List of Life Sciences Journals (widely recognized; commonly indexed in Scopus and Web of Science)

List of Life Sciences Journals (widely recognized; commonly indexed in Scopus and Web of Science)

1) General Life Sciences / Biology

These are broad journals useful for interdisciplinary life science papers.

1. Nature
2. Science
3. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
4. Scientific Reports
5. PLOS ONE
6. Life
7. Biology Open

Best for: broad biology, ecology, molecular biology, biodiversity, multidisciplinary life science.

2) Plant Science / Botany

These are especially relevant if your work is in floristics, taxonomy, ecology, conservation, plant diversity, ethnobotany, or plant physiology.

1. Journal of Experimental Botany
2. Plant Physiology
3. Plant, Cell & Environment
4. Plant and Soil
5. New Phytologist
6. Annals of Botany
7. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
8. Plant Systematics and Evolution
9. Systematic Botany
10. Nordic Journal of Botany
11. Phytotaxa
12. Kew Bulletin
13. Rheedea
14. Taiwania
15. Feddes Repertorium

Best for your area: floristic diversity, taxonomy, conservation, protected areas, regional flora.

3) Ecology / Biodiversity / Conservation

Very suitable for protected area studies, species diversity, forest ecology, wetland ecology, and conservation research.

1. Biodiversity and Conservation
2. Biological Conservation
3. Journal for Nature Conservation
4. Global Ecology and Conservation
5. Ecological Indicators
6. Ecology and Evolution
7. Diversity
8. Forest Ecology and Management
9. Journal of Tropical Ecology
10. Tropical Ecology
11. Wetlands Ecology and Management
12. Aquatic Botany

Excellent for Assam / Northeast India topics: floristic diversity, conservation priority species, invasive plants, forest structure, wetland plants.

4) Microbiology / Biotechnology / Molecular Life Sciences

Good if your work touches microbes, biochemical pathways, lab biology, molecular ecology, or biotechnology.

1. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
2. Microbiological Research
3. FEMS Microbiology Ecology
4. Journal of Applied Microbiology
5. BMC Microbiology
6. BMC Biotechnology
7. Biotechnology Letters
8. Current Microbiology
9. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology

5) Zoology / Wildlife / Animal Biology

If you also need animal-side life science journals.

1. Journal of Zoology
2. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
3. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation
4. Mammalian Biology
5. Acta Zoologica

Best journals specifically for your likely research area

Since you often work on botany / floristics / biodiversity / conservation, these are the most suitable target journals:

Very suitable shortlist

• Biodiversity and Conservation
• Journal for Nature Conservation
• Global Ecology and Conservation
• Diversity
• Plant Systematics and Evolution
• Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
• Systematic Botany
• Phytotaxa
• Wetlands Ecology and Management
• Aquatic Botany

How to check whether a journal is still active in Scopus and WoS

This is very important because indexing status can change.

For Scopus

Check:

• Journal title
• ISSN
• SJR quartile (Q1/Q2/Q3/Q4)
• H-index
• Publisher
• Scope

Use: SCImago Journal Rankings (SJR)

For Web of Science

Check:

• Whether journal is in SCIE, ESCI, SSCI, etc.
• Coverage years
• Publisher details

Use: Web of Science Master Journal List

My practical advice for you

If your paper is on:

Floristic diversity / checklist / species composition

Best targets:

• Phytotaxa
• Taiwania
• Kew Bulletin
• Plant Systematics and Evolution

Conservation / protected area / Dehing Patkai / biodiversity assessment

Best targets:

• Biodiversity and Conservation
• Biological Conservation
• Journal for Nature Conservation
• Global Ecology and Conservation

Wetlands / aquatic vegetation / ecological studies

Best targets:

• Wetlands Ecology and Management
• Aquatic Botany
• Ecological Indicators