Guide for authors

I. General unformation

The Journal «Vegetation of Russia» — Russia's leading peer-reviewed periodical that publishes the results of researches in the field of geobotany. The Journal has a high rating within the scientific world; it is included in the system of Russian index of citing (eLibrary.ru).

The Journal «Vegetation of Russia» is a specialized national periodical that publishes the original and theoretical papers, reviews and brief reports on vegetation of Russian Federation and the neighboring countries.

The Journal publishes the data both on vegetation for certain areas and the syntaxa of various levels, papers on geobotany, biogeography and phytosociology as well as theoretical and methodical scientific works, papers on vegetation classification, typology and geography of plant cover and its history. The reviews of new books, information about scientific programs and conferences devoted to vegetation, short texts on the activities of state and public organizations, and also biographies of outstanding scientists may be presented.

The periodicity: two volumes per year. Language: Russian with author names, paper titles, keywords, figure captions and table heading in English as well as with expanded Summary including the selected References.

For consideration of the manuscript by the Editorial Board, the authors have to present the following documents:

The full text of manuscript and illustrations in electronic forms prepared according to the Rules for the authors;
The printed text of manuscript (1 copy) signed by the authors;
The contract on transfer of copyright (license agreement) signed by the authors;
Information about the author (authors): surname, name and patronymic, place of work, position, address, contact telephone number and e-mail address. It is also necessary to specify the person with whom the Editorial staff will negotiate and correspondence.

File with the full text of manuscript and illustrations should be sent exclusively by e-mail to the address of the Editorial Board: vegetation.russia@gmail.com

The text of manuscript, illustrations and documents typed on paper is necessary to send to the Editorial Board address: 197376, Saint-Petersburg, Prof. Popova str. 2, BIN RAS, «Vegetation of Russia».

The Editorial Board asks the authors to follow the above Rules as well as the principles of Ethic code in the preparation and sending the manuscripts to the Journal.

Papers received by the Editorial office are registered by the Secretary and accepted for further work. The length of manuscripts is not limited.

Manuscripts which do not comply with the above Rules, will not be considered by the Editorial Board. All submitted materials are not expected to be returned.

All incoming manuscripts are subjected to Reviewing.

Tentative date of publication is 6–12 months.

The payment for publication is free. Peer review is not paid.

II. The theme of the publication

The Journal «Vegetation of Russia» publishes the papers on all major topics of the science of plant communities, including:

the general problems of geobotany,
botanical geography,
phytosociology,
theory and methodology of researches,
the problems of classification, typology, syntaxonomy,
geography and dynamics of vegetation,
the history of plant cover development,
the region vegetation analyses,
reviews of new phytosociological literature,
reviews on monographs and selected papers,
current events and information.

III. Requirements for the content

Papers must specify the item source. When using multiple item sources for one group of plants indicating the authors' names of species is necessarily.

Manuscripts containing descriptions of new syntaxa within the ecology-floristic classification have to contain all elements that make valid the publication of taxon name according to the Code of phytosociological nomenclature (Weber H. E., Moravec J., Theurillat J.-P. 2000. International code of phytosociological nomenclature. 3rd ed. // J. Veg. Sci. Vol. 11. P. 739–768. Russian translation, see: Vegetation of Russia. 2005. N 7. P. 3–38), i. e. complete geobotanical releveés referenced to site of field works (preferably with geographic coordinates), an indication of nomenclature type, the syntaxon name corresponding to its hierarchic level, etc. The names of syntaxa should be accompanied by the author's surname, who first described the syntaxon, and the year of publication. It is recommended to note all known synonyms of the association, including those described with the use of ecological-phytocoenotic method, with the obligate reference to the literary source.

When use the ecological-phytocoenotic classification, it is desirable to follow the recommendations of the «The project of the All-Russian code of phytocoenological nomenclature» (Neshataev, 2001 // Vegetation of Russia. N 1. P. 62–70).

When regional vegetation is characterized it is recommended to use links to the previously described syntaxa or to give the primary releveés.

The releveés must be accompanied by an indication of the exact location of sample plots on the map, preferably by geographic coordinates, position in the relief, and other environmental characteristics.

IV. The volume and structure of the publication

The publication volume is not limited, but the recommended size of the manuscript is no more than 100 A4 pages. The text should be typed with 12 font Times New Roman in 1.5 spacing (no spacing between paragraphs), with margins left, top and bottom 2.5 cm, right — 1.5 cm, All pages should be numbered. Instead of Russian letter «ё» use letter «e». Tables and figures (including photos) have serial numbering. The tables is limited on the maximum number of columns — 63. The paper should be clear and structured. It is necessary to adhere the following structure of the text:

title of paper (in Russian and English,
surname and initials of author(s) (in Russian and English),
the name and address of the institution that represents the paper, author (s)' e-mail address
annotation in Russian,
a list of key words (in English and Russian),
list of nomenclature sources,
paper text,
acknowledgements, links to financial support (Funds);
References,
English Summary (of no less than 5500 characters) with links to the most important literature (5–10 items), accompanied by its Russian version,
References (mentioned in Summary),
table titles (in Russian and English)
captions to figures and photos (in Russian and English),
contact information.

The text may have the following divisions and content:

Introduction, where the subject under consideration is determined, and the essence of the research problems and purpose of work are briefly described.

Materials and methods. In this division is necessary to describe the used data (origin releveés of plant communities, the date and area of field work, and so on), to indicate the scale of the abundance of species and to list subsequently all the methods that were used in the study. For the commonly used methods it is enough to show links to data sources. For less popular methods is necessary to state their essence and/or characteristics of the employed modifications. New, less common and original methods should be described in sufficient details to be possibly reproduced by other scientific teams. It is advisable to bring a map of the study area, expedition routes, and so on.

Characteristics of the study area (environments). The section provides a general description of the area: geography, topography, geomorphology, hydrographic network, soil and climatic features, the position of the region within the system of geobotanical subdivision, general characteristic of vegetation and its altitudinal and zonal position.

Results. The obtained data have to be provided in this section. It is important to choose the most simple and accessible way to introduce the gained data. Their analysis is to be presented in textual, graphical and tabular forms. The releveés are desirable to be illustrated by sketches (plans) of vertical and horizontal structures, by various profiles (microprofiles, landscape-geobotanical and ecology-cenotic ones, and so on) as well as by photos (fragments of communities, landscape).

The following subsections are desirable in the syntaxon diagnosis:

synonymy,
diagnostic species,
species composition (with designation of dominants and species that indicate the specific conditions of habitats),
structure (vertical, horizontal),
ecological conditions (environments, soil, etc.),
distribution (according to the author's and literature data),
correspondence with the syntaxa of different systems.

Discussion. The section provides an interpretation, comparison and discussion of the obtained data.

Conclusion. The main results and conclusions of the study in short thesis form are welcome in this section.

Summary. Briefly is necessary to present the used methods, the description of the study area, the results of research; it is also possible to bring links to illustrations, tables and to the most important literature. «References» is prepared as a separate list. Summary volume is of at least 5.500 characters.

V. Rules for text figuration

1. Files

Text and illustrations are to be sent to the Editor Board as individual files. In preparing the text it is recommended to use text editor Microsoft Word (extension *doc). When using other text editors it is necessary to save files in RTF. Back up files are not recommended. It is unacceptable to introduce self-extracting exe-files.

Image files should be named in such way that it would be clear to what manuscript do they belong and what is their order within the text. Each file has to contain one image.

For raster images (incl. photos), it is desirable to use the jpg format (quality score not less than 10), also possible to use tif format with a resolution of at least 300 dpi (photos and color drawings) or 600 dpi (black-and-white and grayscale pictures). For vector drawings and diagrams it is desirable to use the EPS or CDR format.

2. Text

The text has to be typed in 1.5 slot (with no additional space between paragraphs) with paragraph indent of 1 cm. The text color — Black («auto») with no the underscore. It is not allowed to copy parts of the text from the Internet as well as to mark text fragments as hyperlinks.

The word reductions are required in the following cases:

units, years after the figure (5 sq m, 4 cm, 3 kg, in 1812);
genus name when the Latin name of the species is re-mentioned or in the re-citation the species of the same genus. For example: Potamogeton pectinatus, P. lucens, P. perfoliatus, P. pusillus;
names of institutions firstly mentioned in text should be given fully and immediately in brackets — their common abbreviations which will be used within the whole text later. For example: first Komarov Botanical Institute RAS (BIN), then: BIN;
all values are be expressed in units of approved GOST or according to the International System of Units (SI). In decimals use point, not a comma;
throughout the text all Latin names of plant, fungi and animal taxa is to be written in italics (Quercus robur);
syntaxon name is to be typed in bold italics: Festuco-Brometea, Querco robori–Pinetum, Cladonio arbusculae–Pinetum. Authors of syntaxon is written by direct light type: class Brometea korotkyi Hilbig et Koroljuk 2000, class Cleistogenetea squarrosae Mirk. et al. 1985;
syntaxon names based on the names of two taxa, also with the presence of species name (names) are written in a short dash, in the absence of species names — in a hyphen (as well as in the case of reduction of syntaxio names);

Examples:

Caragano-Pinion (C.-P.); Festuco-Brometea (F.-B.); Festuco-Puccinellietea (F.-P.); Atraphaxi-Capparion (A.-C.); Cladonio-Vaccinietalia (C.-V.).

Serratulo coronatae–Bistortetum majoris (S. c.–B. m.); Festuco valesiaca–Limonietalia gmelinii (F. v.–L. g.); Artemiso santonici–Puccenellion festuciformis (A. s.–P. f.).

Scirpeto–Hippuridetum tetraphyllae (S.–H. t.); Camphorosmo–Agropyrion desertorum (C.–A. d.); Platyhypnidio–Fontinalietea antipyreticae (P.–F. a.);

Querco robori–Pinetum (Q. r.–P.); Cladonio arbusculae–Pinetum (C. a.–P.).

3. Tables

Tables, if more than one, should have the serial number (e. g. Table 2), which should be reference in the text (e. g: Table 2.). The text should not duplicate content of tables. Each table and its entire column should have titles. Tables (in Word format) should have titles in Russian and English. All reductions in the table should be explained in the Note, which is located underneath. Figures of abundance (cover) are to be given in one of the existing grade system by one number or percent integers. Author's and table numbering of releveés are located in the bottom of the table header. Each table in electronic form should be submitted as a separate file. The maximum number of characters (font of the Times group, 9 pt.) in horizontal table — 250 (plates are not provided). The maximum number of columns in any table — 63.

In the case of absence of data put a dash. While data on the occurrence, abundance and constancy are absent in synoptic geobotanical tables put point.

4. Figures

Figures, if more than one, should have the serial number, which should be referenced in the text (e. g: Fig. 3.). All figures, including photos, are to be sequentially numbered. Inscriptions within the figures should, if possible, be replaced by numbers or letters. All explanations to the figure, including the contents of the x- and the y-axis, should be placed in the caption in Russian and English.

Printed variants of figures are need to be signed at the bottom of the page or on it back of (name of the author, the figure number, the title of the figure and the page number where it would be placed in text). All captions should be sent on a separate page.

Photos in electronic form should be submitted as separate files in bitmap format (jpg, tif) with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. In order to maintain the quality of linear images these need to be processed by means of vector graphics: Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw (CDR formats, EPS).

Captions (in Russian and English) are to be sent as a separate word-file.

Figure should provide clear transmission of all the details. It should be kept in mind that photos are used without retouching, so the author has to take care of their good quality. Photos of poor quality and photocopies are not accepted. The desired width of the image is 8.5 or 16.5 cm.

Photos made by using short-focus lens, with an optically curved horizon and changed proportions of objects are not accepted for publishing. Do not insert illustrations in Word text.

5. Literature citing

References in the text are given in brackets: the author's name, a comma, year of publication (if several works are cited, they are listed in chronological order, e. g: Tsinserling 1932, Lipshytz, Liverovskiy, 1937; Konstantinova et al., 1992 — the latest in the case of three or more authors), or with the author's initials and surnames without brackets, while a year of publication — in brackets.

The cited literature is given as a list, titled as «References», at the end of the paper. All papers mentioned in text should be given in the alphabetical order. It is necessary to use standard abbreviations of journal titles. Regardless of their number all authors of cited publication should be included.

Due to the necessity of placing information about the journal «Vegetation of Russia» for scientific information platforms, beginning the January 1, 2014 all bibliographic information (5 10 references) in «Summary» should be given in Latin letters, i. e. author's names of the Russian-speaking papers (or papers in the Cyrillic alphabet) are to be given in transliteration. For example: «... .is rather traditional object of researches of many scientists (Ilminskikh, 1993; Abramova, 2010; Abramova, Mirkin, 2000; Abramova, Mikhaylova, 2003; etc) ...».

Literature cited in Summary is placed in «References» formalized according to the rules adopted for inclusion in the foreign citation indexes, namely: title of paper and name of Publishing House (cyrillic in original, should be first transliterated, and then be given the English translation), author name(s) should be transliterated (see: transliteration standard). Papers in the «References» are ranging in the alphabetical order.

Examples:

Author A. A., Author B. B., Author V. V. (list all authors, no matter how numerous they may be). The year of publishing. Title of the paper in English (if available, published title, as, for example, in the «Vegetation of Russia») // The name of journal in the English version (if such is available). Volume number. Issue number. Pages from-to, anticipating these by letter «P.» Then, in parentheses: (In Russian).

If the there is no English translation in cited publication, the title of paper should be presented in transliterated form; right behind that in square brackets — the translation of the title into English; the same with the name of the journals, proceedings, etc.: transliterated title, and then in brackets — English translation.

Examples:

Bulokhov A. D., Kharin A. V. 2008. Rastitelnuy pokrov goroda Bryanska i ego prigorodnoy zony. [The vegetation cover of the Bryansk city and its suburban zone]. Bryansk. 310 p. (In Russian).

Golovanov Ya. M., Petrov S. S., Abramova L. M. 2011. Vegetation of Salavat town (Bashkortostan Republic). I. The higher aquatic vegetation (classes Lemnetea and Potametea) // Vegetation of Russia. N 19. P. 55–71. (In Russian)

Boch M. S. 1989. About mires of forest zone of Kola Peninsula // Botanicheskiy zhurnal [Botanical journal] Vol. 74. N 12. P. 1747–1756. (In Russian)

Payanskaya-Gvozdeva I. I. 1990. Structura rastitelnogo pokrova severnoy taygi Kolskogo poluostrova [Structure of the plant cover in the northern taiga of the Kola Peninsula]. Leningrad. 182 p. (In Russian).

It is not allowed the quoting of electronic publications that do not have a permanent address on the Internet (for example, news feeds). Cited sources from the Internet must have at least the title, authorship and information on the date (year) of publication.

Figuration of references

References are listed alphabetically by author's surname, and chronologically if there are several papers of one author. First, all papers published in Cyrillic, then — in Latin.

For books, including monographs: an author's name, initials, year of publication, full title of the book, place of publication, number of pages (if the book is cited by name, the authors are not given).

Papers in journals, chapters of monographs, papers in conference proceedings are formalized as follows: author's surname (! all authors), initials, year of publication, title of the paper (section, etc.), two oblique, name of the journal (monographs, proceedings, etc.), place of publication (not provided for journal), pages from–to anticipating these by letter «P.»

Examples:

Chytrý M., Tichý L. 2003. Diagnostic, constant and dominant species of vegetation classes and alliances of the Czech Republic: a statistical revisio // Folia Fac. Sci. Nat. Univ. Masarykianae Brun., Biol. Vol. 108. P. 1–231.

Online documents are shown with the access mode and the date of application.

Examples:

Kusber W.-H., Jahn R. 2003. Annotated list of diatom names by Horst Lange-Bertalot and co-workers. Vers. 3.0. URL: http://www.algaterra.org/Names_Version3_0.pdf (date of access: 24.02.2015).

Thesis and abstract: after the title and a colon: Author. ... Cand. biol. .. sci. (Dr. biol. sci.), i. e. a design «for the degree of» is replaced by ellipsis; if a link is given to the thesis, after the colon is necessary to write: Thesis. ... Dr. geogr. sci. Year. Number of pages.

VI. Editorial work

Manuscript is considered received only after getting the paper version with author's signature and the license agreement. The date of receipt is subsequently will be published at the end of the paper.

After registration, the manuscript is sent for a review in accordance with the Rules of paper reviewing. Authors may indicate the names of colleagues with whom they have a conflict of interest; in this case, the manuscript will be sent for a review to other experts.

After reviewer's recommendation the manuscript may be approved, rejected or sent back for revision to an author. The return of the manuscript to an author for revision does not mean that it is accepted for publication. Manuscript, delayed on correcting more than two months, being returned to the editor is recorded as new. The final decision on the acceptance of a paper for publication is making by the Editorial Board. After that the manuscript goes to the editorship.

The Editor Board reserves the right to shorten the text and make editorial changes, including the changes of paper title. Only edited manuscript is sent in print.

Editorial staff sends by e-mail the proofs of the paper as a pdf-file to an author to check. Only minor changes both in text and tables are allowed to put into proof. Proof is given for 10 days, if an author has no time to bring it back in time, the paper is moved to a next issue.

After the publication of the relevant issue of Journal, an author (team of authors) will get the pdf-file and one copy of the issue with his (their) paper.