Ecosystems Template
Get your Ecosystems paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
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How to Use the Ecosystems Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 10 August, 2026
Submitting to Ecosystems goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Ecosystems guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
What is the Ecosystems Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Ecosystems. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the Ecosystems journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an Ecosystems submission:
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the Ecosystems guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
What separates a clean submission from one that gets kicked back:
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the Ecosystems guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Ecosystems Template include?
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through ScholarOne (Manuscript Central).
Steps to Use This Template with SciSpace Agent
- Click Start Writing on this page. The SciSpace Agent prompt screen opens with the template loaded.
- Use the loaded template, or upload a version your group already uses for Ecosystems.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Ecosystems guide for authors.
- Run the prompt. The agent drafts into the correct structure and reference style.
- Use View Outputs to verify required statements and formatting are present.
- Export and submit through ScholarOne (Manuscript Central).
Ecosystems Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Ecosystems requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Abstract of up to 250 words that highlights the objectives, results, and conclusions of the paper. Unstructured format. No specific headings required |
| Main text | Research articles: manuscripts generally should not exceed 8,000 words, or 30-35 double-spaced manuscript pages including figures and references. Mini-reviews: 3000-4000 words. Special feature papers: 3000-4000 words. Editorials: 1000-2000 words |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 6 to 10 keywords, to identify the subjects under which the article may be indexed |
| References | Author-date style with full journal titles spelled out. Uses 'and others' instead of 'et al.' in text citations. Format: Author Initials, Author Initials. Year. Title. Journal Name Volume: Pages. Full journal names required, not abbreviated |
| Peer review | Single-anonymous (single-blind): author identities are known to peer reviewers, but peer reviewer identities are not revealed to authors |
| Submission | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/eco |
Quick Tips for Using the Ecosystems Template
Read the Ecosystems guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to Ecosystems in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Ecosystems papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the Ecosystems journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Before You Submit: Final Check
Do one focused pass against the Ecosystems guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through ScholarOne (Manuscript Central).
