JOURNAL of THREATENED TAXA

Journal of Threatened Taxa

The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is a monthly (aiming to be more frequent), online, open access, free access, peer-reviewed journal on wildlife, conservation, taxonomy, ecology and all aspects contributing to the science and action thereof.  The objective of JoTT is to publish timely, articles of importance for promoting conservation and encouraging wildlife studies in the biodiversity-rich countries of the world.  The lag time after final acceptance of manuscripts from January 2009 will be two months or less depending on the completeness (in content and format) of submissions by authors and timely returns of the galley proofs.

JoTT is not restricted to taxa (phyla, groups, families, orders, species, subspecies, varieties, forms or populations) that are threatened with extinction as defined by the IUCN Red List.  The term “threatened” is used broadly to include all forms of taxa and their ecosystems, with the premise that the natural world today is threatened and therefore its taxa.  Taxa could be threatened in several different ways and not only in their status in the wild.  Lack of knowledge about a species or subspecies or a population is a threat as priorities could be compromised due to deficiency in data.  Taxa scientifically described for the first time are under threat from data deficiency in their distribution, status, ecological needs, etc.  Any taxon could be under threat in a location due to the changes in habitat or quality.  Ecological changes, changes in land use, socio-economic changes, human influenced changes, alien introduced species, wrong reintroduction practices, new emerging diseases, social and political unrest, improperly planned national and international wildlife and conservation legislations, constant changes in taxonomy, global climate change, and other factors that keep our environment and ecosystems in a constant flux can have widespread or localized impacts on taxa.  In some instances even the so-called “Least Concern” species could be impacted locally or widely due to the above factors.

The Journal of Threatened Taxa is global in its coverage and is a direct progression from eight years of experience with Zoos’ Print Journal (ZPJ), whose coverage was South Asia.  The objectives of JoTT are very similar to that of ZPJ with respect to the subject areas covered.  Once manuscripts are reviewed and finally accepted and the authors have submitted all relevant files, attachments and documents, including the final galley proof, publication lag time will be kept to a maximum of two months.

The categories of articles published in JoTT include Papers, Communications, Reviews, Notes, Opinions, Book Reviews and Comments.  Contents include:

Content:
Conservation, Wildlife, Taxonomy, Zoo, Botanic Gardens, Veterinary, Ecology, Biology, Biogeography, Ethology, Natural History, History of Natural History, Biography, Bibliography on fauna, flora and fungi.

The following contents are desirable, but not exclusive:

1. Conservation of wild flora, fauna or fungi, issues, techniques, tools, legislation, assessments.

2. Population studies, management, genetics, biology.

3. Threats to wild populations or habitats, factors, management.

4. Conservation actions, management actions, reviews.

5. Biodiversity inventories, range extensions, new records, checklists.

6. Taxonomy, new descriptions, taxonomic reviews.

7. Behaviour (wild or zoo), plant-animal interactions.

8. Ecological research on wild flora, fauna and fungi.

9. Veterinary research in zoo and wild, findings, reviews.

10. Welfare issues of scientific nature

11. Trade, effects, legislation, issues, economics.

12. Observation studies, informal sightings

13. History of natural history, zoo and botanic garden history, biography.

14. Education techniques, comparative tools of education, education as related to conservation, zoos, botanic gardens, aquaria

15. Letters, short communications on current conservation, welfare, trade, legislation issues.

16. Scientific contributions from zoos and botanic gardens.

Logo of the Journal of Threatened Taxa

This beautiful logo is designed by the famous Stephen Nash based on the concept of “Green Man” found in religious and cultural contexts almost throughout the world.  Traditionally, the Green Man is depicted by a human or animal face with plant material enveloping the sides or originating from within the face.  Its relevance to today’s world is much stronger, its inherent symbolism of humans being an integral part of nature and the need to nurture all natural forms around us.  While developing the Green Man logo, several thoughts went into the design and after a couple of draft renditions, the brilliant wildlife artist Stephen Nash developed this version which encapsulates the concept of the Green Man and brings out the aspects of biodiversity on the planet.  For understanding the logo and the significance it holds to all of us, please read Stephen Nash’s contribution below.

Seeing the Green Man for the first time, many years ago in an old church near where I grew up in England, was a deeply moving experience for me. There was something that I could, subconsciously, 'read' in its symbolism which went well beyond normal memory and experience. 

When subsequently I read James Lovelock's 'Gaia' hypothesis, in which he talks of the life-forms and ecosystems of the planet being so profoundly and delicately interconnected as to comprise a vast single functioning organism, and Hildegard von Bingen's ideas on 'veriditas', the 'greenness' which she felt were the manifestations of cosmic energies, and most recently Edward O. Wilson's 'Biophilia', that need we have for the company of other species, without which, as Chief Seattle put it, humanity would "die of a loneliness of spirit", it all seemed to make sense.

Buddhism also points the way, urging as it does compassion towards all creatures, but I have learned more recently that forms of the Green Man are found in many parts of the world, and that the image may be linked inextricably with reverence for the Mother Goddess, perhaps the ancestor of all religions. 

How appropriate then, as our relationship with our fellow-creatures has reached a point of crisis, and science has shown us that the survival of so many vital parts of our species' biological support structure is so uncertain, that the interdependence of all life is being appreciated ever more, and the Green Man is the visual symbol for, and the encapsulation of, that renewed awareness.