100 articles every ecologist should read.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Scientists face challenges in identifying key research papers due to the increasing volume and specialization of scientific literature.
• Discovering foundational or broadly relevant ecological studies outside one's specific niche can be difficult for researchers, especially early-career scientists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile a "must-read" list of seminal papers in ecology.
• To provide a foundational reading list for new ecologists, irrespective of their specialization.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive list of 544 potential papers was generated from nominations by 147 ecology experts.
• The nominated papers were ranked through a random-sample voting process involving 368 ecology experts.
• The study considered various article types, approaches, and 17 distinct fields within ecology.

Main Results:

• The recommended papers were not necessarily published in top-ranking journals or have the highest citation counts.
• The collective recommendations from numerous experienced researchers highlight high-quality, broadly relevant ecological articles.

Conclusions:

• The curated list offers valuable insights and inspiration for early-career ecologists.
• While not an exhaustive or definitive list, these papers are crucial for fostering a comprehensive understanding of ecological science.