Journal profile · Evolutionary Biology
Theoretical Population Biology
ISSN 0040-5809 · eISSN 1096-0325 · Academic Press Inc. · UNITED STATES · Bimonthly · Founded 1970
Theoretical Population Biology: CAS Zone 4 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.41; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,840; median 221 days to acceptance (69 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 43 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Theoretical Population Biology is published by Academic Press Inc. and is in Zone 4 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Evolution and Genetic Dynamics, Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models and Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation, together about 46.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are Genetics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
An interdisciplinary journal, Theoretical Population Biology presents articles on theoretical aspects of the biology of populations, particularly in the areas of demography, ecology, epidemiology, evolution, and genetics. Emphasis is on the development of mathematical theory and models that enhance the understanding of biological phenomena.Articles highlight the motivation and significance of the work for advancing progress in biology, relying on a substantial mathematical effort to obtain biological insight. The journal also presents empirical results and computational and statistical methods directly impinging on theoretical problems in population biology.Further elaboration on the aims and scope of the journal appears in this editorial.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Evolutionary Biology
Editor-in-chief Jeremy Van ClevePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 2%); most named United States 17, Canada 8, France 6, United Kingdom 3, Australia 3 (49 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Evolution and Genetic DynamicsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology22.4%
- Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology ModelsMedicine13.1%
- Evolutionary Game Theory and CooperationSocial Sciences11%
- Plant and animal studiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.7%
- Genetic diversity and population structureBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.5%
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and AnimalsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.3%
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesEnvironmental Science4.1%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering4.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Mathematical & Computational Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Mathematical & Computational Biology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Ecology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Evolutionary Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Genetics & Heredity | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Mathematical & Computational Biology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview 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
- 1.41LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 1.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 2.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.49LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.73LetPub ·
- h-index
- 80LetPub ·
- h-index
- 178OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,917OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.56OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 56.03%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 36LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,087 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 30 | 20 | 7 |
| 2025 | 43 | 29 | 47 |
| 2024 | 61 | 48 | 155 |
| 2023 | 38 | 26 | 203 |
| 2022 | 43 | 26 | 247 |
| 2021 | 44 | 26 | 415 |
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
221 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 162 days – 336 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 12 days (69 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 228 days
- Sample
- 69 articles with submission and acceptance dates (74 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)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 13 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 114 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 196 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 10 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 2,840 / EUR 2,660 / GBP 2,270 / JPY 352,250 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 2,750 | — | — |
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 prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
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
Authorship changes generally not considered after submission. Model summary
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
Authors must follow 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
Open access options available. Model summary
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
Single anonymized peer 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; does not count as 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.
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
- Academic Press Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1970
- ISSN
- 0040-5809
- Electronic ISSN
- 1096-0325
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Theoretical Population Biology
What CAS zone is Theoretical Population Biology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Theoretical Population Biology is in Zone 4 of Biology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Ecology / Evolutionary Biology / Genetics & Heredity / Mathematical & Computational Biology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Theoretical Population Biology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.41; CiteScore 2.3, h-index 178.
How long does peer review take at Theoretical Population Biology?
Based on the dates recorded on 69 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 221 days (interquartile range 162–336 days); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “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 Theoretical Population Biology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: 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 Theoretical Population Biology based?
Of the 49 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 2%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (17), Canada (8) and France (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Theoretical Population Biology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Theoretical Population Biology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Theoretical Population Biology open access, and what is the APC?
Theoretical Population Biology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,840.
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: .