《海洋生態學》發表關于海洋底棲生物和遠洋生態系統、社區和人口的結構和動態以及生態學與海洋生物進化之間的關鍵聯系的原始貢獻。該雜志優先從生態學的角度，通過整合不同組織層次(分子到生態系統)和不同學科(分子生物學、遺傳學、生物化學、生理學、海洋生物學、自然史、地理學、海洋學、古生物學和建模)的信息，闡明物種相互作用和適應環境的基本方面。該期刊還關注種群遺傳過程、生活史進化、形態特征和行為、歷史生態學和生物地理學、宏觀生態學和海景生態學、古生態重建以及由于引入新生物群、人類壓力或環境變化引起的生態變化。大多數應用海洋科學，包括漁業生物學、水產養殖、天然產品化學、毒理學和地方污染研究都不在該雜志的研究范圍之內。論文應該解決生態學家們感興趣的生態問題;主要是當地感興趣的論文，包括動植物的描述，分類描述和范圍擴展將不予考慮。在編寫稿時，作者應明確指出:他們作品中那些特別新穎的方面(2)研究結果對其他區域、其他生態系統和其他學科的影響。作者應該努力通過清楚地確定他們研究的問題和假設，通過將他們的工作放在一般的背景下(通過相關的文獻引用)，以及通過澄清他們的研究結果的歷史、地方、區域和全球含義，來達到盡可能廣泛的受眾。

Marine Ecology publishes original contributions on the structure and dynamics of marine benthic and pelagic ecosystems, communities and populations, and on the critical links between ecology and the evolution of marine organisms.The journal prioritizes contributions elucidating fundamental aspects of species interaction and adaptation to the environment through integration of information from various organizational levels (molecules to ecosystems) and different disciplines (molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, physiology, marine biology, natural history, geography, oceanography, palaeontology and modelling) as viewed from an ecological perspective. The journal also focuses on population genetic processes, evolution of life histories, morphological traits and behaviour, historical ecology and biogeography, macro-ecology and seascape ecology, palaeo-ecological reconstruction, and ecological changes due to introduction of new biota, human pressure or environmental change.Most applied marine science, including fisheries biology, aquaculture, natural-products chemistry, toxicology, and local pollution studies lie outside the scope of the journal. Papers should address ecological questions that would be of interest to a worldwide readership of ecologists; papers of mostly local interest, including descriptions of flora and fauna, taxonomic descriptions, and range extensions will not be considered. In preparing manuscripts the authors should clearly identify: (1) those aspects of their work that are particularly novel (2) the implications of their results for other regions, other ecosystems and other disciplines.Authors should strive to reach the broadest possible audience by clearly identifying the questions and hypotheses underlying their research, by placing their work in a general context (through relevant literature citations), and by clarifying the historical, local, regional and global implications of their findings.