Journal profile · Evolutionary Biology
Evolution
ISSN 0014-3820 · eISSN 1558-5646 · Wiley-Blackwell · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 1947
Evolution: CAS Zone 2 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 2.96; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,214; median 178 days to acceptance (84 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 265 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Evolution is published by Wiley-Blackwell and is in Zone 2 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Plant and animal studies, Genetic diversity and population structure and Animal Behavior and Reproduction, together about 41.2% of its articles. Its main subfields are Genetics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The journal Evolution publishes articles in all areas of evolutionary biology. We welcome manuscripts presenting significant, original empirical studies and theoretical investigations that broaden understanding of evolutionary phenomena and processes at all levels of biological organization. We welcome submissions in fields that are regularly featured in the journal and are also expanding our coverage in evolutionary genomics, molecular evolution and quantitative genetics. Keywords evolution, biology, genetics, ecology Abstracting and Indexing Information Abstracts in Anthropology (Sage) Abstracts on Hygiene & Communicable Diseases (CABI) Academic ASAP (GALE Cengage) Academic Search (EBSCO Publishing) Academic Search Alumni Edition (EBSCO Publishing) Academic Search Elite (EBSCO Publishing) Academic Search Premier (EBSCO Publishing) AgBiotech News & Information (CABI) AgBiotechNet (CABI) AGRICOLA Database (National Agricultural Library) Agricultural & Environmental Science Database (ProQuest) Animal Breeding Abstracts (CABI) BIOBASE: Current Awareness in Biological Sciences (Elsevier) Biocontrol News & Information (CABI) Biofuels Abstracts (CABI) Biological & Agricultural Index Plus (EBSCO Publishing) Biological Abstracts (Clarivate Analytics) Biological Science Database (ProQuest) BIOSIS Previews (Clarivate Analytics) CAB Abstracts® (CABI) CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service (ACS) Crop Physiology Abstracts (CABI) Current Contents: Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences (Clarivate Analytics) Current Index to Statistics (ASA/IMS) Environment Index (EBSCO Publishing) Expanded Academic ASAP (GALE Cengage) Field Crop Abstracts (CABI) General Science Index/Abstracts (EBSCO Publishing) GEOBASE (Elsevier) GeoRef (AGI) Global Health (CABI) Grasslands & Forage Abstracts (CABI) Helminthological Abstracts (CABI) Horticultural Science Abstracts (CABI) InfoTrac (GALE Cengage) Irrigation & Drainage Abstracts (CABI) Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition (Clarivate Analytics) Maize Abstracts (CABI) Materials Science & Engineering Database (ProQuest) MEDLINE/PubMed (NLM) Natural Science Collection (ProQuest) Nematological Abstracts (CABI) Nutrition Abstracts & Reviews Series B: Livestock Feeds & Feeding (CABI) OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition (HW Wilson) Ornamental Horticulture (CABI) Plant Breeding Abstracts (CABI) Plant Genetic Resources Abstracts (CABI) Plant Growth Regulator Abstracts (CABI) Postharvest News & Information (CABI) Poultry Abstracts (CABI) ProQuest C
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Evolutionary Biology
Editor-in-chief Jason WolfPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 1%); most named United States 30, France 9, United Kingdom 6, Canada 5, Spain 4 (79 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Plant and animal studiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences19.1%
- Genetic diversity and population structureBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology12%
- Animal Behavior and ReproductionAgricultural and Biological Sciences10%
- Evolution and Genetic DynamicsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology8.4%
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and BehaviorBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.2%
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesEnvironmental Science4.9%
- Evolution and Paleontology StudiesEarth and Planetary Sciences3.6%
- Evolutionary Game Theory and CooperationSocial Sciences3.4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEPubMedCASCAB AbstractsGeoRefCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: EBSCO, ProQuest, AGRICOLA
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
- 2.96LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.17LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.08LetPub ·
- h-index
- 184LetPub ·
- h-index
- 376OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 15,172OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.69OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 10%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 49.67%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 215LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 21,622 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 180 | 110 | 78 |
| 2025 | 265 | 184 | 542 |
| 2024 | 196 | 142 | 1,102 |
| 2023 | 267 | 193 | 2,034 |
| 2022 | 331 | 207 | 3,655 |
| 2021 | 310 | 155 | 4,664 |
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
178 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 109 days – 234 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 53 days (3 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 174 days
- Sample
- 84 articles with submission and acceptance dates (503 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)
- 3–6 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
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 3,214 | — | — |
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.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1947
- ISSN
- 0014-3820
- Electronic ISSN
- 1558-5646
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 80, Issue 9 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Evolution
What CAS zone is Evolution in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Evolution is in Zone 2 of Biology, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Ecology / Evolutionary Biology / Genetics & Heredity; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Evolution?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.96; CiteScore 4.5, h-index 376.
How long does peer review take at Evolution?
Based on the dates recorded on 84 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 178 days (interquartile range 109–234 days); authors report an average review time of 3–6 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.
Where are the editorial board members of Evolution based?
Of the 79 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 1%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (30), France (9) and United Kingdom (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Evolution?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Evolution is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, PubMed, CAS, CAB Abstracts, GeoRef and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Evolution open access, and what is the APC?
Evolution is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,214.
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 2026-08-30). Last updated: .