Data Papers 2.0: Reimagining the future of open science and reproducibility - Acevedo - 2026 - Ecology - Wiley Online Library

"For the last 20 years, Ecology Data Papers have been the premier standard for publishing ecological datasets. As the field of ecology enters the era of big data, we are experiencing rapid increases in computing power, cloud-based storage, and interest in sharing and disseminating datasets. As a consequence, how ecologists interact with data, including reproducibility standards, the size of datasets, and the way data are collected, analyzed, stored, and shared, has changed since the inception of Ecology Data Papers. In this editorial, we describe how we reimagined Ecology Data Papers to fit the 21st century data standards and needs, to facilitate the generation and analysis of new ecological questions and fulfilling the historical role of Ecology as a leader in open science and reproducibility.

We define Ecology Data Papers 2.0 as a unique type of manuscript published in Ecology, designed to enrich the global ecological and scientific community through the sharing of data to be reused, reanalyzed, and remixed for advancing knowledge beyond its original purpose. The innovations we introduce with Data Papers 2.0 are coupled with a continued commitment to publication affordability, with publication fee waivers available, and to user access, with both the article and data freely available to all.

Updating Ecology Data Papers from the 1.0 version to 2.0 was a data-driven process integrating feedback and perspectives from experts and the broader community."