Not so long ago, on October 5, 1993 to be exact, we celebrated the appearance of Volume 100 in the Editorial 'One hundred MEPS volumes: their pages have shaped the world of marine ecological research' (Mar Ecol Prog Ser 100:1). Now, in 2000, our youth has become a well established adult. I am pleased and grateful to be able to report that the success story continues. Presently, we publish 16 volumes per year; in spite of rigid quality control and a high rejection rate, we may have to publish 17 or 18 in 2001. Hence Volume 300 does not seem to be very far away. More than that! MEPS now has an equally successful companion, a great, young journal focusing on small members of the water world: 'Aquatic Microbial Ecology' (AME). In only 4 years of existence AME made it to the top (Impact Factor 2.364).
MEPS publishes high-quality papers and presents them in an attractive way; it also charges subscribers less than most of its competitors. While production costs have increased in terms of personnel, paper and printing expenses, the price per MEPS volume (DM 310) has remained unchanged since 1990. How do we do that? Well, there are several 'hows'. Our staff in Oldendorf is highly dedicated and hard-working. Several staff members, who have been with MEPS for many years, have increasingly developed their own initiatives and leadership. I mention here John Austin, the Assistant Editor of MEPS, Helga Witt, our 'Girl Friday', and my wife Helga, who has become an expert in financial affairs. Our copy-editors and typesetters work quickly and efficiently; they are known world-wide for their improvements to the presentation of the authors' research. Last, but not least, we work with the most modern equipment available.
Instrumental to the high quality of MEPS are, of course, our authors, many of whom have been publishing with us for decades, and our excellent experts - Contributing Editors, Review Editors and Anonymous Referees - who devote much time and energy to evaluating and improving manuscripts. Without them MEPS would be doomed. Our Contributing Editors have broadened the input basis of MEPS and facilitated personal contacts in many countries that make major contributions to the field of marine ecology, especially the USA, United Kingdom and Canada. It is a pleasure to see how many countries have recently gained in strength, e.g. Australia, France, Spain and Japan. Increasing numbers of their scientists have started to publish with us as authors and to work with us as reviewers.
The introduction of new MEPS features--Theme Sections and Discussion Forums--and of MEPS-related activities in the rapidly growing Eco-Ethics International Union (EEIU; www.eeiu.org) and its publication organ, the international electronic journal 'Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics' (ESEP; www.esep.de)--all these developments help to increase global interest in ecology in general and in MEPS and AME in particular. Such increased global interest is witnessed by the fact that our internet pages at www.int-res.com are now visited more and more often, presently at rates between 180000 and 250000 successful requests per month.
Beginning with Volume 201, MEPS will also be available online!
Thank you for your contributions to the strength of MEPS. Let us continue our fruitful co-operation in the Third Millennium!