I would like to create an environment (e-journal and webpage) that facilitates the interactions among scientists with diverse interests in conservation. The traditional academic journal does not stimulate much interaction, and in many cases more personal interactions are often limited to annual meetings, which many people cannot attend. The internet and associated technologies provide many tools (e.g. unlimited space, easy access, search engines, quick communications, and videos) that can greatly increase these interactions.
Will this new journal “compete” with existing journal or will it be complementary? Given the high rejection rates of most ecology/conservation journals (>80%), initially I do not think there will be any competition, rather relieve for the editors of these journals who must reject so many papers.
In 2006, Conservation Biology, Biological Conservation, Animal Conservation, and Ecology and Society published 348 articles and 47 (13.5%) were studies located in tropical Latin America and Caribbean. Of the 70 articles published by Biotropica, ten were in the conservation section and eight of these were from the Neotropics. Although these are not the only journals publishing conservation research in the Neotropics, only 55 articles in one year from these five journals does not seem like much.
1 comment:
I don't think other big journals will feel this kind of journal as competition. However, the business is changing at an incredible rate and still many inequalities are left to be solved by the market. Who knows how the traditional journals (and their publishers) will end up changing...
Post a Comment