We are pleased to announce Issue # 1 of Inland Waters, the new journal of the International Society of Limnology (SIL). The journal is the scholarly outlet for the society that advances science by promoting understanding of inland aquatic ecosystems. The subject matter parallels the content of SIL Congresses and includes all aspects of physical, chemical, and biological limnology, as well as applied and regional limnology. The journal will include articles based on plenary lectures presented at Congresses, standard manuscripts, and focal articles entitled ‘Research Briefs’ intended to promote communication of emerging issues. To serve the interests of the society and its working groups, future special issues may be dedicated to particular themes, specific water bodies, or aquatic systems in a geographic area. Inland Waters benefits from an international Editorial Board and publication by the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA). Papers are available online to SIL members and subscribers as they are finalized. Print issues are available quarterly.
This first issue matches the goals of our new publication. The Baldi Memorial Lecture by William Lewis Jr. “Global primary production of lakes” provides a synthesis of the deterministic and stochastic factors that control primary production with estimates based on background nutrient conditions and perturbed conditions arising from eutrophication. The Kilham Lecture by Robert Sterner “C:N:P stoichiometry in Lake Superior: freshwater sea as end member” characterizes this deep, low-phosphorus lake that has efficient carbon cycling, excess nitrate, and limited organic carbon to promote denitrification. The plenary paper by Tamar Zohary and Ilia Ostrovsky “Ecological impacts of excessive water level fluctuations in stratified freshwater lakes” provides a comparative analysis of water level fluctuations that may exceed natural amplitudes in response to climate, hydrology, and human exploitation. Evidence shows that deep lakes respond adversely to excessive water level fluctuations, demonstrated by biotic changes and increased internal loading, manifesting symptoms of eutrophication. The paper by Jack Talling “Some distinctive subject-contributions from tropical Africa to fundamental science of inland waters” highlights the unique features of water bodies in Africa, the continent that hosted our most recent Congress (Capetown, South Africa, August 2010).
Inland Waters supplants the familiar and historic scientific proceedings from SIL Congresses – the Verhandlungen. It was first published in 1923 and the 30-volume series contains some 7785 manuscripts representing the progress and contributions of the society. Given the drastic changes in scientific communication, and with the support of Freshwater Biological Association, SIL has now made a switch to a rapidly accessible, peer-reviewed publication. We are looking forward to continued support from SIL members and receiving diverse and timely contributions.
The journal is available on the FBA website (https://www.fba.org.uk/journals).
Members should use a username and password available from the SIL Business Services Coordinator.