A self-study of editorial board diversity at Biological Invasions

Abstract

The editorial board of this journal, Biological Invasions, aims to publish research that informs understanding of the patterns and processes of invasions and discussion of relevant policy and conservation issues related to controlling invasions. Because the scope of the journal's interests is global, building an editorial board that represents the demographic, geographic, and topical diversity within the invasion sciences would best serve the journal's readership and reflect the scope of Biological Invasions' global interests. We suspect that an editorial board comprised of members representing the diversity in invasion science can improve data and knowledge on biological invasions and increase participation in Biological Invasions' publication process from more geographic regions and diverse perspectives. To initiate a process of self-reflection and a discussion on editorial representation at Biological Invasions, we are, for the first time, reporting demographic data for the historical and current editorial board membership. As of January 2021, we find skewed representation of certain demographic, geographic, and topical expertise. Over 85% of editors identify as white, > 70% speak English as their primary language, > 60% identify as male, and nearly 50% of editors are nationals of the United States. The editorship predominantly conducts research in temperate biomes, with most editors considering plants or invertebrates as their organismal expertise. These results highlight geographic and topical areas with uneven expertise that can guide us as we work to diversify the board of Biological Invasions.