Ethical Policies

Ethical Statement

Our journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical publishing. Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to adhere to ethical guidelines, including transparency, honesty, and integrity in all stages of the publication process. Any form of misconduct, such as plagiarism, falsification, or unethical research practices, is strictly prohibited and will be addressed promptly.

Authorship

Authorship should accurately reflect individuals' contributions to the research and manuscript preparation. All listed authors must have significantly contributed to the study and approved the final manuscript for submission. Any changes in authorship after submission require consent from all involved parties.

Plagiarism Policy

The authors declare that the work presented in this manuscript is original and has not been previously published or submitted for publication elsewhere. All sources of information, including ideas, data, and text, have been appropriately cited and acknowledged. The authors have adhered to ethical guidelines for authorship and publication, ensuring that all authors have made significant contributions and agree to be listed as authors.

The authors have taken all necessary steps to ensure the accuracy and originality of the research. Any ideas or text borrowed from other sources have been clearly identified and cited using appropriate referencing styles. The authors have also used plagiarism detection software to further verify the originality of the manuscript.

The authors confirm that they have not engaged in any form of academic misconduct, including plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification of data. All data presented in the manuscript is accurate and has been collected and analysed ethically.

The authors are solely responsible for the content of this manuscript. Any errors or omissions are unintentional and do not detract from the overall integrity of the research. The authors are committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and will take appropriate action if any instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct are brought to their attention.

Review Policy

Our journal follows a double-blind peer review process to ensure impartiality and the highest quality of scholarly publication. All submitted manuscripts are initially assessed by the editorial team for alignment with the journal’s scope and standards. Suitable submissions are then sent to expert reviewers in the relevant field, who provide constructive feedback and recommendations regarding the manuscript's validity, originality, and relevance. Reviewers are required to evaluate the manuscript in an unbiased manner, ensuring that their assessments are based on academic merit alone.

To maintain the integrity of the review process, both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout. Manuscripts may be accepted, revised, or rejected based on reviewer feedback, and authors are expected to respond to revisions promptly. The final decision on publication rests with the editor-in-chief, who ensures that the peer review process is fair, transparent, and consistent. Our review policy aims to uphold the quality and integrity of the content published in the journal.

Open Access Policy

Aquatic Ecosystems and Environmental Frontiers follows an open-access model for publication

Open access (OA) is a publishing model that allows anyone to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles from the journal. This eliminates subscription fees and barriers to access, making research freely available to a wider audience.

OA journals often implement author-pays models, where authors or their institutions cover article processing charges (APCs) to fund the publication process. Some journals may also offer hybrid models, allowing authors to choose between traditional subscription-based publication and OA publication for an additional fee.

By adopting OA policies, journals contribute to the advancement of science by promoting knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation. OA also increases the visibility and impact of research, as it is more easily discoverable and accessible to researchers, policymakers, and the public.