Journal profile · ECOLOGY-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE
ISSN 1022-0119 · eISSN 1727-9380 · Taylor and Francis Ltd. · SOUTH AFRICA · Tri-annual
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE: CAS Zone 4 · Environmental Science & Ecology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.64; hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; median 170 days to acceptance (62 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 37 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE is published by Taylor and Francis Ltd. and is in Zone 4 of Environmental Science & Ecology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology, Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies and Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology, together about 41.2% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The African Journal of Range & Forage Science is the leading rangeland and pastoral journal in Africa. The Journal is dedicated to publishing quality original material that advances rangeland ecology and pasture management. The journal aims to publish research of international importance from any region, but as an African journal, we are particularly interested in research from Africa and relevant to the continent. The Journal promotes both science and its application and authors are encouraged to explicitly identify the practical implications of their work. Peer-reviewed research papers and research notes deal primarily with all aspects of rangeland and pasture ecology and management, including the ecophysiology and biogeochemistry of rangelands and pastures, terrestrial plant–herbivore interactions (both domestic and wild), rangeland assessment and monitoring, effects of climate change on rangelands, rangeland and pasture management, rangeland rehabilitation, ecosystem services in support of production, conservation and biodiversity goals, and the identification and development of intensive and semi-intensive pasture and forage resources to meet livestock production needs. Articles highlighting transdisciplinary linkages among biophysical and social sciences that support management, policy and societal values are particularly encouraged. The Journal includes relevant book reviews and invited perspectives that contribute to the development of range and forage science. Letters to the editor that debate issues raised in the Journal are acceptable. The African Journal of Range & Forage Science is the official journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): ECOLOGY-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Editor-in-chief Urs KreuterPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named South Africa 3, United States 1, Norway 1 (5 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Rangeland Management and Livestock EcologyEnvironmental Science17.9%
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesEnvironmental Science13.3%
- Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive PhysiologyAgricultural and Biological Sciences10.1%
- Rangeland and Wildlife ManagementEnvironmental Science8.5%
- Pasture and Agricultural SystemsAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.6%
- Agroforestry and silvopastoral systemsAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.8%
- Botany and Plant Ecology StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences4%
- Agriculture and Rural Development ResearchAgricultural and Biological Sciences3.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- CiteScore Q1 · 2025
Publisher-reported: JCR figures are Clarivate's and CiteScore figures Scopus's to confirm; both are a different system from the CAS zones.Publisher website
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.64LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 4Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.6LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.6Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.91LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 0.91Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 24LetPub ·
- h-index
- 54OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 413OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.79OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 12.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 32.88%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 31LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 27,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,228 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 37 | 20 | 5 |
| 2025 | 37 | 19 | 27 |
| 2024 | 26 | 13 | 47 |
| 2023 | 28 | 15 | 167 |
| 2022 | 40 | 24 | 347 |
| 2021 | 59 | 26 | 451 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
170 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 119 days – 255 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 104 days (62 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 280 days
- Sample
- 62 articles with submission and acceptance dates (83 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- over 12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 24%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 8 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 74 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 98 daysPublisher website ·
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Article types accepted5
- book reviewsThe Journal includes relevant book reviews and invited perspectives that contribute to the development of range and forage science.Length not stated
- invited perspectivesThe Journal includes relevant book reviews and invited perspectives that contribute to the development of range and forage science.Length not stated
- letters to the editorLetters to the editor that debate issues raised in the Journal are acceptable.Length not stated
- peer-reviewed research papersPeer-reviewed research papers and research notes deal primarily with all aspects of rangeland and pasture ecology and managementLength not stated
- research notesPeer-reviewed research papers and research notes deal primarily with all aspects of rangeland and pasture ecology and managementLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
Hybrid open access journal (Taylor & Francis Open Select) Model summary
African Journal of Range & Forage Science is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the d…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Peer-reviewed research papers and research notes Model summary
Peer-reviewed research papers and research notes deal primarily with all aspects of rangeland and pasture ecology and management
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Taylor and Francis Ltd.
- Country or region
- SOUTH AFRICA
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Tri-annual
- ISSN
- 1022-0119
- Electronic ISSN
- 1727-9380
- Society / sponsor
- Grassland Society of Southern Africa
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 43, Issue 2 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE
What CAS zone is AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE is in Zone 4 of Environmental Science & Ecology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Ecology / Environmental Sciences. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Environmental Science & Ecology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.64; CiteScore 4, h-index 54.
How long does peer review take at AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE?
Based on the dates recorded on 62 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 170 days (interquartile range 119–255 days); authors report an average review time of over 12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 24%. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE based?
Of the 5 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are South Africa (3), United States (1) and Norway (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE open access, and what is the APC?
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC charged, amount not published.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .