Abstract: In the decade since its debut in 1992, Molecular Ecology has become one of the leading journals in ecology and evolutionary biology. Although we are pleased with the journal’s success, improvements continue to be made in response to changes in publishing technology and advances in the scientific community. In the past year, for example, we launched a sister journal, Molecular Ecology Notes, established a database for primers for nonmodel organisms, reduced the subscription price for students, established subject categories for papers, and began to accept electronic submissions. In addition, we added 330 pages to the 2001 page budget, plus an additional 300 pages to the 2002 page budget. The expanded page budgets should ensure publication in less than 2.5 months from acceptance. Time from submission to final acceptance already is fast, averaging c. three months, and may become even faster with electronic submission and review. Thus, we hope that most favourably reviewed manuscripts can be published in less than six months following submission. The past year also has seen changes in the Molecular Ecology Editorial Board. Konrad Bachmann, Hans Ellegren, and Dirk van Elsas have retired from their positions as editors of Molecular Ecology, and we thank them for their service to the journal specifically and to the molecular ecology community more generally. To replace them and to accommodate growth in certain subject areas, several new editors have joined the journal. Deborah Charlesworth and Alex Widmer have been recruited to help with the increasing number of plant papers, Howard Ochmann has agreed to edit microbial papers for the journal, and Tom Bruns will commission and edit Molecular Ecology reviews. At Molecular Ecology Notes, Kevin Livingstone has taken over from Loren Rieseberg as Chief Editor, and Christian Lexer has replaced Alex Widmer as a primer note editor. Finally, Leonid Shlumukov has joined the editorial office as an editorial assistant to help cope with the increased workload resulting from the growth of the two journals. The establishment of subject categories for papers has made it easier to quantify what Molecular Ecology publishes. Close to 70% of original research articles derive from two subject categories: Population and Conservation Genetics (36%) and Phylogeography, Hybridization, and Speciation (32%). Other subject categories that are well represented in the journal include Kinship, Parentage, and Behaviour (12%) and Ecological Genetics (9%). Underrepresented categories include Ecological Interactions (5%), Molecular Diagnostics, Methods, and Interpretive Tools (3%), Molecular Adaptation and Environmental Genomics (2%), and GMOs and Their Release (1%). The trend in these data is clear. The orientation of many papers published in Molecular Ecology is more toward population genetics and evolution than ecology. We do not regret this emphasis. Indeed, we are pleased that Molecular Ecology has become the premier journal for phylogeographical studies. Nonetheless, it is curious that fewer ecologically orientated papers are published in Molecular Ecology than are papers with a population genetic or evolutionary focus. Possibly, most ecological studies that employ molecular tools are published in traditional ecology journals rather than Molecular Ecology. However, a brief perusal of the literature indicates that this is not the case; even fewer of these studies are published in leading ecology journals. An alternative explanation is that ecologists have been slow to employ molecular tools, and that papers with this focus are infrequent. In this context, note that the neutral molecular markers that are so easy to develop and of such great interest to evolutionary geneticists are not relevant to many ecological questions. Moreover, the identification and analyses of ecologically relevant genes can be quite difficult and requires expertise and resources that are unlikely to be available in many ecology laboratories. Fortunately, all of this seems to be changing very rapidly. Complete genomic sequences are now available for most model organisms and a diversity of other taxa are entering the sequencing queue. Sequence data combined with information from mutational and functional studies have provided a plethora of candidate genes for ecologically relevant traits. In addition, developments in quantitative genetics have provided increasingly sophisticated methods for linking candidate genes with ecologically important features in natural populations. Finally, advances in microarray technology provide a means for assaying genome-wide patterns in gene expression within and among species and in natural populations. Molecular Ecology is a logical venue for studies in this rapidly expanding research area, and we have commissioned several reviews that provide guidance for researchers attempting to use these new tools. Indeed, one of the lead reviews in this issue is titled, ‘Microarrays in Ecology and Evolution: a preview’. Although most journals tend to emphasize the prestige of their editors or editorial board members, the success of a journal is mostly due to the efforts of its referees and editorial staff. We are fortunate to have many dedicated referees, and we thank each of them for their careful assessments of submitted manuscripts and for their candid recommendations regarding publication. Although we cannot provide an honorarium to our referees, we do consider referee service in choosing our new editors or making appointments to the editorial review board. Molecular Ecology and Molecular Ecology Notes also are blessed with an excellent editorial staff, which includes journal secretaries, Elinor Smith and Siân Lynch, editorial assistant, Leonid Shlumukov, and computer consultant, Michael Smith. The editorial office runs a highly efficient operation and average manuscript processing times are considerably lower than those of most society journals. The efficiency and responsiveness of the editorial office has made Molecular Ecology attractive to authors, and we thank the staff for their efforts. Finally, we wish to recognize the contributions of Yvonne Gallagher, our production editor, who continues to reduce publication times, even while coping with ever-larger numbers of manuscripts. The Editors of Molecular Ecology are very grateful to the following, who provided opinions on manuscripts between 1 October 2000 and 31 October 2001. Some of those listed here reviewed multiple manuscripts. The period used in compiling this list is more than 1 year, in order to provide continuity with the list published in January 2001 Malika Ainouche Paolo Ajmone Marsan Fred W Allendorf Bill Amos James Anderson Timothy J C Anderson Bernard Angers Janis Antonovics Peter Arctander John Armour J Arnaud Allan Arndt Mike Arnold J W Arntzen Mary Ashley Frederic Austerlitz Jeremy Austin John Avise Debra Ayres Boris Baer Mark J Bailey C Scott Baker Murray R Bakst Francois Balloux Michael A Banks N H Barton Detlef Bartsch P R Baverstock Kamaljit S Bawa Mark Beaumont Andy Beckenbach Staffan Bensch Paul Bentzen J A H Benzie Stewart Berlocher Eldridge Bermingham Giacomo Bernardi Patrick Berrebi Giorgio Bertorelle Martine Berube Andre Berville Nora J Besansky Jim Bever John W Bickham Nicolas Bierne Mats Bjorklund Roger L Blackman Meredith Blackwell Michael Blouin Peter T Boag Andrew J Bohonak Jason Bond Francois Bonhomme Jacobus J Boomsma Richard Borowsky Didier Bouchon Pierre Boudry Elizabeth Boulding Michel Bouletreau Andrew Bourke Pierre Boursot I R Bowden Brian W Bowen Walter M Boyce Dan Bradley Madalena Branco Hans J A J Breeuwer Rex Brennan Christian Brochmann Richard E Broughton Richard P Brown Tony H D Brown Steven Broyles Leo P Bruederle Mike Bruford Patrick Brunner Tom Bruns Ann C Bucklin Mike Bull Luciano Bullini Vincent P Buonaccorsi Theresa Burg Austin Burt Ronald S Burton John Bussell Roger Butlin Gisella Caccone G Caetano-Anolles Christopher S Campbell Michael A Campbell Michele Cargill Henri Caron S Carr Gary R Carvalho Vincent Castric Ignacio Chapela Robert Chapman Michel Chapuisat Brian Charlesworth Deborah Charlesworth Anne Chenuil Lounes Chikhi Rossella Cianchi Don Cipollini Frank Cipriano Bryan Clarke Andrew Cockburn David W Coltman Hans P Comes Chris J Conroy Joe Cook Alan Cooper Jean-Marie Cornuet Keith A Crandall Dan J Crawford Theresa Crease Scott Creel B J Crespi Ann Cresswell Pierre-Andre Crochet Ross H Crozier Mitch Cruzan John F Dallas Martin Dallimer Bruce P Dancik B N Danforth Scott K Davis Tom Davis Angus Davison I K Dawson Bernd Degen Frantz Depaulis Paula DePriest Robert Desalle Daniel Desbruyeres Laurence Despres Andrew Dewoody Marcel Dicke Janis Dickinson Claude Dijkstra Andy Dizon Susanne Dobler Jerry Dodgson Julian Dodson Paolo Donini Michael Double Michael E Douglas Emmanuel J P Douzery Beverly Dow Jeff J Doyle Jerry Dragoo Andre Drenth Sergei V. Drovetski France Dufresne Sylvie Dumolin-Lapegue Peter Dunn I Dupanloup Peter Dutton Tony Echelle Keith Edwards Scott Edwards Lori Eggert Luis E Eguiarte Elise Eller Norman Ellstrand Brent Emerson Andrea Ender Philip England Richard Ennos Bryan K Epperson Sergio Escorza-Trevino Per-Anders Esseen Arnaud Estoup Jay D Evans RA Everett Marcus Feldman Andrew Ferguson Nuno Ferrand Colin Ferris Jim Fetzner Joerns Fickel Nancy Fitzsimmons Oystein Flagstad Robert Fleischer Ian Fleming Stephen Forbes Bruce Ford Michael J Ford Brian Ford-Lloyd Astrid Forneck John Forster Pierre Franck Richard Frankham Karl Fredga Joanna Freeland Corey R Freeman-Gallant Elizabeth Friar Jinzong Fu Luca Fumagalli Daniel J Funk Stephan M Funk Dany Garant Jaime Garcia-Moreno Monique Gardes Jonathan P A Gardner Michael G Gardner Richard C Gardner Andrea Gargas Dan Garrigan John Carlos Garza Angharad M R Gatehouse Myriam Gaudeul Eli Geffen Sophie Gerber H Lisle Gibbs Amanda Gillies Tatiana Giraud Edi Gittenberger Chris Gliddon Mary Jo Godt John R Gold David B Goldstein Jesus Gomez-Zurita Simon J Goodman Steve Goodwin Jerome Goudet Dave Goulson Glenn Graham Julie Graham Mats Grahn Frederic Grandjean W Stewart Grant David M Green Simon Griffith Pamela Groves Felix Gugerli Annie Guiller Bruno Guinand Susanne Gustafsson Christine Hackett Erica Hagelberg Susan M Haig Richard Hamelin Michael F Hammer Rob Hammond Jim Hamrick Michael M Hansen Rosalind M Harding Stephen Harris Richard G Harrison Guenthur Hartl Ian Hartley D Heath Daniel D Heath Paul D N Hebert Dennis Hedgecock Marshal C Hedin Philip W Hedrick Peter Heenan Richard L Hellmich Robert J Henry Joan M Herbers Jody Hey T J Hilbish Kjetil Hindar Tim Hipkiss Penny Hirsch K Elaine Hoagland A R Hoelzel Guy A Hoelzer Matthias Hoffmann Jacob Hoglund Mark Holder Rolf Holderegger Pete Hollingsworth Kent Holsinger Rodney L Honeycutt Marlijn Hoogendoorn Marjorie A Hoy Steve Hubbard Herbert Hurka Kamal M Ibrahim Maarit Jaarola Johannes A Jehle Francis Jiggins Warren Johnson Adam G Jones Cathy S Jones Felicity Jones William C Jordan Pedro Jordano Rikke Jorgenson Joachim W Kadereit Gunter Kahl Steve Karl Angela Karp Roland Kays Paul Keim Laurent Keller Scott T Kelley Martin G Kelly Stephen J Kemp Bart Kempenaers Richard Kesseli Marek Kimmel Tim King Jan Kirschner Terrie Klinger Volker Knoop L Lacey Knowles Halvor Knutsen Marcus Koch Tom Kocher Nikolaus Koeniger Klaus Koepfli Linda M Kohn Michael Kohn Irving L Kornfield George Kowalchuk Klaus Kowallik Siegfried L Krauss Jeannette Krieger Pui-Yan Kwok Jacques Labarere T Lamb Dave M Lambert Claire Lanaud Gregory C Lanzaro Francois J Lapointe Carlo Largiader Allan Larson Amparo Latorre Lori Lawson Natasha R Lebas Paul Leberg Patricia L M Lee Niles Lehman Christophe Lemaire Philippe Lemanceau Jennifer Leonard John F Leslie Enrique P Lessa Adrian Leuchtmann Paul O Lewis Sarah Lewis Christian Lexer Andy Lilley C Randy Linder Yan Linhart Aaron Liston Z John Liu Jorge S Liz Volker Loeschcke Marilyn D Loveless Gordon Luikart Jan Lundstrom David H Lunt Charles Lydeard Annie Machordom Jocelyn Malamy Jesus E Maldonado Anita Malhotra Stephanie Manel Patrick Mardulyn Karol Marhold Jeff Markert Therese Ann Markow Terry Marsh David Marshall Tristan Marshall Andrew P Martin Jean-Francois Martin Susan E Masta Conrad A Matthee Diethart Matthies Erik Matthysen Bernie May Georgiana May Richard L Mayden David E McCauley Karen D McCoy P A (Trish) McLenachan Thomas R Meagher Emese Meglecz Adina Merenlender Juha Merila Kristina M Miller Brook G Milligan L Scott Mills Thomas Mitchell-Olds Jeff Mitton Soren Molin Anders P Moller Jean-Marc Moncalvo Nancy D Moncrief W I Montgomery Allen J Moore Brian Moore Nancy Moran Phillip A Morin Craig Moritz Alex Mosseler Truls Moum Andres Moya Ulrich G Mueller Heinz Mueller-Schaerer Nicholas I Mundy Robert W Murphy John Nason Maria Navajas Maile Neel Joseph F Neigel Chris C Nice Richard Nichols Einar E Nielsen Jennifer L Nielsen Rasmuss Nielsen Les R Noble Inger Nordal Magnus Nordborg Stephen J Novak Leonard P Nunney Kerry O’Donnell Scott L O’Neill Patrick T O’Reilly Howard Ochman Beth Okamura Ben P Oldroyd Isabelle Olivieri Bjorn Olsen Joop Ouborg Jennifer R Ovenden Svante Paabo Norman R Pace David Paetkau Snaebjorn Palsson SR Palumbi I Paran Linda Park Joel Parker John Parker Patricia G Parker David Parkin Christopher L Parkinson Tomaso Patarnello Jim L Patton Robert J Paxton Jes Pedersen Tobin Peever Olle Pellmyr Josephine Pemberton David Penny JW Pepper Nicolas Perrin Helena Persson Merrill A Peterson Remy J Petit B Pickersgill Stuart B Piertney Yves Piquot Sylvain Piry Serge Planes David Pollock Francois Pompanon Adam H Porter David Posada Ulrich K Posselt Rory J Post Wayne K Potts Jeffrey R Powell Thomas O Powers Ursula B Priefer Craig Primmer Jonathan Pritchard Fernando Prithiviraj P A Prodohl Jim Provan Michael Purugganan Joe M Quattro Jim Quinn Thomas W Quinn Antoni Rafalski Om P Rajora Katherine Ralls Gavin Ramsey David Rand Ettore Randi Bruce Rannala Jean-Yves Rasplus Sophie Ravel Paul D Rawson Alan F Raybould Michel Raymond David J Read Todd W Reeder Steve Rehner Thorsten B H Reusch John D Reynolds Ciro Rico Brett R Riddle Michael G Ritchie Kermit Ritland Terence J Robinson George Roderick Gary W Roemer Jeff Rogers M L Roose Tomas Roslin Ken Ross Gunter M Rothe Eric Routman Robert Rowan Barbara Roy Michael Roy Manuel Ruedi Manuel Ruiz-Garcia Joanne Russell Daniel Ruzzante Ilik J Saccheri Glenn-Peter Saetre Stephen Sarre Outi Savolainen Barbara A Schaal Chris Schardl Christopher L Schardl Bernd Schierwater Menno Schilthuizen Christian Schloetterer Ted Schltuz Dolph Schluter Paul Schmid-Hempel Andrew F Schnabel Chris Schneider Andrea Schwarzbach Michelle Scott Kim Scribner Ron Sederoff Alfred Seitz Andrea S Sequeira Angela Sessitsch H Bradley Shaffer Mike Shaw Paul W Shaw Ben Sheldon W Steve Sheppard DeWayne Shoemaker Jacqui A Shykoff Jean-Christophe Simon Jack Sites David O F Skibinski Robert W Slade Jon Slate Monty Slatkin James M Slavicek Joe Slowinski Randall L Small Peter Smouse Douglas E Soltis Nicole Soranzo C Sperisen Adrian Spidle Diane E Stanley-Horn Christian Stauffer Sebastian Steinfartz Jan Stenlid Graham N Stone Karen Stone Richard Stouthamer Joan Strassmann Ulrike Strecker Curtis Strobeck Christian Sturmbauer Jack Sullivan Liselotte Sundstrom Paul Sunnucks Alison Surridge Yoshihisa Suyama W O C Symondson Alfred E Szmidt Jacek M Szymura Bruce E Tabashnik John Taggart Fumio Tajima Diethard Tautz Andrea C Taylor Eric B Taylor John W Taylor Christoph Tebbe Hakan Tegelstrom J J Tewksbury W Kelley Thomas Roger S Thorpe Pete Thrall Ralph Tiedemann Harold Townson Jack T Trevors Ludwig Triest Priscilla Tucker Michael Turelli Julie Turgeon Bruce J Turner Timo Turpeinen Mark C Ungerer F Utter Risto Vainola Tom Van de Casteele Louis Van de Zande Henk van Dijk Jan M van Groenendael Mark van Kleunen Madeleine J H Van Oppen Leo S van Overbeek Flavie Vanlerberghe-Masutti Xavier Vekemans Giovanni G Vendramin Sara Via Frederic Viard Linda Vigilant Carles Vila Rytas Vilgalys Francis X Villablanca Renaud Vitalis Robert C Vrijenhoek Michael Wade Lisette Waits David B Wake Bruce Waldman DeEtte Walker Cathy Walton Robin S Waples Robert D Ward Ryk Ward Jonathan Waters Marcia Waterway Robbie Waugh Michael S Webster Bruce S Weir Steven Weiss Elizabeth Wellington Jonathan Wendel John H Werren Stuart A West Kristi Westover Gemma White Richard Whitkus Michael G Whitlock Mike Wilkinson George C Williams Chris Wilson Paul J Wilson Brenda D Wingfield Michael Wink Juliette Winterer Thierry Wirth Graham Wishart Hakan Wittzell Andrea D Wolfe Jessica Worthington-Wilmer Wolfgang Wuster Jianping Xu Tetsukazu Yahara Ann Yoder J Peter W Young William P Young Jeanne A Zeh De-Xing Zhang Birgit Ziegenhagen Robert M Zink