The ''International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology'' is a

peer-reviewed Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...

scientific journal In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication designed to further the progress of science by disseminating new research findings to the scientific community. These journals serve as a platform for researchers, schola ...

covering research in the field of

microbial A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic size, which may exist in its single-celled form or as a colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen microbial life was suspected from antiquity, with an early attestation in ...

systematics Systematics is the study of the diversification of living forms, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees (synonyms: phylogenetic trees, phylogenies). Phy ...

that was established in 1951. Its scope covers the

taxonomy image:Hierarchical clustering diagram.png, 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme o ...

nomenclature Nomenclature (, ) is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. (The theoretical field studying nomenclature is sometimes referred to as ''onymology'' or ''taxonymy'' ). The principl ...

, identification, characterisation, culture preservation,

phylogeny A phylogenetic tree or phylogeny is a graphical representation which shows the evolutionary history between a set of species or Taxon, taxa during a specific time.Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, M ...

evolution Evolution is the change in the heritable Phenotypic trait, characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation, re ...

, and

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

of all

microorganism A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic scale, microscopic size, which may exist in its unicellular organism, single-celled form or as a Colony (biology)#Microbial colonies, colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen ...

s, including

prokaryote A prokaryote (; less commonly spelled procaryote) is a unicellular organism, single-celled organism whose cell (biology), cell lacks a cell nucleus, nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. The word ''prokaryote'' comes from the Ancient Gree ...

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom (biology), kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are est ...

s and yeast-like organisms,

protozoa Protozoa (: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a polyphyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic debris. Historically ...

and

algae Algae ( , ; : alga ) is an informal term for any organisms of a large and diverse group of photosynthesis, photosynthetic organisms that are not plants, and includes species from multiple distinct clades. Such organisms range from unicellular ...

. The journal is currently published monthly by the

Microbiology Society The Microbiology Society (previously the Society for General Microbiology) is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with a worldwide membership based in universities, industry, hospitals, research institutes and schools. It is the large ...

. An official publication of the

International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes The International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP), formerly the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology (ICSB), is the body that oversees the nomenclature of prokaryotes, determines the rules by which prokaryotes are named ...

(ICSP) and

International Union of Microbiological Societies The International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS), founded in 1927 as the International Society of Microbiology, is one of 40 member unions and associations of the International Science Council (ISC), and was formerly under ISC's pred ...

(Bacteriology and Applied Microbiology Division), the journal is the single official international forum for the publication of new species names for prokaryotes.Stackebrandt E. (2007) Forces shaping bacterial systematics ''Microbe'' 2: 283–288
(accessed 27 September 2007)SGM: About ''International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology''
(accessed 26 September 2007)
(accessed 27 September 2007) In addition to research papers, the journal also publishes the minutes of meetings of the ICSP and its various subcommittees.

Background and history

From the first identification of a bacterial species in 1872, microbial species were named according to the

binomial nomenclature In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

, based on largely subjective descriptive characteristics. By the end of the 19th century, however, it was clear that this nomenclature and classification system required reform. Although several different comprehensive nomenclature systems were invented (most notably, that described in '' Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology'', first published in 1923), none gained international recognition. In 1930, a single international body, now named the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP), was established to oversee all aspects of prokaryotic nomenclature. Work began in 1936 on drafting a ''Code of Bacteriological Nomenclature'', the first version of which was approved in 1947. In 1950, at the 5th International Congress for Microbiology, a journal was established to disseminate the committee's conclusions to the microbiological community. It first appeared the following year under the title of ''International Bulletin of Bacteriological Nomenclature and Taxonomy''. In 1980, the ICSP published an exhaustive list of all existing bacterial species considered valid in the ''Approved Lists of Bacterial Names''. Thereafter, the committee's ''Code'' required all new names to be either published or indexed in its journal to be deemed valid.Euzéby JP, Tindall BJ. Valid publication of new names or new combinations: making use of the validation lists ''ASM News'' (June 2004)
(accessed 8 August 2011) The journal was at first published quarterly by

Iowa State College Press The Iowa State University Digital Press (also known as ISTUDP) is a digital university press affiliated with Iowa State University, located in Ames, Iowa. The press, which is a unit of the Iowa State University Library, was organized in 2018 an ...

, which later increased to bimonthly. In 1966, the journal was renamed the ''International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology''.SGM: About SGM: History: A Short History of the SGM
(accessed 26 September 2007) For decades, the journal's cover quoted Dutch naturalist

Otto Friedrich Müller Otto Friedrich Müller, also known as Otto Friedrich Mueller (2 November 1730 – 26 December 1784) was a Denmark, Danish natural history, naturalist and scientific illustrator. Biography Müller was born in Copenhagen. He was educated for the ch ...

: "the sure and definite determination (of species of bacteria) requires so much time, so much acumen of eye and judgement, so much of perseverance and patience that there is hardly anything else so difficult." Between 1971 and the end of 1997, the journal was published by the

American Society for Microbiology The American Society for Microbiology (ASM), originally the Society of American Bacteriologists, is a professional organization for scientists who study viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa as well as other aspects of microbiology. It wa ...

. Publication moved to the United Kingdom in 1998, the journal being taken over by the

Society for General Microbiology The Microbiology Society (previously the Society for General Microbiology) is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with a worldwide membership based in universities, industry, hospitals, research institutes and schools. It is the large ...

, in conjunction with

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...

. The title was changed to ''International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology'' in 2000, to reflect the broadened focus of the journal. A major redesign brought the journal into line with the three other society journals in 2003, and at the same date the printer/typesetter changed to the Charlesworth Group. The frequency increased to monthly in 2006.

Role in nomenclature validation

The journal publishes research papers establishing novel prokaryotic names, which are summarized in a notification list. Each monthly issue also contains a compilation of validated new names (the ''validation list'') that have been previously published in other scientific journals or books. Since August 2002, publications relating to new bacterial taxa and validation of publication elsewhere have both required type strains to have been deposited at two recognised public collections in different countries.''International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology'': Instructions for authors
(accessed 27 September 2007) As of 2007, the journal has officially validated around 6500 species and 1500 genera. It was estimated in 2004 that over 300 new names had been published but not validated.

Modern journal

As of 2017, the

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...

is Martha E. Trujillo (

University of Salamanca The University of Salamanca () is a public university, public research university in Salamanca, Spain. Founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León, King Alfonso IX, it is the oldest university in the Hispanic world and the fourth oldest in the ...

). According to the ''

Journal Citation Reports ''Journal Citation Reports'' (''JCR'') is an annual publication by Clarivate. It has been integrated with the Web of Science and is accessed from the Web of Science Core Collection. It provides information about academic journals in the natur ...

'', the journal has a 2022

impact factor The impact factor (IF) or journal impact factor (JIF) of an academic journal is a type of journal ranking. Journals with higher impact factor values are considered more prestigious or important within their field. The Impact Factor of a journa ...

of 2.8.

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem Microbiology journals Delayed open access journals Academic journals established in 1951 Monthly journals English-language journals Academic journals published by learned and professional societies Prokaryote taxonomy Microbiology Society academic journals