Researchers contribute to the scientific peer review system by providing reviews, and “withdraw” from it by submitting manuscripts that are subsequently reviewed. So far as we are aware, there has been no quantification of the balance of individual's contributions and withdrawals. We compared the number of reviews provided by individual researchers (i.e., their contribution) to the number required by their submissions (i.e. their withdrawals) in a large and anonymised database provided by the British Ecological Society. The database covered the Journal of Ecology, Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal of Applied Ecology, and Functional Ecology from 2003–2010. The majority of researchers (64%) did not have balanced contributions and withdrawals. Depending on assumptions, 12% to 44% contributed more than twice as much as required; 20% to 52% contributed less than half as much as required. Balance, or lack thereof, varied little in relation to the number of years a researcher had been active (reviewing or submitting). Researchers who contributed less than required did not lack the opportunity to review. Researchers who submitted more were more likely to accept invitations to review. These finding suggest overall that peer review of the four analysed journals is not in crisis, but only due to the favourable balance of over- and under-contributing researchers. These findings are limited to the four journals analysed, and therefore cannot include researcher's other peer review activities, which if included might change the proportions reported. Relatively low effort was required to assemble, check, and analyse the data. Broader analyses of individual researcher's peer review activities would contribute to greater quality, efficiency, and fairness in the peer review system.
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Editor's overviewJournal of Ecology was established by the British Ecological Society in 1913. It is the oldest international, peer-reviewed ecological journal, currently publishing its 93rd volume. Journal of Ecology has published many of the classic papers in plant ecology. It has always had a tradition, still clearly in evidence, of attracting papers from the world's most prominent, influential and inspirational ecologists. As Journal of Ecology continues to develop to meet the needs of authors and readers, it is timely to provide an update on our activities.Journal of Ecology accepts papers on all ecological subjects that are plant-related and that present strong, original ecological messages that transcend the limits of case studies. The Journal is well known for its coverage of population and community ecology but we also publish papers on other topics including biogeochemistry, ecosystems ecology, plant-animal interactions, microbial ecology, climate change, molecular genetics, physiological ecology and the ecology of mycorrhizas.
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