Estuaries and Coasts

The Official Journal of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation

Journal Access for Members | Submission Guidelines | Resources for Authors | Resources for Peer Reviewers

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Estuaries and Coasts is the journal of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation. It publishes original research on the hydrodynamics, hydrology, (geo)chemistry, geology, biology and their interactions in marine waters influenced by connectivity to land. The journal's geographic scope includes coastal watersheds, tidal rivers, estuaries, lagoons, inland seas, wetlands, and near-shore coastal waters from polar to equatorial latitudes. The Editors encourage submissions that present novel approaches, findings or concepts of general interest to better understand the functioning and structure of coastal systems and will interest the journal's increasingly international readership. Submissions that are primarily descriptive, strongly place based, or report on development of models or new methods without detailing their applications fall outside the scope of the journal.

For information regarding the permissions and rights for journal content, please review the Springer website for information.

Resources for Authors

For authors looking for guidance on writing a scientific paper, we recommend the following free resources:

Resources for Peer Reviewers

How to Review a Journal Article" by Estuaries and Coasts Co-Editors in Chief Charles Simenstad and Paul Montagna. Excerpt from CERF's Up! Volume 48 Number 4 (December 2022)
CERF January 2019 Webinar: What I Wish I Knew About Publishing When I Was a Graduate Student - "How to Review a Journal Article" presentation begins at the 26 minute mark.
Springer Nature Peer Reviewers Hub
How to Peer Review: Gain the skills needed to successfully evaluate manuscripts in a way that helps editors make a final publication decision.
Training: Delivered by Nature Research journal editors, this free online course facilitates learning with short videos, helpful advice, and interactive activities.
Introduction to Review: Explore how the peer review process works. Learn about the four types of peer review used by BMC to assess the quality of manuscripts.
Register to be a reviewer in the Estuaries and Coasts Editorial Manager system, and consult the Tutorial for Reviewers.

History of the Journal

Estuaries and Coasts traces its origin to the late Dr. Romeo J. Mansueti, who conceived and nurtured it as Chesapeake Science, a journal devoted to presenting research results and management studies on natural resources of the Chesapeake Bay region. Chesapeake Science was published and partially subsidized by the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory during its 18 year history. In 1977, the journal was acquired by the Estuarine Research Federation and in 1978 it was renamed Estuaries. Since then the journal has gained an international distribution and content. In 1987 the quarterly journal began publication in a larger 8.5 x 11 inch page format. In 1999, Estuaries became available to ERF members online, and in 2000 a CD-ROM set of all back issues of Chesapeake Science and Estuaries was produced. In 2000, Estuaries also began publication on a bimonthly schedule. In 2006, the journal was renamed Estuaries and Coasts to better represent its content. The cover design was also changed to display the profile of a prominent estuary from around the world. In 2007, management and publication of the journal was moved to Springer.