Outstanding <i>L&amp;O</i> Reviewers

Peer review provides assurance to the readership of scientific literature that the material under consideration can be trusted (Cloern 2023). Critical, non-biased, and responsible behavior is fundamental to peer review, which is, in turn, fundamental to scientific advancement. When one serves as a peer reviewer, the task may often seem unrewarding, though most understand that the reward is the selfless service to the scientific community we value. We also appreciate, of course, when our own work is peer reviewed promptly with skill and careful attention. As with all society publications, as well as many other publications, L&O depends on scholars who engage science, not only through the search for new knowledge and understanding, but also through peer review, helping to ensure that our publication of science is sound, clear, replicable, transparent, and available, all components of the concept of “high quality.” With the seemingly endless number of journals and manuscripts today, we all experience the weekly deluge of reviewer invitation emails. As such, it has been and is growing more and more difficult to find and recruit reviewers who are able to carve out the necessary slice of time in their already busy schedules to accept an invitation for manuscript review. Luckily, at L&O we have the recognition and respect of seven decades of publication of leading high-quality research in the aquatic sciences and thus reviewers are willing to reserve important time and offer substantial effort in helping our authors share their best science with our readership. Indeed, during the 17-month period of 01 January 2025–31 May 2026, 1392 reviewers provided 2104 reviews of manuscript submissions to L&O. Without reviewer engagement, L&O would not be the journal it is today. While I am highlighting here only a fraction of our dedicated reviewer pool who have helped make L&O possible in the last 17 months, please join me and the entire team of L&O editors, support staff, and especially our authors, in thanking all of those who provide quality reviews for the many submissions to L&O.