Journal profile · Evolutionary Biology
Molecular Ecology Resources
ISSN 1755-098X · eISSN 1755-0998 · Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd · ENGLAND · Bimonthly · Founded 2008
Molecular Ecology Resources: CAS Zone 1 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 5.9; hybrid open access; APC about USD 5,250; median 197 days to acceptance (86 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 182 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus; the journal's website says submissions are paused or closed.
The journal's website says submissions are paused or closed: Thus, the journal no longer accepts manuscripts that provide genome assembly for single species unless the study offers exceptional biological insights or substantial methodological advances. Source ↗Publisher website ·
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Molecular Ecology Resources is published by Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd and is in Zone 1 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Genetic diversity and population structure, Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies and Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies, together about 45.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Genetics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Molecular Ecology Resources encourages development of broad resources for the community including computer programs, statistical and molecular advances, and extensive molecular tools. The journal is a vehicle for dissemination of these resources, targeting a wide audience of researchers in the fields of evolution, ecology, and conservation. Articles in Molecular Ecology Resources are intended to facilitate studies addressing consequential questions in these fields. In addition to novel resource articles, Molecular Ecology Resources publishes relevant Reviews, Opinions, and Comments. The journal also publishes occasional Special Issues that emphasize development of resources in a particular area. Papers that report on empirical research in ecology, evolution, behavior, and conservation, rather than new resources and tools, should be submitted to our companion journal, Molecular Ecology. Papers that are primarily descriptive and relevant only to the taxon being studied without addressing a question more broadly applicable in ecology are not appropriate for Molecular Ecology and should instead be submitted to a more specialized journal or to Ecology & Evolution.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Evolutionary Biology
Editor-in-chief Ben SibbettPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 2, Canada 2, New Zealand 2, United Kingdom 1, India 1 (10 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Genetic diversity and population structureBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology20.9%
- Genomics and Phylogenetic StudiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology13.5%
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity StudiesEnvironmental Science10.9%
- Identification and Quantification in FoodBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology8.5%
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestockBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.4%
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and AnimalsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.2%
- Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologyEnvironmental Science3.8%
- Plant and animal studiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences3.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEPubMedCAB AbstractsCurrent 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
- 5.9LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 5.9Publisher website ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 12.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 12.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 12.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.86LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.06LetPub ·
- h-index
- 115LetPub ·
- h-index
- 187OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,325OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.51OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 6.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 65.22%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 150LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher) 2025
- 153Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 907,846Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,651 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 120 | 114 | 72 |
| 2025 | 182 | 149 | 609 |
| 2024 | 138 | 111 | 1,304 |
| 2023 | 188 | 146 | 3,476 |
| 2022 | 178 | 103 | 4,935 |
| 2021 | 271 | 151 | 10,237 |
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
197 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 122 days – 282 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 16 days (87 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 215 days
- Sample
- 86 articles with submission and acceptance dates (320 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 2 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 29%Publisher website ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher) 2025
- 29%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 29 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to first decision 2025
- 29 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance 2025
- 148 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication 2025
- 17 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single-anonymous peer reviewPublisher website · model-extracted
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 5,250 / EUR 4,430 / GBP 3,500 | — | — | |
| 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)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted5, with length limits
- full paperes Our principal function is to publish full papers describing resources for the molecular ecology community in the following format: limit of 8000 words per pa…main text ≤ 8,000 words
- invited technical reviewsInvited by the Reviews Editor to summarize and discuss recent advances in molecular and analytical techniques.Length not stated
- mini reviewlogies and progress in a specific area. Mini Reviews will not normally exceed 3,000 words with a maximum of two figures or tables. We will consider umain text ≤ 3,000 words
- mini reviewsMini Reviews are short review articles that summarize recent and important developments on a topic within the field of molecular ecology.Length not stated
- resource articlesResource ArticlesLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAuthorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- Authorship Author Contributions
Free format submission. Model summary
Authors should include a brief Author Contributions statement at the end of the paper in which they describe their specific contributions to the published work. Contributions could include, but are not limited to:
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Conflict of Interest
The journal requires that all authors disclose any potential sources of conflict of interest. Any interest or relationship, financial or otherwise that might be perceived as influencing an author's objectivity is considered a potential source of conflict of interest. These must be disclosed when directly relevant or directly related to the work that the authors describe in their manuscript. Potent…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data Sharing and Data Availability
Data archiving in a public repository is required as a condition for publication. Model summary
This journal mandates and peer reviews data sharing. Review Wiley’s Data Sharing policy where you will be able to see and select the data availability statement that is right for your submission.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Publication Ethics
Member of COPE. Model summary
This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Note this journal uses iThenticate’s CrossCheck software to detect instances of overlapping and similar text in submitted manuscripts. Read the Top 10 Publishing Ethics Tips for Authors here. Wiley’s Publication Ethics Guidelines can be found at authorservices.wiley.com/ethics-guidelines/index.html.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Referrals to the Open Access Journal Ecology and Evolution
For rapid publication of quality research that we are unable to accept, select authors of declined manuscripts will be offered the option of having the paper, along with any related reviews, automatically transferred for consideration by Ecology and Evolution. Ecology and Evolution is a Wiley Open Access journal and article publication fees apply.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Independent Peer Review Services
Molecular Ecology Resources will consider referrals from independent review services. However such manuscripts may be subject to additional external review by Molecular Ecology Resources. If appropriate, we will invite authors to submit a revision of their manuscript to Molecular Ecology Resources. Note that we cannot guarantee a positive decision for referred manuscripts.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprints are allowed. Model summary
Molecular Ecology Resources will consider submissions that have previously been made available online, either on a preprint server like arXiv, bioRxiv, or PeerJ PrePrints, or on the authors’ own website. However, any such submissions must not have been published in a scientific journal, book or other venue that could be considered formal publication. Authors must inform the editorial office at sub…
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
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 2008
- ISSN
- 1755-098X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1755-0998
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 26, Issue 7 (October 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Molecular Ecology Resources
What CAS zone is Molecular Ecology Resources in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Molecular Ecology Resources is in Zone 1 of Biology, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Ecology / Evolutionary Biology; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Molecular Ecology Resources?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.9; CiteScore 12.3, h-index 187.
How long does peer review take at Molecular Ecology Resources?
Based on the dates recorded on 86 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 197 days (interquartile range 122–282 days); authors report an average review time of about 2 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 29% (2025). 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 Molecular Ecology Resources?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: 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 Molecular Ecology Resources based?
Of the 10 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (2), Canada (2) and New Zealand (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Molecular Ecology Resources?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Molecular Ecology Resources is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, PubMed, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Molecular Ecology Resources open access, and what is the APC?
Molecular Ecology Resources is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 5,250.
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: .