological system dynamics.
Disease Ecology
Wildlife disease dynamics, pathogen transmission, host-parasite interactions, and disease impacts on population viability (ecological focus, not clinical).
Urban Wildlife Ecology
Wildlife adaptation to urban environments, urban biodiversity patterns, and ecological processes in human-modified landscapes.
Aquatic & Marine Wildlife
Ecology of aquatic mammals, amphibians, and reptiles in freshwater and marine ecosystems, including migration and habitat use.
Emerging Research Frontiers
Tier 3: Selective ConsiderationWe selectively consider innovative research in emerging areas that advance wildlife ecology and conservation science:
- Machine learning applications for species monitoring and habitat modeling
- Remote sensing and drone technology for wildlife surveys
- Environmental DNA (eDNA) for biodiversity assessment
- Acoustic monitoring and bioacoustics analysis
- Movement ecology using advanced telemetry
- Citizen science and community-based monitoring
- Conservation technology and innovation
- Ecosystem services provided by wildlife
Explicitly Out of Scope
Not ConsideredWe do NOT publish research on:
Rationale: Individual animal diagnosis, treatment protocols, surgical techniques, and clinical case management belong in veterinary journals. We focus on population-level ecological processes, not individual patient care.
Rationale: Livestock management, poultry production systems (e.g., Plymouth Rock chickens), feed conversion efficiency, and agricultural animal breeding are outside our wildlife ecology scope.
Rationale: Zoo animal care, captive breeding protocols without conservation reintroduction context, and animal facility management lack ecological relevance to wild populations.
Rationale: Descriptive studies of respiratory systems, circulatory systems, or organ morphology without ecological or evolutionary context belong in anatomical or physiological journals.
Rationale: Studies on mycobacteria or other microorganisms without clear wildlife disease ecology or conservation implications are better suited for microbiology journals.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Original Research Articles: Hypothesis-driven studies with robust experimental or observational designs (4,000-8,000 words). Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses: Comprehensive syntheses following PRISMA guidelines. Methods & Technology: Novel approaches for wildlife monitoring, data collection, or analysis with validation.
Short Communications: Timely findings or preliminary results (2,000-3,000 words). Data Notes: Well-documented datasets with ecological value. Perspectives & Commentaries: Critical analysis of current issues in wildlife ecology and conservation.
Case Reports: Only if documenting unprecedented ecological phenomena with broad implications. Opinion Pieces: Must address critical conservation policy or methodological debates with substantial evidence.
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
Manuscripts must follow discipline-specific standards:
- ARRIVE (animal research)
- PRISMA (systematic reviews)
- STROBE (observational studies)
Data Transparency
Data availability statement required. Raw data deposition in public repositories strongly encouraged (Dryad, Figshare, Zenodo).
Ethics Compliance
Institutional ethics approval required for all wildlife research. Adherence to national and international animal welfare regulations mandatory.
Preprint Policy
Preprints on recognized servers (bioRxiv, EcoEvoRxiv) accepted. Must be disclosed during submission.
Decision Metrics & Performance
Ready to Submit?
Ensure your research aligns with our core domains and meets our editorial standards. For scope clarification or pre-submission inquiries, contact our editorial team.
