About the Journal

FOCUS AND SCOPE
Saastal is a scientific journal dedicated to the publication of original research in the field of Life Sciences, with a particular emphasis on their intersection with Applied and Environmental Sciences. Our thematic coverage includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

  • Life Sciences: Molecular biology, biotechnology, microbiology, and applied genetics.
  • Environmental Sciences: Ecology, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, and climate change.
  • Applied Sciences: Bioengineering, agrotechnology, sustainability, and nature-based technical solutions.
  • Critical intersections: Studies on the impact of human activity on ecosystems (One Health) and the development of green technologies.

The journal accepts original research articles, review articles, and short communications in spanish, english, and portuguese, aimed at a global academic and professional audience.

OPEN ACCESS POLICY

This journal provides immediate open access to its content, based on the principle that making research freely available to the public fosters greater global knowledge exchange.

Publication model: Open Access (OA).
License: All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Charges (APC): The journal applies article processing charges (APC) to cover the costs of editing, XML markup, and digital preservation. Details on fees and waiver policies can be found in the corresponding section.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Authors who publish in Saastal agree to the following terms:

  • Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication of the work.

  • Articles are published under the CC BY 4.0 license, which allows third parties to share, copy, redistribute, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and to the journal Saastal.

  • Authors may enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the article published in the journal (e.g., inclusion in an institutional repository), provided that it is clearly stated that the work was first published in Saastal.

SPONSORSHIP STATEMENT

Saastal is a publication funded and edited by Editorial Unión Científica. Editorial Unión Científica is an academic, non-profit institution indexed in the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB). Its commitment is to ensure the technical infrastructure, editorial quality, and scientific independence of the journal, reinvesting APC revenues exclusively in the sustainability and improvement of the editorial and indexing processes.

JOURNAL HISTORY

Saastal emerged as an initiative of Editorial Unión Científica to fill the gap in specialized publications that effectively integrate pure biological sciences with environmental and technological applications in the region. The name, of Mayan origin, symbolizes “dawn” or “clarity,” reflecting the journal’s commitment to scientific transparency and the emergence of new solutions to global environmental challenges. Since its foundation, the journal has adopted the highest ethical standards (COPE) and international indexing practices.

PRIVACY STATEMENT

The names and email addresses entered in this journal will be used exclusively for the purposes stated herein and will not be made available to any other person or institution, nor used for commercial purposes. The processing of personal data complies with international data protection regulations and is strictly limited to editorial management and communication with authors and reviewers.

ARCHIVING AND PRESERVATION SYSTEM

To ensure long-term availability and preservation of scientific content, Saastal uses the following systems:

  • LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries.

  • CLOCKSS (Controlled Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) to ensure permanent and secure archiving of the journal.

  • PKP Preservation Network (PN): The journal is integrated into the PKP preservation network to ensure that content remains accessible even if the journal ceases publication.