Journal profile · Environmental Sciences
Biological Conservation
ISSN 0006-3207 · eISSN 1873-2917 · Elsevier BV · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 1968
Biological Conservation: CAS Zone 1 · Environmental Science & Ecology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 5.06; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,830; review about 143 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 621 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Biological Conservation is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies and Species Distribution and Climate Change, together about 41.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Ecology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Biological Conservation is a leading international journal in the discipline of conservation science. The journal publishes articles spanning a diverse range of fields that contribute to the biological, sociological, ethical and economic dimensions of conservation. The primary aim of Biological Conservation is the publication of high-quality papers that advance the science and practice of conservation, or which demonstrate the application of conservation principles and policy. Biological Conservation invites the submission of research articles, reviews (including systematic reviews and perspectives), short communications, policy perspectives, and letters to the editor dealing with all aspects of conservation science, including theoretical and empirical investigations into the consequences of human actions for the diversity, structure and function of terrestrial, aquatic or marine ecosystems. Such papers may include quantitative assessments of extinction risk, fragmentation effects, spread of invasive organisms, conservation genetics, conservation management, global change effects on biodiversity, landscape or reserve design and management, restoration ecology, or resource economics. We also welcome papers coming from social sciences including those reporting on advances in conservation politics, ethics, policy, human social structure and biodiversity, and political culture among other subjects. Biological Conservation covers interdisciplinary topics within conservation biology and also provides practical applications of conservation research for land/resource managers and policy makers. We publish articles and thematic special issues that have a global relevance in terms of the topics or issues addressed, and thus demonstrate applications of conservation science and management beyond the specific system or species studied. Biological Conservation is an affiliate publication of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB). SCB members can obtain a personal subscription to this journal through the Society. Authors are also welcome to submit to the Journal's open access companion title, Global Ecology and Conservation, which covers all sub-disciplines of ecological and conservation science.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Environmental Sciences
Editor-in-chief Vincent DevictorPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 4 in mainland China (about 7%); most named United States 13, Australia 7, Argentina 6, Mainland China 4, United Kingdom 3 (54 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Wildlife Ecology and ConservationEnvironmental Science17.5%
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesEnvironmental Science13.9%
- Species Distribution and Climate ChangeEnvironmental Science9.9%
- Avian ecology and behaviorEnvironmental Science5.6%
- Plant and animal studiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences5.1%
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource ManagementEnvironmental Science3.9%
- Rangeland and Wildlife ManagementEnvironmental Science3.7%
- Animal Ecology and Behavior StudiesEnvironmental Science3.4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biodiversity Conservation | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Biodiversity Conservation | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biodiversity Conservation | 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
- 5.06LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 5.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.7LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.76LetPub ·
- h-index
- 173LetPub ·
- h-index
- 327OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 10,438OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.51OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 57.41%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 569LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 16,167 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 375 | 265 | 220 |
| 2025 | 621 | 421 | 2,128 |
| 2024 | 439 | 299 | 4,119 |
| 2023 | 451 | 296 | 7,964 |
| 2022 | 340 | 197 | 7,472 |
| 2021 | 426 | 233 | 14,021 |
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
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
143 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports 6–12 weeks
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 60 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 143 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double 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 3,830 / EUR 3,580 / GBP 3,070 / JPY 475,030 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,640 | — | — |
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 papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Highlights
- Required
Article types accepted8, with length limits
- letters to the editorBiological Conservation invites the submission of research articles, reviews (including systematic reviews and perspectives), short communications, policy persp…Length not stated
- perspectiveut conservation problems and solutions. Perspectives articles should not exceed 8000 words. 4. Short communications Short communications highlight botmain text ≤ 8,000 words
- policy perspectivesBiological Conservation invites the submission of research articles, reviews (including systematic reviews and perspectives), short communications, policy persp…Length not stated
- research articlesBiological Conservation invites the submission of research articles, reviews (including systematic reviews and perspectives), short communications, policy persp…Length not stated
- review articlerest. They may be submitted or invited. Review articles are up to 12,000 words and must include a methods section explaining how the litermain text ≤ 12,000 words
- reviewsBiological Conservation invites the submission of research articles, reviews (including systematic reviews and perspectives), short communications, policy persp…Length not stated
- short communicationhe rationale for undertaking the study. Short communications should not exceed 4,000 words. 5. Policy Analysis These are short commentary pieces on comain text ≤ 4,000 words
- short communicationsBiological Conservation invites the submission of research articles, reviews (including systematic reviews and perspectives), short communications, policy persp…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
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
Double anonymized peer review Model summary
This journal follows a double 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 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 BV
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1968
- ISSN
- 0006-3207
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-2917
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Biological Conservation
What CAS zone is Biological Conservation in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Biological Conservation is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Biodiversity Conservation / Ecology / Environmental Sciences; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Environmental Science & Ecology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Biological Conservation?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.06; CiteScore 7.6, h-index 327.
How long does peer review take at Biological Conservation?
The publisher reports about 143 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard”. 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.
What are the manuscript requirements of Biological Conservation?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Author–date; Highlights: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Biological Conservation based?
Of the 54 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 4 (about 7%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (13), Australia (7) and Argentina (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Biological Conservation?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Biological Conservation is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Biological Conservation open access, and what is the APC?
Biological Conservation is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,830.
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 2026-08-26). Last updated: .