The journal Animal Biology adheres to the principles of editorial independence, objectivity of peer review, and transparency of the publication process. A conflict of interest is understood as any financial, professional, official, academic, or personal circumstance that may influence, or have the potential to influence, the impartiality of authors, reviewers, editors, or members of the Editorial Board.
Declaration Procedure
Authors are required to disclose the presence or absence of any conflict of interest when submitting a manuscript. The following must be declared:
- sources of research funding;
- grants, contracts, and sponsorship support;
- official, consulting, or expert relationships;
- participation in joint projects, programmes, or structures related to the subject of the manuscript;
- any other circumstances that may affect the objectivity of the research or its evaluation.
Reviewers are required to promptly inform the Editorial Office of any circumstances that may prevent impartial peer review and to decline preparation of the review report.
Editors and members of the Editorial Board are required to recuse themselves in the event of a conflict of interest and must not participate in selecting reviewers, evaluating the manuscript, or making the editorial decision.
Supporting Documents for Consideration
The following may serve as grounds for considering a conflict of interest:
- the author’s declaration submitted with the manuscript;
- the cover letter accompanying the article;
- information on funding, affiliation, acknowledgements, or participation in projects;
- a notification from a reviewer, editor, or member of the Editorial Board;
- a third-party report, provided that it contains properly substantiated information.
Resolution Procedure
If a declared or potential conflict of interest is identified, the Editorial Office follows this procedure:
- The submitted information is reviewed initially.
- Additional explanations or supporting documents are requested if necessary.
- The nature of the conflict of interest and its possible impact on the objectivity of the editorial process are determined.
- Appropriate measures are taken to resolve the matter.
- The results of the review are recorded in the journal’s internal editorial documents.
- If necessary, information about the conflict of interest is disclosed in the text of the article.
Resolution Measures
Depending on the nature of the identified circumstances, the Editorial Office may apply the following measures:
- replacement of the reviewer;
- request for clarification or supplementation of the declaration;
- temporary suspension of manuscript consideration;
- rejection of the manuscript;
- publication of a conflict of interest declaration in the article;
- in the event of a significant undeclared conflict identified after publication: publication of a correction, editorial notice, or retraction of the article.
Decision-Making Procedure
Decisions on resolving conflicts of interest are made by the Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editor who has no competing interest in relation to the manuscript concerned. In complex or disputed cases, the matter may be referred to the Editorial Board for consideration.
When making a decision, the following factors are taken into account:
- completeness and timeliness of disclosure;
- the nature and degree of the person’s connection with the subject of the conflict;
- the possible impact of the conflict on the impartiality of the editorial evaluation;
- the availability of documentary evidence.
The editorial decision is recorded by an appropriate internal note in the editorial system or by another internal editorial document.
