Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America最新文献

These photographs illustrate the article “Positive feedback between wind-eroded patch size, plant recruitment failure and desertification in semi-arid sandlands” by Shudong Zhang, Xuehua Ye, Guofang Liu, Zhenying Huang, and J. Hans C. Cornelissen published in Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.70040

These photographs illustrate the article “Scavenging contributes to larval food intake in fungus gnats using the Arisaema kettle trap as a brood site” by Wen Huang, Xin Li, Qing-Feng Wang, Chun-Feng Yang, Jon Ågren published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70118

While the publishing landscape has drastically changed in recent decades, publishing productivity metrics (e.g., citation scores) and support for early-career researchers (ECRs) have not kept pace. ECRs are individuals currently in school, up to 8 years post final degree, or on the job market, and being an ECR is inherently characterized by transitions that coincide with potential career instability and pressure to find a permanent job. The global pandemic years exacerbated the publishing challenges ECRs faced, from reviewer scarcity to publishing equity gaps across gender and race. We sought to evaluate ECR attitudes towards publishing, reviewing, and open access (OA), as well as identify common barriers ECRs encountered in the current publishing system. We solicited ECR perspectives by distributing a survey to ECRs from September to October of 2023, resulting in 162 self-identified ECRs in ecology, including students (38%), postdoctoral scholars (29%), those in permanent positions (31%; e.g., faculty, state, and federal government), or working outside ecology altogether (2%). Overwhelmingly, cost, reviewer compensation, time constraints, and insufficient mentorship were the major barriers identified by ECRs. We suggest that institutions, journal publishers, mid- and late-career ecologists, and professional societies adopt focused strategies to support ECRs through more diverse and inclusive financial support for publishing, broader metrics to measure scientific productivity beyond traditional citation-based metrics, additional means to compensate reviewers, and training and mentorship to students and postdoctoral researchers on reviewer expectations and etiquette. Several survey respondents also noted that the publishing system would be more equitable if all scientific journals transitioned to double-blind peer review. If scientific organizations, institutions, and publishers wish to promote a sustainable and diverse scientific publishing system in the future, they need to focus on the needs and challenges of early-career researchers.

Respectfully submitted by the 2025 ESA Nominations Committee

Shahid Naeem, Chair (2024–2025), Peter Groffman, Diogo Provete, James Rattling Leaf, Angee Doerr, Pacifica Sommers, Kat Superfisky

These photographs illustrate the article “Set fire to the gall: Can the gall protect the galling weevil from fire?” by Jean Carlos Santos, Henrique Venâncio, Guilherme Ramos Demetrio, Wanessa Rejane de Almeida, Walter Santos de Araújo, and Pablo Cuevas-Reyes published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70083.

These photographs illustrate the article “Fish-sea lily interactions as observed from a submersible – paleoecological implications” by Przemysław Gorzelak, Mariusz A. Salamon, Charles G. Messing, Tomasz K. Baumiller published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70092

These photographs illustrate the article “Dark nectar pouches are visually similar to colored nectar in bird-pollinated flowers” by Yang Niu, Lie-Wen Lin, Yi-Feng Liu, Li-Shen Qian, Zhe Chen, and Hang Sun published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70099

Meeting adjourned at 2:03 p.m. EST.

Respectfully submitted by Rachel Bowes, Council Speaker-Elect.

These photographs illustrate the article “Long-haul Flights and Migratory Routes of a Nectar-feeding Bat” by Theresa M. Laverty, Debbie C. Buecher, David C. Dalton, Mallory L. Davies, Fernando Gual-Suárez, Paul A. Heady III, Rodrigo A. Medellín, Mayra C. Ordóñez-García, Samara Pérez-Harp, A. Nayelli Rivera-Villanueva, Brandi D. Stevenson, Kathryn E. Stoner, Sandy A. Wolf, Veronica Zamora-Gutierrez, Alan A. Zavala-Norzagaray, and Winifred F. Frick published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70067