Molecular Ecology invites papers to be considered for inclusion in a planned Special Issue on the genomics of speciation. The special issue editors are interested in new empirical studies, theory results, and analytic advances, as well as syntheses, reviews, and opinions. Candidate papers should be submitted via Manuscript Central in the usual way, with the Genomics of Speciation special issue indicated in the “Special Issue” section of the manuscript information page. Submissions are due at the end of December, 2024, and the finished special issue is planned for publication in November 2025.
For full details, read the complete solicitation below:
Special Issue: Genomics of Speciation
Editor List: Loren Rieseberg (University of British Columbia, Canada), Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos (University of Queensland, Australia), Samridhi Chaturvedi (Tulane University, USA), Mitch Cruzan (University of Portland, USA), Brent Emerson (IPNA-CSIC, Tenerife, Spain), Deyan Ge (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China), Tatiana Giraud (Paris-Sud University, France), Shotaro Hirase (University of Tokyo, Japan), Kaichi Huang (Sun Yat-sen University, China), Kotaro Kagawa (Tohoku University, Japan), Haiwei Luo (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Yanhua Qu (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China), Suhua Shi (Sun Yat-sen University, China), Clement Tsui (Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore), John Welch (University of Cambridge, UK)
Our editors offer a broad array of expertise in the fields of evolutionary biology and genomics, encompassing both empirical and theoretical approaches across a wide range of organisms and ecological settings. Their collective experience will guide the curation of the special issue.
Scope Statement
Over the past two decades, advances in high-throughput sequencing and omics technologies have revolutionized the study of speciation. The scale of genomic information, along with analytical and theoretical innovations, have not only settled longstanding debates about how species arise and evolve, but also open new avenues of inquiry about speciation. This special issue will showcase cutting-edge research on speciation, highlighting both the latest genomic insights and the analytical and theoretical innovations driving the field forward.
Topics of interest
We seek submissions on a broad range of topics, including but not limited to:
Genomic insights on divergence
- Species concepts and delimitation
- The landscape of genomic divergence
- Structural variation and speciation
- Evolutionary genomics of ecological speciation
- Speciation with gene flow
- Comparative genomics across diverging lineages
Genomic insights on hybridization
- Hybridization and introgression
- Reinforcement
- Polyploid speciation
Genomic insights on mechanisms and processes
- The genetics and genomics of reproductive isolation
- Sources of genetic variation underlying reproductive isolation
- Demography and speciation
- Role of epigenetics in speciation
Theoretical and analytical advances
- Analytical tools in speciation research
- Metanalyses in speciation research
- Merging population and quantitative genetics in speciation research
We are interested in both empirical and theoretical contributions that shed light on the genomic basis of speciation across the full range organismal diversity on our planet, from bacteria and fungi to plants and animals. We also encourage opinion papers and reviews, but please discuss your proposed topic with lead editor Loren Rieseberg (lriesebe@mail.ubc.ca) in advance to avoid duplication. Lastly, we invite papers that expand the geographical range and ecological contexts of speciation.
Timeline
- Full Paper Submission Deadline: December 31, 2024
- Expected Publication: November 15, 2025
