Springer to publish Symbiosis

As of October 2009, Springer will publish Symbiosis, the official journal of the International Symbiosis Society (ISS). The journal was previously published by Balaban International Science Services. Publication at Springer will begin with Volume 49, Issue 1.

Symbiosis publishes results of original research which contribute to the understanding of symbiotic interactions at the molecular, cellular and organismal levels. It provides infomation on this fundamental and ubiquitous aspect of life on earth, and is a forum for scientists undertaking research in this biological field, fostering interaction among them. The journal publishes original research papers, review articles, book reviews, meeting reports and a calendar of events. The editor-in-chief is Professor David Richardson of Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

David Richardson said, "The move to Springer opens an exciting new era. The recent 6th International Symbiosis Congress in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, demonstrated the key roles played by symbiosis on all plant and animal life, and in every ecosystem, whether natural or man-made. The results of the research will now be much more widely available as Symbiosis becomes available both in print and online."

Jacco Flipsen, Editorial Director in Life Sciences at Springer, said, "We are very pleased to add Symbiosis to our list of journals. The journal publishes articles in a growing area of research, and complements our other publications in life sciences. We are looking forward to working with the International Symbiosis Society to further develop the journal."

Through the journal Symbiosis, Springer aims to promote the interests of the International Symbiosis Society. Founded in 1997, the ISS is primarily involved with the promotion of research and education in the growing field of symbiosis. The Society also seeks to build ongoing and useful communication between the many researchers working in the various subfields of symbiosis, as well as connect symbiologists to those in other areas of ecology and biological sciences.

Russell Rodriguez, President of the ISS, said, "We now know that symbiosis is a fundamental component of plant and animal biology, and has played an important part in the evolution of these lineages on earth. Springer's publication of cutting-edge research in the journal Symbiosis will allow both scientific and educational communities to understand the significance of symbiosis to life on earth."

Symbiosis will be published nine times a year, both electronically and in print. It will include Cross Reference Linking, Alert services, and Online First™, a feature by which articles are published online before they appear in print. In addition, all potential authors will have the option, via the Springer Open Choice™ program, of publishing their articles using the open access publishing model.

Source: Springer