RSNZ/2002 Yearbook/Publishing

2002 Annual Report Of The Royal Society of New Zealand

Incorporating the 2002 Academy Council Yearbook

Publishing

The Royal Society of New Zealand's publishing unit (RSNZ Publishing) publishes research, science and technology for the benefit of New Zealand and the international community through:

refereed scientific journals
specialist books and bulletins
conference proceedings
educational resources
print and electronic media

The core business of the unit is the scientific editing and publication of seven quarterly national research journals. Its secondary publishing activities include the Royal Society's own requirements, specifically the Royal Society's miscellaneous and bulletin series, and educational resource material.

A book publishing programme includes marketing and distribution of books on a commission basis, which have been produced by other organisations or on their behalf.

The objectives of RSNZ Publishing are to:

disseminate scientific and technological information to the New Zealand and international science and technology communities;

facilitate international links through the sharing and using of new knowledge;
promote the excellence of New Zealand science through publication of scientific papers in internationally recognised journals;
popularise and promote science and technology through the publication of information targeted at the general community;
provide a contract publishing service for specialist technical and educational material;
develop and maintain an electronic information system for New Zealand science and technology; and
keep abreast of international advances in information technology as they relate to science and technology publishing.

Research journals

The seven journals published by RSNZ Publishing are:

NZ Journal of Agricultural Research

NZ Journal of Botany

NZ Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science

NZ Journal of Geology and Geophysics

NZ Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

NZ Journal of Zoology

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

Publishes papers on all aspects of pastoral science relevant to temperate and subtropical regions. It includes papers on insect pests, fertilisers, soil science, plant pathology, weeds, agricultural economics, forage crops and invertebrates dealing with pastoral and animal production.

New Zealand Journal of Botany

The journal has a regional emphasis on the South Pacific, particularly New Zealand, its surrounding seas and dependent territories, and Antarctica. Topics include biosystematics, bryology and lichenology, ecology, genetics and reproductive biology, mycology and plant pathology, paleobotany, phycology, physiology and biochemistry, structure and development.

New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science

Publishes on all aspects of production, protection, handling, and processing of crop and horticultural products. It includes papers on agronomy, entomology, plant nutrition, breeding, plant pathology, pomology, postharvest physiology and biotechnology, with a focus on apple and kiwifruit research.

New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics

This is an international journal of Pacific Rim geoscience. It publishes all aspects of the earth sciences applicable to geoscientists whose interests lie within and beyond the circumpacific area.

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

Publishes papers in all fields of fisheries and aquatic science concerning New Zealand, the South Pacific Ocean, and Antarctica, including genetics, limnology, marine ecology, physical oceanography, sedimentology, taxonomy and water quality.

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

Publishes papers on behavioural biology, ecology, entomology, genetics, physiology, and systematics concerning New Zealand and its associated territories.

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

Publishes papers from a wide range of disciplines, covering indigenous natural history and environmental sciences including conservation, ecology, evolution, archaeology, paleontology, meterology, soil sciences, palynology and history of science.

Journal sales

All journals are published quarterly and are abstracted by major international abstracting agencies. They are sold and distributed worldwide via three agencies situated in New Zealand, North America and United Kingdom. The New Zealand office, situated at the Society's premises in Wellington, has responsibility for maintaining sales and subscriptions throughout New Zealand, Australia, Pacific islands, Papua New Guinea, and Central, Eastern and South East Asia; the North American office (Allen Press) services Canada, North, Central and South America, Hawaii and the Caribbean; and the United Kingdom office (Eurospan) services United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

During 2002, online publication of the journals was introduced and the journals were freely available on the Society's website; online journals will be made available on a

subscription basis from 2003. The provision of the journals in electronic form is intended to benefit journal users by publishing their articles more rapidly and exposing them to a potentially much larger audience. Printed copies of the journals were also produced.

Journal subscriptions

Approximately one-half of the journal subscriptions are from within New Zealand. This reflects the importance of the journals in publishing the results of regional research. Many of these New Zealand subscribers are individuals or scientists who publish their research in the local journals. By comparison, most overseas sales are to university libraries and other research institutions, particularly in North America. The next most important region for sales is the countries of Asia and Australia. Fewer journals are sold in the United Kingdom and European countries.

Publications produced during 2002

RSNZ Miscellaneous series:

MS 59 B2B2B: Bio-science to bio-enterprise to bio-business

MS 60 UV radiation and its effects an update 2002

RSNZ Bulletin series:

BS 35 Antarctica at the close of a millennium

Other publications:

Scholars & Gentlemen Both: GM & Allan Thomson in New Zealand Science & Education

Yearbook of the Academy Council of the Royal Society 2000/01

Marsden Fund Update newsletter (4 issues)

Alpha 112 Renewable energy and climate change

Alpha 113 Climate variability and regional development

Alpha 114 Sedimentation: its impact on estuaries

Gamma Anthrax

Gamma Weight of the world: obesity declared a global epidemic

Gamma Eating disorders

Gamma 1080: who's taking the bait?

NZ Science Teacher (3 issues)

Personnel

RSNZ Publishing has a small staff of five scientifically qualified Scientific Editors (including one part-time contractor) who are responsible for the production of the seven journals through all stages from submission of papers to final publication. The Scientific Editors obtain two independent referee reports for every submission (from within New Zealand and from elsewhere); assess the suitability of each paper for publication before and after revision; copy edit and proof-read papers; and liaise with the printer. Two of the Scientific Editors work off-site (in Hamilton and Upper Hutt) but are online to carry out the normal journal management procedures. The electronic journal management system is linked directly to the Royal Society's membership database. The Scientific Editors are assisted by a full-time Production Editor, who has responsibility for technical production of four of the journals. A full-time typesetter and two part-time contract typesetters layout the pages and provide proofs of the journals before printing. All non-journal editing and production is carried out by the same staff.