What thrives between the waves and beneath the tides? – Marine Biology Research sails into its second decade

The first 10 years of publishing Marine Biology Research (MBRJ) have passed rather quickly. With this first issue of volume 11, we move into the next decade with what has become a successful approach. Founded in 2005 as a merger of the two Scandinavian journals Ophelia and Sarsia, MBRJ has its natural home in Scandinavia. However, since its foundation, MBRJ’s main scope has been ‘to cover all aspects of marine biology and all geographical regions, [with] the main criterion for acceptance [being] quality’ (Fenchel & Høisæter 2005). From the beginning, Scandinavian countries (24% of all accepted submissions) and in particular Norway (16%) have contributed significantly to the journal’s success, and a growing international author- and readership has developed. From January 2005 to mid September 2014 (when this editorial was written), submissions from 72 countries had been received, with 684 published articles originating from 55 countries.

Outstanding among the many publishing highlights in the past 10 years are certainly the eight Thematic Issues that were realized in close collaboration with six excellent Coordinators and associated Guest Editors from France (Séret 2010), Germany (Buchholz et al. 2013), Norway (Haug et al. 2009, 2013; Huse et al. 2012; Skaala et al. 2014) and Russia (Gebruk 2008; Gebruk & Priede 2013). Each of these very special issues features a timely research theme emerging from joint efforts, such as research projects, cruises, or dedicated meetings. Ten comprehensive review articles deserve particular mention, covering a wide range of research topics (ecology to biogeography, monitoring to management, systematics to conservation) and many taxonomic groups, such as bacteria (Glud 2008; Rowe & Deming 2011), algae and seagrasses (Glud 2008; Norderhaug & Christie 2009), corals (Omori 2011), molluscs (Dinesen & Morton 2014), insects (Ikawa et al. 2012), echinoderms (Norderhaug & Christie 2009), fishes (Uiblein 2007; Skjæraasen et al. 2012), birds (Quillfeldt & Masello 2013) and mammals (Bearzi 2005). Likewise, we recognize the highly downloaded mini-review that featured the behavioural ecology of sharks and their prey (Martin & Hammerschlag 2012); easy access to this and other highly cited or downloaded papers is provided via the MBRJ homepage.

As we look to the future, we are continuously setting measures to widen and deepen the interest in our journal. Most recently, the following have been accomplished.

• Latest Articles publishing has been established to make accepted papers quickly available online, prior to their assignment to issues. This includes taxonomic articles, containing the description of new species or higher taxa, that are assigned ZooBank LSID registration numbers before appearing early online.

• Enhancement of supportive actions to promote our journal at institutions with key research topics and in countries and regions that deserve more coverage by MBRJ. For example, seven institutions in five Latin American countries were visited by the journal editor and presented information on the journal during devoted seminars, to motivate the local scientific community to submit original articles, reviews, or Thematic Issue proposals. In association with this promotional tour, several new subject editors were assigned (see further below).

• The submission of review articles has been facilitated. While still recommended, it is no longer a prerequisite to contact the journal editor prior to submission of a review manuscript. Accepted reviews are now published under the categories ‘Review article’, ‘Mini-review’ (< 7 printed pages), and ‘Book review’. A certain number of review articles and mini-reviews (and all book reviews) are given free online access. Each review article can include an extensive number of colour figures that will be printed free of charge (see the MBRJ author instructions for more details).

To underline our intent to publish more review articles, I have selected two papers from this category to head MBRJ’s decennial issue: one nicely illustrates the methodological portfolio used for seafloor mapping accompanied by biological sampling of poorly explored areas of the oceans (e.g. slopes along the Norwegian coast; Buhl-Mortensen et al. 2015; Figure); the other features the diversity and biology of groupers (Serranidae, Epinephelinae) from the eastern coast of India (Kandula et al. 2015), which is an important contribution to international efforts to evaluate status, threats and conservation needs of highly valued fishery resources of tropical countries towards sustainable management (e.g., Sadovy de Mitcheson et al. 2011).

Figure. This sea spider Colossendeis proboscidea (Sabine, 1824) (Colossendeidae, Pycnogonida) was collected with bottom trawl during an ecosystem survey with RV Johan Hjort in the Barents Sea in August 2006 (Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway; www.imr.no). Several specimens of this species were also collected by beam trawl during research cruises in support of the Norwegian MAREANO seafloor mapping and sampling programme (Buhl-Mortensen et al. 2015; Ringvold et al. 2015). Photographer: David Shale (www.deepseaimages.co.uk).

Finally, I would like to announce a few recent changes on our editorial board: we sincerely thank Sally Hacker, Torkel G. Nielsen, and Christiane Todt for serving Marine Biology Research as subject editors over many years; and we cordially welcome our new subject editors Omar Hernando Avila-Poveda, Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, Mexico (Mollusc biology; Invertebrate reproduction), Rachel Collin, Smithsonian Tropical Institute, Panama (Mollusc systematics and biology), Margot Hessing-Lewis, Hakai Beach Institute, Canada (Seagrass biology and ecology), Carsten Hvingel, Institute of Marine Research, Norway (Fisheries biology – Crustaceans and Bycatch), Michael M. Mincarone, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Systematic ichthyology), Odd-Børre Humborstad, Institute of Marine Research, Norway (Fisheries methodology), Marcelo M. Rivadeneira, Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas, Chile (Paleoecology and Biogeography), Javier Sellanes, Universidad Católica del Norte, Chile (Ocean margin ecology), and Ingo Wehrtmann, Universidad de Costa Rica (Decapod crustacean biology and fisheries)!

Franz Uiblein

Editor