Journal of Ecology publishes original articles on ecology of plants in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and will publish papers concerned solely with cultivated plants and agricultural ecosystems if such articles address important ecological or evolutionary questions. The journal aims to bring cutting-edge research work in molecular ecology, physiological ecology, individual ecology, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology and landscape ecology to an international audience, so as to promote the development of the world's ecology. 

The current impact factor of Journal of Ecology is 6.38, and the 5-year impact factor is 7.16. Journal of Ecology is a Q1 journal in the field of plant science and ecology in the Journal Citation Report (JCR) system, and a first rank journal in the field of environmental science and ecology in the CAS’ journal ranking system. About 300 manuscripts are published in 6 issues every year, and the manuscript acceptance rate is about 20%.

LV Xiaotao, senior researcher of IAE, majors in ecosystem ecology, has been PI (Principal Investigator) of six academic grants, including the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has published more than 160 papers. 

LUO Wentao, researcher of IAE, is mainly engaged in the research of plant functional traits. He is a member of the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been PI of three National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has published more than 20 papers as the first or corresponding author in SCI journals such as Ecology, Journal of Ecology, and Functional Ecology.