Strengthening community-driven publishing in soil ecology: Soil Organisms becomes a PCI-friendly journal

Abstract

Scientific publishing is undergoing significant transformation as the research community seeks more transparent, equitable, and efficient models of peer review and dissemination. This editorial announces that Soil Organisms has become a Category 1 PCI-friendly journal associated with PCI Ecology, strengthening its commitment to community-driven and open scientific publishing. Peer Community In (PCI) provides expert-led peer review of openly accessible preprints, enabling rigorous evaluation independent of traditional journal publication. By recognizing PCI recommendations and reviews within its editorial workflow, Soil Organisms aims to reduce duplication of reviewing efforts, accelerate editorial decisions, and make more effective use of reviewer and editor time. The collaboration aligns with the journal’s diamond open-access model, which removes financial barriers for authors while ensuring unrestricted access to scientific knowledge. For the soil ecology and biodiversity research communities, this partnership promotes transparency, supports early scientific exchange through preprints, and enhances recognition of peer review as a scholarly contribution. Integrating community-based review with journal-based publication represents an important step toward a more open, efficient, and equitable publishing ecosystem for soil science and related disciplines.