Important changes to manuscript submission - read below

Molecular Ecology Resources

Edited by:
Kevin Livingstone

ISI Journal Citation Reports® Ranking: 2006: 212/262 (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology); 69/114 (Ecology); 29/34 (Evolutionary Biology)
Impact Factor: 1.220

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Molecular Ecology Resources is a vehicle for the rapid dissemination of technical advances in molecular ecology, such as new computer programs, methodological innovations, and molecular marker development. Papers that report on the ecology, evolution, behaviour, and conservation of organisms, rather than on technical issues, should be submitted to our companion publication, Molecular Ecology.

TopNews and Announcements

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION
Changes to manuscript submission system for Molecular Ecology and Molecular Ecology Resources
After many years of excellent service, Prof. Harry Smith is retiring as Managing Editor of Molecular Ecology and Molecular Ecology Resources, and we welcome Dr. Tim Vines to the role. The editorial office has moved to the University of British Columbia where Tim is currently based. With this handover, the submission system for Molecular Ecology and Molecular Ecology Resources has moved to Manuscript Central.

This change will require all manuscripts to be submitted through Manuscript Central for both journals.

New address for all manuscript submissions to Molecular Ecology Resources: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mer
Contact email for Tim Vines: managing.editor@molecol.com

We are delighted that Harry will continue his involvement with the journals both as Founding Editor of both journals (in collaboration with Wiley-Blackwell) and as a Subject Editor.

ISI Hot paper
A paper from Molecular Ecology Resources has been featured as an ISI hot paper in the field of Environment/Ecology. GENALEX 6 (genetic analysis in Excel) is a population genetic software program for teaching and research, designed by Dr Rod Peakall (Australian National University) and Peter Smouse (Rutgers University).Since publication in March 2006 the paper has been cited 95 times.
Click here to read the article | click here to read the ISI feature

Molecular Ecology Resources in the news
Scientists have successfully tested their ability to identify and DNA "barcode" entire families of species - the prelude to a genetic portrait of all animal life on Earth.  Revealing their results in Molecular Ecology Resources, they report having assembled a genetic portrait of birdlife in the U.S. and Canada, and announce the startling discovery of 15 new genetically-distinct species, nearly indistinguishable to human eyes and ears and consequently overlooked in centuries of bird studies.  The barcoders also successfully logged the DNA attributes of 87 bat species of Guyana and reveal six new species, characterized by unique genetic make-up.
Read more about barcoding bats and birds, including the full press release, here.

Expansion of Molecular Ecology Resources
The editors of Molecular Ecology Resources (MER) are pleased to announce an expansion of the journal to include both comprehensive technical reviews and full-length technical papers. In addition, MER is expanding to include a new section on molecular diagnostics, in recognition of the tremendous promise molecular diagnostics, DNA taxonomy, and barcoding hold for ecological studies. In particular, we are pleased to announce a collaboration with the Consortium for the Barcode Of Life (CBOL), which has endorsed MER as a publishing vehicle for DNA barcoding papers. To read a statement from CBOL endorsing MER as a publishing vehicle for DNA barcoding papers click here.

To facilitate this expansion, we are pleased to announce that Brian Golding, McMaster University, has agreed to join our Editorial Board as an Associate Editor for DNA barcoding papers. Jared Strasburg, Indiana University, will assume editorial responsibilities for technical reviews and full-length technical papers.
Kevin Livingstone, Harry Smith, and Loren Rieseberg, Molecular Ecology Resources
David Schindel, Executive Secretary, Consortium for the Barcode Of Life

Molecular Ecology Resources recognised for high citation increase
According to a recent analysis of the ISI Essential Science Indicators, Molecular Ecology Resources achieved the highest percent increase in total citations among journals in Environment & Ecology. The journal's current record in this field includes 850 papers cited a total of 1,707 times to date. Visit the ISI website for comments from Kevin Livingstone, Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Ecology Resources.

Articles published online ahead of print
Articles which have been fully copy-edited and peer-reviewed are published online through our OnlineEarly feature before the print edition of this journal is published.

Online Open
Authors of articles in this journal can now choose to make their articles open access and available free for all readers through the payment of an author fee. Read more.

Free Online Access in the Developing World
Free online access to this journal is available within institutions in the developing world through the OARE Initiative (Online Access to Research in the Environment) in conjunction with UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme.

TopHighlights

Click on the links below to read the most downloaded articles from Molecular Ecology Resources in 2007:
genalex 6: genetic analysis in Excel. Population genetic software for teaching and research 
Rod Peakall & Peter E. Smouse
bold: The Barcode of Life Data System
Sujeevan Ratnasingham & Paul D. N. Hebert
Inference of population structure using multilocus genotype data: dominant markers and null alleles 
Daniel Falush et al.

Links to other relevant sites

Molecular Ecology Resources Primer Database
British Ecological Society
Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland
South African Institute of Ecologists and Environmental Scientists
Italian Society of Ecology
blackwell ecology