Welcoming our new BES journal Associate Editors

At the end of 2022, the British Ecological Society journals conducted an open recruitment process for Associate Editors across all seven BES journals.

This was the third time such a process has been conducted as we continue to seek ways of improving the diversity of our Editorial Boards. The process also provides an opportunity for ecologists from all over the world to become part of the decision-making process that ensures we publish robust, high quality science that advances ecological research and practice around the world.

We received an extraordinary 490 applications from 68 different countries. Expertise covered the full breadth of ecology and interdisciplinary research with people from academia, policy and practice. Experience ranged from PhD students to professors:

• 23% of applications came from researchers in the Global South (excluding China), compared to 24% during the previous open call in 2020
• 20% came from China alone
• Of the 295 applicants (60%) who filled in the voluntary Equality and Diversity monitoring form, 11% of applicants were from Black/African/Caribbean researchers compared with just 2% in 2020

From this very diverse and talented pool, we are delighted to have appointed 148 new Associate Editors from 38 different countries which has improved the diversity of experiences and expertise across all our Editorial Boards as a result.

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More information about the new Associate Editors on each BES journal can be found below:

• Journal of Ecology
• Journal of Animal Ecology
• Journal of Applied Ecology
• Functional Ecology
• Methods in Ecology and Evolution
• People and Nature
• Ecological Solutions and Evidence

Thanks to everyone who applied for the role. There were many more good applicants than spaces on our Editorial Board and we will go back to the applicant pool to fill gaps in the team that arise in the future.

Congratulations again to all our new Associate Editors!

Learn more about the BES Journals