ISSN 0006-8241 printed version
ISSN 2311-9284 online version

ABOUT THE JOURNAL

• Basic information
• Index sources
• Copyright
• Peer review

The journal aims to disseminate, to a wide audience, knowledge, information and innovative approaches that promote and enhance the wise use and management of biodiversity in order to sustain the systems and species that support and benefit the people of Africa.

The journal publishes original research findings, as well as reviews, commentaries or perspectives, strategies and short communications. Special focus issues emanating from symposia or conferences that fall within the scope of the journal may also be published.

Authors should contextualise submissions within the framework of the value chain of biodiversity knowledge from its generation, to its application and use (see figure below). We are especially interested in articles that are written using language and terminology that is accessible to a wide audience. Specifically, the scope of the journal covers the following areas:

1. Generation of new knowledge that provides a foundation for assessment, planning or management of biodiversity, including
   1. new taxonomic discoveries within Africa, from across all Kingdoms of organisms,
   2. documenting the abundance, diversity and distribution of genes, species and ecosystems in Africa (including temporal changes in these), and
   3. understanding the interactions among components of biodiversity that contribute to the functioning of ecosystems.
2. Assessment of biodiversity, including
   1. the status of populations, species and ecosystems,
   2. the impacts of threats, harvesting and disturbance or of interventions on populations, species and ecosystems, and
   3. the value of the goods and services provided by biodiversity.
3. Innovation in science– or evidence–based decision–making for biodiversity in Africa. This includes the publication of case studies, best practices, tools and plans for the conservation, use and management of biodiversity.
4. Cross–cutting fields specifically
   1. developments and innovation in human capital development in the biodiversity sector and
   2. innovation in biodiversity information management and dissemination systems and tools for use of biodiversity information.
5. Strategic frameworks that provide guidance and direction for biodiversity research, assessment and management at community, local, national, regional or continental levels, especially those that integrate biodiversity management with local and regional socio–economic systems.

Full length articles (including original research, reviews, strategies and case studies) are limited to a maximum of 7000 words and 60 references, while short communications (including commentaries and perspectives, and taxonomic notes), have a maximum of 2000 words and 30 references. Manuscripts must follow the Instructions for Authors for Bothalia – African Biodiversity & Conservation.

Brief notes on nomenclatural changes will be consolidated and published as a single short communication, and referenced with SANBI as the author, but each contributing author will be credited in the text. Nomenclatural changes that form part of a larger taxonomic study that includes new findings or interpretations could be published as either a full research article or as a short communication.

We suggest that manuscripts dealing specifically with biodiversity in protected areas be submitted to Koedoe, African Protected Area Conservation and Science (http://www.koedoe.co.za/).

Submissions from authors anywhere in Africa as well as those based outside of Africa are invited if the content relates to African biodiversity.

The Journal generally publishes one issue a year and articles are added when ready for publication. Occasionally a 2nd issue will be published.

The Journal’s abbreviated key title is Bothalia (Online).

• SciELO SA
• SCOPUS
• Thomson Reuters Web of Science Core Collection, Science Citation Index Expanded, SCIE (previously known as ISI)
• Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals, Series and Publishers, Level 1
• Thomson Reuters Web of Science Other Coverage, BIOSIS Previews
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
• EBSCO Host
• GALE, CENGAGE Learning
• Google Scholar
• ProQuest

The author(s) retain copyright on work published by SANBI unless specified otherwise.

Author(s) of work published by SANBI are required to grant SANBI the unlimited rights to publish the definitive work in any format, language and medium, for any lawful purpose.

SANBI requires journal authors to publish their work in open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

Read more here: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

The authors retain the non–exclusive right to do anything they wish with the published article(s), provided attribution is given to the applicable journal with details of the original publication, as set out in the official citation of the article published in the journal. The retained right specifically includes the right to post the article on the authors’ or their institution’s websites or in institutional repositories.

All manuscripts undergo a double–blinded review process.