The realization that a historical perspective is often useful if not essential to the understanding of most limnological processes has resulted in the recent surge of interest in paleolimnology. The main aim of the Journal of Paleolimnology is the provision of a vehicle for the rapid dissemination of original scientific work dealing with the reconstruction of lake histories. Although the majority of papers deal with lakes paleoenvironmental studies of river wetland peatland and estuary systems are also eligible for publication. The Journal of Paleolimnology like the subject itself is multidisciplinary in nature and papers are published that are concerned with all aspects (e.g. biological chemical physical geological etc.) of the reconstruction and interpretation of lake histories. Both applied and more theoretical papers are equally encouraged. The Journal of Paleolimnology will continue to be a major repository for papers dealing with climatic change as well as other pressing topics such as global environmental change lake acidification eutrophication long-term monitoring and other aspects of lake ontogeny. Taxonomic and methodological papers are also acceptable provided they are of relatively broad interest. In addition to original data and ideas the Journal of Paleolimnology also publishes review articles commentaries and program announcements. A relevant Book Review section is also featured.

由于認識到歷史觀點對大多數湖泊學過程的理解即使不是必不可少的，也往往是有用的，因此最近對古湖沼學的興趣大增。《古湖沼學雜志》的主要目的是為迅速傳播有關湖泊歷史重建的原始科學著作提供一種手段。雖然大多數論文涉及湖泊、河流、濕地、泥炭地和河口系統的古環境研究，但也有資格發表。《古湖沼學雜志》就像這門學科本身一樣是多學科的，發表的論文涉及湖泊歷史重建和解釋的各個方面(如生物、化學、物理、地質等)。應用和更多的理論論文都同樣受到鼓勵。《古湖沼學雜志》將繼續作為一個主要的文獻庫，收錄有關氣候變化以及其他緊迫主題的論文，如全球環境變化、湖泊酸化、富營養化、長期監測和湖泊個體發育的其他方面。分類學和方法論的論文也可以接受，只要它們具有相對廣泛的興趣。除了原始數據和想法，《古湖沼學雜志》還發表評論文章、評論和項目公告。此外，還有一個相關的書評版塊。