Journal profile · Soil Science
Biology and Fertility of Soils
ISSN 0178-2762 · eISSN 1432-0789 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Monthly · Founded 1985
Biology and Fertility of Soils: CAS Zone 2 · Agricultural & Forestry Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 6.86; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,790; median 109 days to acceptance (92 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 84 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Biology and Fertility of Soils is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics, Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics and Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis, together about 44.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Plant Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILSThis journal publishes original papers, reviews and short communications concerning fundamental and applied aspects of biology (microflora and microfauna), biochemistry and fertility of soils. Special issues on relevant topics, or based on meetings, are also considered for publication in BFS. A few position papers and letters may also published in each issue. Manuscripts should fit within the following main areas:Soil biology microflora, virus and fauna, their processes, turn-over, and interactions in soil or in model, systems; microbial communities on plant roots and their association (nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza), molecular signals between roots, between roots and microorganisms and between microorganisms as affected by soil; microbial diversity and soil functionality; gene detection and gene expression in soil; omics in soil; gene exchange in both rhizosphere and bulk soil.Soil biochemistry reactions, kinetics, activities and localization in the soil matrix of enzymes; metabolic rates and reactions controlling the overall rate of metabolic processes; biotic versus abiotic reactions.Soil fertility microflora-and-faunal-mediated processes that affect (directly or indirectly) nutrient availability, uptake, soil-root interrelationships and plant productivity in general; modelling of mechanisms and processes in nutrient mobilization, immobilization and organic matter stabilization.Soil quality effect of contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, etc) on composition and activity of soil biota; bioaccumulation in food chains; behavior of soil borne pathogens; hazard and fate of potentially pathogenic organisms in soil; biological processes involved in production and consumption of greenhouse gas¸processes by soil communities and the role of soil as a carbon sink.Soil biotechnology unknown microorganisms and new microbial products (enzymes, antibiotics, etc); organisms and processes applied in biotechnology of agricultural wastes and their use in soil; biological control of techniques; inoculation in rhizosphere and bulk soil; manipulations of soil microorganisms; biological remediation of contaminated soils.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Soil Science
Editor-in-chief Paolo NannipieriPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 6 in mainland China (about 13%); most named Germany 9, Italy 7, Mainland China 6, Japan 4, India 3 (46 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 Sciences27.4%
- Soil and Water Nutrient DynamicsEnvironmental Science9.7%
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing SymbiosisAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.6%
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant InteractionsAgricultural and Biological Sciences5%
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolismAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.7%
- Peatlands and Wetlands EcologyEnvironmental Science4.4%
- Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologyEnvironmental Science4.1%
- Soil and Unsaturated FlowEngineering3.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Soil Science | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Soil Science | 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 | Soil Science | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
CASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
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
- 6.86LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 6.8Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 7.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 12LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.01LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.66LetPub ·
- h-index
- 109LetPub ·
- h-index
- 194OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,765OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 7.49OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 30.28%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 80LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 2,025Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 705,600Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,622 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 82 | 32 | 62 |
| 2025 | 84 | 36 | 558 |
| 2024 | 100 | 54 | 1,373 |
| 2023 | 89 | 37 | 1,677 |
| 2022 | 77 | 33 | 1,865 |
| 2021 | 88 | 29 | 3,074 |
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
109 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 79 days – 148 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 13 days (92 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 127 days
- Sample
- 92 articles with submission and acceptance dates (190 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)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 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 4,790 / EUR 3,790 / GBP 2,990 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Page charges
- No page charges
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 prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted8
- hypothesisOriginal papers should present new scientific findings that have not been previously published. Short communications are short reports of new results of special…Length not stated
- opinionOriginal papers should present new scientific findings that have not been previously published. Short communications are short reports of new results of special…Length not stated
- original paperOriginal papers should present new scientific findings that have not been previously published. Short communications are short reports of new results of special…Length not stated
- original papersOriginal papers should present new scientific findings that have not been previously published.Length not stated
- reviewOriginal papers should present new scientific findings that have not been previously published. Short communications are short reports of new results of special…Length not stated
- reviewsReviews are highly welcome, authors are requested to contact the Reviews Editor for suitability before submitting the manuscript. Reviews should not exceed 10 p…Length not stated
- short communicationOriginal papers should present new scientific findings that have not been previously published. Short communications are short reports of new results of special…Length not stated
- short communicationsShort communications are short reports of new results of special interest. Authors are required to append a note explaining why the results merit publication in…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Authors must ensure data, materials, software and code support published claims and comply with field standards. Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
The journal is a member of COPE and follows COPE guidelines on misconduct. Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Biology and Fertility of Soils, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Authors may suggest suitable reviewers and/or request exclusion of certain individuals at submission. Model summary
Authors are welcome to suggest suitable reviewers and/or request the exclusion of certain individuals when they submit their manuscripts. When suggesting reviewers, authors should make sure they are totally independent and not connected to the work in any way.
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
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1985
- ISSN
- 0178-2762
- Electronic ISSN
- 1432-0789
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 62, Issue 7 (October 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Biology and Fertility of Soils
What CAS zone is Biology and Fertility of Soils in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Biology and Fertility of Soils is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Soil Science. 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 Biology and Fertility of Soils?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 6.86; CiteScore 12, h-index 194.
How long does peer review take at Biology and Fertility of Soils?
Based on the dates recorded on 92 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 109 days (interquartile range 79–148 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. 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 Biology and Fertility of Soils?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. 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 Biology and Fertility of Soils based?
Of the 46 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 6 (about 13%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (9), Italy (7) and Mainland China (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Biology and Fertility of Soils?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Biology and Fertility of Soils is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Biology and Fertility of Soils open access, and what is the APC?
Biology and Fertility of Soils is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,790.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; 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: .