Ecological Indicators (Dec 2023)
Scientometrics of the assessment of biotic integrity in estuaries
Abstract
In this study, we conducted a scientometric analysis of studies on the assessment of ecological conditions in estuaries using biotic indicators. We aimed (1) to describe the current landscape of the scientific production on the topic; (2) to characterize the most productive/influential authorships and the organization of scientific collaboration; (3) to analyze the most used biotic integrity indices, metrics and methods. After the survey process, separation, and analysis, 334 publications were selected between the years 1990 and 2021 that met all stablished criteria. The results indicated an increase in the number of publications along the years, but there are still few researchers working on the subject. European countries (mainly Spain and Portugal) and the USA dominate the scientific production, possibly due to the promulgation of legal guidelines in these countries regarding environmental assessments in estuaries. In this context, a concentrated scientific collaboration linked to European authors stands out. The Spanish author Angel Borja is the author with the most influential scientific production, with participation in the development of two of the biotic indexes most used (AMBI and M−AMBI). Among the most used indicators are the benthic macroinvertebrates, followed by the fish. We found that the most used metrics are related to community composition (e.g., richness, abundance, biomass), abiotic parameters (e.g., salinity, temperature), and pollutants (e.g., metals). Our results indicate that methodological issues are still of great concern, given the absence of standardization among studies. Another relevant aspect is the large gap of studies in tropical countries, which keep applying indices not developed for their regional particularities. The results of this study highlight the need for more studies in tropical regions, on the sensitivity of the species and about methodological aspects, which can greatly contribute for the development of the field.
