An International Journal for Scientific Research on the Interaction Between Agroecosystems and the Environment
Guide for Authors
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment deals with the interface between agriculture and the environment.
Preference is given to papers that develop and apply interdisciplinarity, bridge scientific disciplines, integrate scientific analyses
derived from different perspectives of agroecosystem sustainability, and are put in as wide an international or comparative context as
possible. It is addressed to scientists in agriculture, food production, agroforestry, ecology, environment, earth and resource management,
and administrators and policy-makers in these fields.
The journal regularly covers topics such as: ecology of agricultural production
methods; influence of agricultural production methods on the environment, including soil, water and air quality, and use of energy and
non-renewable resources; agroecosystem management, functioning, health, and complexity, including agro-biodiversity and response of multi-species
ecosystems to environmental stress; the effect of pollutants on agriculture; agro-landscape values and changes, landscape indicators
and sustainable land use; farming system changes and dynamics; integrated pest management and crop protection; and problems of agroecosystems
from a biological, physical, economic, and socio-cultural standpoint.
Types of contribution
1.Original papers
(Regular Papers) should report the results of original research. The material should not have been previously published elsewhere, except
in a preliminary form.
2.Reviews should cover a part of the subject of active current interest. They may be submitted or
invited.
3.A Short Communication is a concise, but complete, description of a limited investigation, which will not
be included in a later paper. Short Communications should be as completely documented, both by reference to the literature and description
of the experimental procedures employed, as a regular paper. They should not occupy more than 6 printed pages (about 12 manuscript pages,
including figures, etc.).
4.The section Views and Ideas offers comment or useful critique on material published in the journal
or on relevant issues. Contributions to this section should not occupy more than 2 printed pages (about 4 manuscript pages)
Please
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Online Submission of manuscripts
Submission of an article implies that the work described
has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is
not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible
authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or
in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher.
Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to sign
a "Journal Publishing Agreement" (for more information on copyright see http://wwwauthors.elsevier.com/copyright. This
transfer will ensure the widest possible dissemination of information. A letter will be sent to the corresponding author confirming receipt
of the manuscript. A form facilitating transfer of copyright will be provided.
If excerpts from other copyrighted works are included,
the author(s) must obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the source(s) in the article. Elsevier has preprinted
forms for use by authors in these cases: contact Elsevier's Rights Department, Oxford, UK; phone: (+44) 1865 843830, fax: (+44) 1865
853333, e-mail: permissions@elsevier.com. Requests may also be completed on-line via the Elsevier homepage (
http://elsevier.com/locate/permissions ).
English language help service: Upon request, Elsevier will direct
Authors to an agent who can check and improve the English of their paper (before submission). Please contact www.elsevier.com/locate/elsevierpublishing
Submission to this journal proceeds totally on-line. Use the following guidelines to prepare your article. Via the journal's homepage
(http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agee) you will be guided stepwise through the creation and uploading of the various files.
Once the uploading is done, our system automatically generates an electronic (PDF) proof, which is then used for reviewing. It is crucial
that all graphical elements be uploaded in separate files, so that the PDF is suitable for reviewing. Authors can upload their article
as a LaTex, Microsoft (MS) Word, WordPerfect, or PostScript files. All correspondence, including notification of the Editor's decision
and requests for revisions, will be by e-mail.
Electronic format requirements for accepted articles
We accept most wordprocessing
formats, but Word, WordPerfect or LaTeX is preferred. Always keep a backup copy of the electronic file for reference and safety. Save
your files using the default extension of the program used.
Wordprocessor documents
It is important that the file be saved
in the native format of the wordprocessor used. The text should be in single-column format. Keep the layout of the text as simple as
possible. Most formatting codes will be removed and replaced on processing the article. In particular, do not use the wordprocessor's
options to justify text or to hyphenate words. However, do use bold face, italics, subscripts, superscripts etc. Do not embed 'graphically
designed' equations or tables, but prepare these using the wordprocessor's facility. When preparing tables, if you are using a table
grid, use only one grid for each individual table and not a grid for each row. If no grid is used, use tabs, not spaces, to align columns.
The electronic text should be prepared in a way very similar to that of conventional manuscripts (see also Elsevier's Quickguide (www.elsevier.com/locate/guidepublication).
Do not import the figures into the text file but, instead, indicate their approximate locations directly in the electronic text and on
the manuscript. See also the section on Preparation of electronic illustrations.
To avoid unnecessary errors you are strongly
advised to use the 'spellchecker' function of your wordprocessor.
Preparation of manuscripts
1. Manuscripts should be
written in English. Authors whose native language is not English are strongly advised to have their manuscripts checked by an English-speaking
colleague prior to submission. English language help service: Upon request, Elsevier will direct authors to an agent who can
check and improve the English of their paper (before submission). Please contact authorsupport@elsevier.com for further
information.
2. Manuscripts should be prepared with wide margins and double spacing throughout, i.e. also for abstracts, footnotes
and references.Every page of the manuscript, including the title page, references, tables, etc. should be numbered.Authors
are requested to submit, with their manuscripts, the names and addresses of four potential referees. However, in the text no reference
should be made to page numbers; if necessary, one may refer to sections. Avoid excessive use of italics to emphasize part of the text.
3. Manuscripts in general should be organized in the following order: •Title (should be clear, descriptive and not too long)
•Name(s) of author(s) •Complete postal address(es) of affiliations •Full telephone, Fax. no. and E-mail of the
corresponding author •Present address(es) of author(s) if applicable •Complete correspondence address to which the
proofs should be sent •Abstract •Key words (indexing terms), normally 3-6 items •Introduction •Material
studied, area descriptions, methods, techniques •Results •Discussion •Conclusion •Acknowledgements
and any additional information concerning research grants, etc. •References •Tables •Figure captions
4.
In typing the manuscript, titles and subtitles should not be run within the text. They should be typed on a separate line, without indentation.
Use lower-case lettertype.
5. Elsevier reserves the privilege of returning to the author for revision accepted manuscripts and illustrations
which are not in the proper form given in this guide.
Articles in Special Issues: Please ensure that the words 'this issue'
are added (in the list and text) to any references to other articles in this Special Issue.
Abstracts The abstract should
be clear, descriptive and not longer than 400 words.
Formulae
1. Subscripts and superscripts should be clear.
2.
Give the meaning of all symbols immediately after the equation in which they are first used.
3. For simple fractions use the solidus
(/) instead of a horizontal line.
4. Equations should be numbered serially at the right-hand side in parentheses. In general only
equations explicitly referred to in the text need be numbered.
5. The use of fractional powers instead of root signs is recommended.
Also powers of e are often more conveniently denoted by exp.
6. Levels of statistical significance which can be mentioned without
further explanation are *P<0.05, **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001.
7.
In chemical formulae,valence of ions should be given, as, e.g. Ca2+ not as Ca++.
8. Isotope numbers should
precede the symbols, e.g. 18O.
9. The repeated writing of chemical formulae in the text is to be avoided where reasonably
possible; instead, the name of the compound should be given in full. Exceptions may be made in the case of a very long name occurring
very frequently or in the case of a compound being described as the end product of a gravimetric determination (e.g. phosphate as P2O5).
Units and abbreviations
In principle SI units should be used except where they conflict with current practise or are confusing.
Other equivalent units may be given in parentheses.
Units and their abbreviations should be those approved by ISO (International Standard
1000:1992. SI units and recommendations for the use of their multiples and of certain other units). Abbreviate units of measure only
when used with numerals.
Nomenclature 1. Authors and editors are, by general agreement, obliged to accept the rules
governing biological nomenclature, as laid down in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, the International Code of Nomenclature
of Bacteria, and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature,.
2. All biotica (crops, plants, insects, birds, mammals,
etc.) should be identified by their scientific names when the English term is first used, with the exception of common domestic animals.
3. All biocides and other organic compounds must be identified by their Geneva names when first used in the text. Active ingredients
of all formulations should be likewise identified.
4. For chemical nomenclature, the conventions of the International Union of Pure
and Applied Chemistry and the official recommendations of the IUPAC IUB Combined Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature should be followed.
Tables
1. Authors should take notice of the limitations set by the size and lay-out of the journal. Large tables should
be avoided. Reversing columns and rows will often reduce the dimensions of a table.
2. If many data are to be presented, an attempt
should be made to divide them over two or more tables.
3. Tables should be numbered according to their sequence in the text. The
text should include references to all tables.
4. Each table should be typewritten on a separate page of the manuscript. Tables should
never be included in the text.
5. Each table should have a brief and self-explanatory title.
6. Column headings should be brief,
but sufficiently explanatory. Standard abbreviations of units of measurement should be added between parentheses.
7. Vertical lines
should not be used to separate columns. Leave some extra space between the columns instead.
8. Any explanation essential to the
understanding of the table should be given as a footnote at the bottom of the table.
9. Wherever possible, columns should represent
individual variables or variables with common units, and rows should represent observations.
10. Present data with no more digits
than justified by the accuracy of their measurement or simulation, and no more digits than needed for the purpose of the table. Using
fewer digits usually enhances readability of tables.
Preparation of electronic illustrations
Submitting
your artwork in an electronic format helps us to produce your work to the best possible standards, ensuring accuracy, clarity and a high
level of detail.
General points
•Always supply high-quality printouts of your artwork, in case conversion
of the electronic artwork is problematic. •Make sure you use uniform lettering and sizing of your original artwork. •Save
text in illustrations as "graphics" or enclose the font. •Only use the following fonts in your illustrations: Arial, Courier,
Helvetica, Times, Symbol. •Number the illustrations according to their sequence in the text. •Use a logical naming
convention for your artwork files, and supply a separate listing of the files and the software used. •Provide all illustrations
as separate files. •Provide captions to illustrations separately. •Produce images near to the desired size of the printed
version. •Illustration should be numbered according to their sequence in the text. References should be made in the text to
each illustration. •Illustrations should be designed with the format of the page of the journal in mind. Illustrations should
be of such a size as to allow a reduction of 50%. •Make sure that the size of the lettering is big enough to allow a reduction
of 50% without becoming illegible. •If a scale should be given, use bar scales on all illustrations instead of numerical scales
that must be changed with reduction
Mark the appropriate position of a figue in the article.
You are urged to visit this site;
some excerpts from the detailed information are given here.
Colour illustrations
Please make sure that
artwork files are in an acceptable format (TIFF, EPS or MSOffice) and with the correct resolution. Polaroid colour prints are not
suitable. If, together with your accepted article, you submit usable colour figures then Elsevier will ensure, at no additional charge,
that these figures will appear in colour on the Web (e.g., ScienceDirect and other sites) regardless of whether or not these illustrations
are reproduces in colour in the printed version. For colour reproduction in print, you will receive information regarding the costs from
Elsevier after receipt of your accepted article. Please indicate your preference for colour print or on the Web only. For further information
on the preparation of electronic artwork, please see http://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstruction.
Mark the appropriate
position of a figure in the article.
Supplementary files
Supplementary files offer the author additional possibilities
to publish supporting applications, movies, animation sequences, high- resolution images, background datasets, sound clips and more.
Supplementary files supplied will be publshed online alongside the electronic version of your article in Elsevier web products, including
ScienceDirect:http://www.sciencedirect.com. In order to ensure that
your submitted material is directly usable, please ensure that data is provided in one of our recommended file formats. Authors should
submit the material in electronic format together with the article and supply a concise and descriptive caption for each file. For more
detailed instructions please visit the artwork instruction pages at http://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions.
References
1. All publications cited in the text should be presented in a list of references following the text the manuscript. The manuscript
should be carefully checked to ensure that the spelling of author's names and dates are exactly the same in the text as in the reference
list.
2. In the text refer to the author's name (without initial) and year of publication, followed - if necessary - by a short
reference to appropriate pages. Examples: "Since Peterson (1988) has shown that..." "This is in agreement with results obtained later
(Kramer,1989, pp. 12-16)".
3. If reference is made in the text to a publication written by more than two authors the name of the
first author should be used followed by "et al." This indication, however, should never be used in the list of references. In
this list names of first author and co-authors should be mentioned.
4. References cited together in the text should be arranged
chronologically. The list of references should be arranged alphabetically on author's names, and chronologically per author. If an author's
name in the list is also mentioned with co-authors the following order should be used: publications of the single author, arranged according
to publication dates - publications of the same author with one co-author - publications of the author with more than one co-author.
Publications by the same author(s) in the same year should be listed as 1974a, 1974b, etc.
5. Use the following system for arranging
your references: a. For periodicals Tietema, A., Riemer, L., Verstraten, J.M., van der Maas, M.P., van
Wijk, A.J., van Voorthuyzen, I.,1992. Nitrogen cycling in acid forest soils subject to increased atmospheric nitrogen input. For. Ecol.
Manage. 57, 29-44. b. For edited symposia, special issues, etc. published in a periodical Rice, K., 1992.
Theory and conceptual issues. In: Gall, G.A.E., Staton, M. (Eds.), Integrating Conversation Biology and Agricultural Production. Agric.
Ecosyst. Environ. 42, 9-26. c. For books Gaugh, Jr., H.G., 1992. Statistical Analysis of Regional Yield Trials.
Elsevier, Amsterdam. d. For multi-author books Baker, Jr., 1993. Insects. In: De Hertogh, A., Le Nard,
M. (Eds.), The Physiology of Flower Bulbs. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 101-153. 6. In the case of publications in any language other
than English, the original title is to be retained.However, the titles of publications in non-Latin alphabets should be transliterated,
and a notation such as "(in Russian)" or "(in Greek, with English abstract)" should be added. 7. Work accepted for publication but
not yet published should be referred to as "in press". 8. References concerning unpublished data and "personal communications" should
not be cited in the reference list but may be mentioned in The text.
Copyright 1. An author, when quoting from someone
else's work or when considering reproducing an illustration or table from a book or journal article, should make sure that he is not
infringing a copyright. 2. Although in general an author may quote from other published works, he should obtain permission from
the holder of the copyright if he wishes to make substantial extracts or to reproduce tables, plates, or other illustrations. If the
copyright-holder is not the author of the quoted or reproduced material, it is recommended that the permission of the author should also
be sought. 3. Material in unpublished letters and manuscripts is also protected and must not be published unless permission has
been obtained. 4. A suitable acknowledgment of any borrowed material must always be made.
Proofs When your
manuscript is received by the Publisher it is considered to be in its final form. Proofs are not be regarded as 'drafts'.
One set
of proofs in PDF format will be sent to the corresponding author, to be checked for typesetting/ editing. No changes in, or additions
to, the accepted (and subsequently edited) manuscript will be allowed at this stage. Proofreading is solely your responsibility.
The Publisher reserves the right to proceed with publication if corrections are not communicated. Return corrections within 3 working
days of receipt of the proofs. Should there be no corrections, please confirm this.
Elsevier will do everything possible to get
your article corrected and published as quickly and accurately as possible. In order to do this we need your help. When you receive the
(PDF) proof of your article for correction, it is important to ensure that all of your corrections are sent back to us in one communication.
Subsequent corrections will not be possible, so please ensure your first sending is complete. Note that this does not mean you have any
less time to make your corrections, just that only one set of corrections will be accepted.
Offprints The corresponding
author, at no cost, will be provided with a PDF file of the article via e-mail or, alternatively, 25 free paper offprints. The PDF file
is a watermarked version of the published article and includes a cover sheet with the journal cover image and a disclaimer outlining
the terms and conditions of use. Additional offprints can be ordered by the authors. An order form with prices will be sent upon registration
of the accepted article.
Agriculture, Ecosystems &Environment has no page charges
Information about Agriculture,
Ecosystems &Environment is available on the World Wide Web at the following address:
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agee .
