生態指標的最終目的是將生態環境指標的監測和評價與管理實踐相結合。該期刊提供了一個論壇，討論應用科學的發展和審查傳統指標的應用，以及理論、模型和定量方法，如指數的發展。對下列領域的研究將發表。?生態環境各項指標和指標。?新的指標，以及指標開發、測試和使用的新方法和方法。?指數的開發和建模，例如跨多個尺度和資源的指標套件的應用。?資源、系統和規模指標的分析和研究。?使用基于指標的監測和評估程序，整合社會和其他評估指標，以生成科學嚴謹和政治相關的評估。?研究如何將研究指標轉化為直接應用于管理目的的方法。?通過使用指標，實現更廣泛的評估目標和方法，如生物多樣性、生物完整性和可持續性。?資源特定指標，如景觀、農業生態系統、森林生態系統、水生生態系統、濕地等。該雜志尋求創新的論文，為環境指示提供新的發展和方法步驟。從簡單的監測方案或單一的案例研究中提交的結果，導致沒有從指示理論、指示方法或管理觀點進行任何探索的描述性方法，被認為不適合發表在《生態指標》上。

The ultimate aim of Ecological Indicators is to integrate the monitoring and assessment of ecological and environmental indicators with management practices. The journal provides a forum for the discussion of the applied scientific development and review of traditional indicator applications as well as for theoretical, modelling and quantitative approaches such as index development. Research into the following areas will be published.? All aspects of ecological and environmental indicators and indices.? New indicators, and new approaches and methods for indicator development, testing and use.? Development and modelling of indices, e.g. application of indicator suites across multiple scales and resources.? Analysis and research of resource, system- and scale-specific indicators.? Methods for integration of social and other valuation metrics for the production of scientifically rigorous and politically-relevant assessments using indicator-based monitoring and assessment programs.? Approaches on how research indicators can be transformed into direct application for management purposes.? Broader assessment objectives and methods, e.g. biodiversity, biological integrity, and sustainability, through the use of indicators.? Resource-specific indicators such as landscape, agroecosystems, forests ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, wetlands, etc.The journal seeks innovative papers which provide new developmental and methodological steps for environmental indication. Submissions of results from simple monitoring programs or single case studies, resulting in descriptive approaches without any exploration from the theory of indication, from the methodology of indication, or from the management points of view are not considered suitable for publication in Ecological Indicators.