Molecular Ecology publishes papers that utilize molecular genetic techniques to address consequential questions in ecology, evolution, behaviour and conservation. Studies may employ neutral markers for inference about ecological and evolutionary processes or examine ecologically important genes and their products directly. We discourage papers that are primarily descriptive and are relevant only to the taxon being studied. Papers reporting on molecular marker development, molecular diagnostics, barcoding, or DNA taxonomy, or technical methods should be re-directed to our sister journal, Molecular Ecology Resources. Likewise, papers with a strongly applied focus should be submitted to Evolutionary Applications. Research areas of interest to Molecular Ecology include:

• population structure and phylogeography
• reproductive strategies
• relatedness and kin selection
• sex allocation
• population genetic theory
• analytical methods development
• conservation genetics
• speciation genetics
• microbial biodiversity
• evolutionary dynamics of QTLs
• ecological interactions
• molecular adaptation and environmental genomics
• impact of genetically modified organisms

Molecular Ecology concentrates on primary research articles but operates a flexible policy regarding other submissions, including Reviews, Opinion Articles and Commentaries.

Our peer review process averages 33 days (44 days for manuscripts that receive a full peer review). We are consistently working to provide authors with thoughtful, well-reasoned decisions in a prompt and efficient manner. To track the progress of your manuscript, you can visit our Manuscript Central Author Centre and check the status of your submission at any time.

TopHighlights

Latest Molecular Ecology articles in Faculty of 1000
Factor 3
How sympatric is speciation in the Howea palms of Lord Howe Island?
Babik W, Butlin RK, Hutton I, Savolainen V
Read f1000 evaluation | Read original paper

Factor 3
Adaptive differences in gene expression associated with heavy metal tolerance in the soil arthropod Orchesella cincta.
Roelofs D, Janssens TK, Ylstra B, Van Straalen NM
Read f1000 evaluation | Read original paper

Special Issue: Evolutionary change in human-altered environments
Issue 17:1 of Molecular Ecology (January 2008). Global warming and other human-caused ecological changes are outpacing the ability of species to adapt, resulting in greater threats of disease, reduced diversity in plant and animal communities, and an overall loss of natural heritage, according to research presented at a UCLA summit and published in Molecular Ecology. Click here to read the free Special Issue

Review Articles - Free
All review articles published in Molecular Ecology are made free in InterScience.

Links to related sites
British Ecological Society Homepage
Ecological Society of Australia
Society for the Study of Evolution
European Society for Evolutionary Biology
Web Resources in Molecular Evolution and Systematics
Techniques in Molecular Ecology: A Researchers Guide
Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland
South African Institute of Ecologists and Environmental Scientists
Italian Society of Ecology
blackwell ecology
blackwell plantsci

Other relevant journals
Molecular Ecology Resources
Evolutionary Applications
British Ecological Society Publications
Molecular Biology and Evolution