Journal profile · Environmental Sciences
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment
ISSN 0167-8809 · eISSN 1873-2305 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Semimonthly · Founded 1983
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment: CAS Zone 1 · Agricultural & Forestry Sciences (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 7.7; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,190; review about 143 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: about 50%; 605 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 1 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics, Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies and Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics, together about 37.2% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
An interdisciplinary journal on the interactions between agroecosystems and the environmentAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment is a leading interdisciplinary forum that publishes research investigating all aspects of agroecological science. Our objective is to advance understanding of the patterns and processes governing agroecosystem functions, interactions with the environment and provision of ecosystem services. A central theme is how agriculture influences the environment and how changes in that environment impact agroecosystems.Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment publishes novel, high impact research conducted at various spatial scales - from experimental plots and field trials to farm-, agroecosystem- and landscape-level investigations - with preference given to hypothesis-based and/or data-rich investigations. We particularly encourage broadly significant studies of agroecosystems that deal with cross-scale interactions, bridge scientific disciplines or integrate new knowledge and perspectives relevant to agroecosystem management or agri-environmental policies. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment rarely publishes papers focused on the management of a specific agricultural system in a particular environmental setting unless the research produces new and compelling findings; therefore, submissions should be placed in an international and/or widely comparative context.All manuscripts are initially screened on their topic suitability. AGEE's core subject-matter fields/topics include (but are not limited to): • Mechanisms governing bio-physical features and functioning of agroecosystems (e.g., the biogeochemistry, ecology, and sustainability of agricultural systems) • The interplay between agroecosystems and the environment (soil, air, and water) and the role of ecological processes in provision of ecosystem services • Agroecosystems and their role in catalyzing/mitigating global change (climate change, greenhouse gases and biodiversity loss) • Ecological consequences of land use intensification and other human impacts (soil degradation and erosion, water and waste management, and associated mitigation approaches) • Environmental implications of agricultural land use and land use change (biodiversity conservation and land management, and ecological restoration and stewardship)The following topics are discouraged unless they provide new information that complements AGEE's core subject-matter areas: • Inventory and survey analysis (including life cycle and energy analysis) • Impact assessment and environmental/compliance monitoring investigations • Exclusively greenhouse- or laboratory-based studies • Studies on the development of models or methodologies and pure model applications • Studies that are purely agronomic, socio-economic, or political
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Environmental Sciences
Editor-in-chief Yong LiPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 17 in mainland China (about 24%); most named Mainland China 17, United Kingdom 8, France 7, United States 6, Italy 4 (72 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsAgricultural and Biological Sciences19.1%
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesEnvironmental Science9.2%
- Soil and Water Nutrient DynamicsEnvironmental Science8.9%
- Plant and animal studiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.9%
- Soil erosion and sediment transportAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.4%
- Insect-Plant Interactions and ControlAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.4%
- Agronomic Practices and Intercropping SystemsAgricultural and Biological Sciences3.7%
- Plant Parasitism and ResistanceAgricultural and Biological Sciences3.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Agriculture, Multidisciplinary | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Agriculture, Multidisciplinary | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Agriculture, Multidisciplinary | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
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
- 7.7LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 7.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 13LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 13Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.09LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.94LetPub ·
- h-index
- 151LetPub ·
- h-index
- 282OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 8,081OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 6.98OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 9.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 35.95%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 567LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 11,225 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 484 | 248 | 388 |
| 2025 | 605 | 277 | 3,357 |
| 2024 | 459 | 208 | 7,065 |
| 2023 | 416 | 196 | 9,912 |
| 2022 | 375 | 157 | 11,588 |
| 2021 | 444 | 189 | 16,659 |
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 PubMed · to
Too few articlesOnly 1 articles from the last 24 months carry both submission and acceptance dates, too few for a median
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".
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 1 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 71 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 143 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,190 / EUR 3,920 / GBP 3,350 / JPY 519,690 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,760 | — | — |
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)
Open calls for papers2, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare1 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
Article types accepted11
- commentary1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
- comments4. In the section 'Comments', short commentaries on material published in the journal are included, together with replies from author(s).Length not stated
- opinion1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
- opinion paper5. The section 'Opinion Paper' offers a forum for discussion of emerging or controversial ideas, or new approaches and concepts, in all areas covered by the jou…Length not stated
- original paper1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
- original papers (regular papers)1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
- original research1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
- regular paper1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
- review1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
- reviews2. Reviews should cover a part of the subject of active current interest. They ay be submitted or invited.Length not stated
- short communication1. Original papers (Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been published previously elsewhere, except in …Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics: Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy. Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Peer review type: single anonymized review process. Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed, not prior publication. Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
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
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1983
- ISSN
- 0167-8809
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-2305
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment
What CAS zone is Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment is in Zone 1 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Agriculture, Multidisciplinary / Ecology / Environmental Sciences; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 7.7; CiteScore 13, h-index 282.
How long does peer review take at Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment?
The publisher reports about 143 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 50%”. 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 Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment based?
Of the 72 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 17 (about 24%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (17), United Kingdom (8) and France (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment open access, and what is the APC?
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,190.
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: .