"Acta Botanica Caucasica" is dedicated to upholding ethical standards in publishing, following the best practices set by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics). The journal is committed to transparency, integrity, and fairness in all publishing activities to ensure quality and credibility in scientific contributions.

To maintain these standards, "Acta Botanica Caucasica" enforces ethical guidelines throughout the publication process, with editorial decisions unaffected by advertising, reprints, or other commercial influences.

Ethical compliance is expected from all parties in the publication process: authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

Duties of the Editor and Editorial Board

Publication Decisions

The Editor holds the final authority on whether a submitted manuscript should be published, guided by the journal's editorial policies and the reviewers' assessments. Consideration is given to copyright, defamation, and potential plagiarism issues, and the Editor may seek advice from reviewers and the editorial board to make a fair and informed decision.

Editors must not use any unpublished information in their own research without the author’s explicit consent and are responsible for addressing ethical complaints regarding a manuscript, taking corrective action as needed.

Confidentiality

The editorial board treats all submitted manuscripts as confidential, sharing information only with the corresponding author, reviewers, and the publisher, as appropriate.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Unpublished material disclosed in a manuscript must not be used in the editor’s or reviewers’ own research without written permission from the authors. Editors and reviewers are obligated to recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts in cases of conflicts of interest, including competitive, collaborative, or personal relationships with any of the authors or institutions associated with the work.

Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern will be issued if conflicts of interest or errors are discovered post-publication.

Peer Review Standards and Appeals Process

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review is a critical element of the editorial process, aiding the Editor in making publication decisions and offering constructive feedback to the authors.

Confidentiality and Objectivity

Reviewers are expected to handle manuscripts and supporting materials as confidential documents, not sharing them with third parties except with the editor’s permission. Reviews should be conducted objectively, avoiding personal criticism and focusing on the manuscript’s scientific merit.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions and submit complaints about the review process. Such appeals will be assessed fairly, and when appropriate, a different reviewer may be assigned to re-evaluate the manuscript. Final appeal decisions are at the discretion of the Editor.

Ethical Oversight of Human and Animal Research

Research involving human or animal subjects must adhere to ethical standards, as recognized by "Acta Botanica Caucasica."

Approvals and Compliance

Research involving human or animal subjects requires appropriate ethical approval, such as from an Institutional Review Board or relevant ethics committee. Authors should be prepared to provide evidence of these approvals if requested by the editorial team, and must protect participant confidentiality and welfare in all cases.

Adherence to Ethical Guidelines

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all aspects of research involving human or animal subjects comply with bioethics standards and laws. Editors and reviewers may verify compliance with ethical standards and request supporting documentation as part of the review process.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors should present an accurate, objective account of their research findings, providing sufficient detail to enable replication and verification of results.

Data Access and Retention

If necessary, authors should provide raw data for editorial review and be prepared to make it publicly accessible if practicable, retaining the data for a reasonable time after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit only original work, properly citing all external sources. Plagiarism, in any form, is unethical and unacceptable.

Avoidance of Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Submissions

Authors should avoid submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal or submitting manuscripts describing essentially the same research to multiple publications.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest and Financial Support

Authors should disclose all potential conflicts of interest that might influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript, including any financial support received for the project.

Addressing Errors in Published Works

If authors find a significant error in their published work, they are obliged to promptly inform the journal’s editor or publisher and work with them to issue a correction or retraction if necessary.

Disclaimer

The views and conclusions expressed in published manuscripts are solely those of the authors. The editorial board does not endorse or bear responsibility for these views, and the originality and accuracy of the content remain the authors’ responsibility.

All manuscripts undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process before publication. The reviewers’ decisions are final, with publication contingent on meeting the journal’s standards for ethical conduct, scientific integrity, and academic rigor.