Peer-review process is affected by implicit biases of the reviewers and editors, and increasing the diversity of the researchers involved is probably the best strategy to minimize those biases. Here, we analyze the composition of the editorial board of 45 journals in Limnology. On average, women acting as an associate editor represented less than one third of the board (29% ± 17%; mean value ± SD). The median representation of women in editorial boards was 35%, ranging from 0% to 67%. Additionally, only seven journals (15% of the total analyzed) had a female editor-in-chief acting solo, while this role was taken by males in 24 journals (53% of the total analyzed). When including shared editor-in-chief roles, 12 journals (21%) had at least one woman in the editor-in-chief team. None of the journals with shared editor-in-chief roles had a team entirely composed of women, while that was the case for men in six out of 11 journals. Furthermore, we analyzed additional factors that could influence the composition of editorial boards such as: affiliation of the editors, journal impact factor, years since foundation of the journal, relation to a scientific association, transparent rules to enter the editorial board, publishing abstracts in two or more languages, or offering translation services. We aim to discuss to which extent these factors are responsible for the observed gender-biases in our editorial boards, as well as to collectively find solutions to increase the presence of women in the editorial boards of aquatic science journals where we publish or serve as editors and reviewers.

Primary Presenter: Núria Catalán, IDAEA-CSIC (ncatalangarcia@gmail.com)

Authors:

Núria Catalán, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC)  (ncatalangarcia@gmail.com)

Maria Anton-Pardo, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; University of Valencia  (manpar7@hotmail.com)

Anna Freixa, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA),  (afreixa@icra.cat)

Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; University of the Balearic Islands (UIB)  (pablorodriguezlozano@gmail.com)

Mireia Bartrons, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia  (mireiabartrons@gmail.com)

Susana Bernal, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB- CSIC)  (sbernal@ceab.csic.es)

Ana Genua-Olmedo, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Universidad Rey Juan Carlos  (agenuaolmedo@gmail.com)

Clara Mendoza-Lera, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; University of Kaiserslautern-Landau  (clara.mendozalera@gmail.com)

Gabriela Onandia, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)  (gabriela.onandia@zalf.de)

Xavier Benito, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Institute of Agrifood and Technology Research (IRTA)  (xavier.benito.granell@gmail.com)

María del Mar Sánchez-Montoya, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Complutense University of Madrid  (mariasmontoya@gmail.com)

Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC)  (mcanedo.fem@gmail.com)

Ada Pastor, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; University of Girona  (adapastor@gmail.com)

Anna Lupon, Grupo Gender & Science AIL; Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC)  (anna.lupon@gmail.com)