A bibliometric analysis of seagrass sediment: Interpretation and prospects for research hotspots

Kaiyun Chen; Weijie Liu; Chao Zhong; Mengmeng Zhao; Yaqin Liao; Hong Du; Qinghua Chen

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106807

A bibliometric analysis of seagrass sediment: Interpretation and prospects for research hotspots

Mar Environ Res. 2024 Oct 28:202:106807. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106807. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Kaiyun Chen¹, Weijie Liu², Chao Zhong², Mengmeng Zhao², Yaqin Liao², Hong Du³, Qinghua Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China; South China Institute of Environmental Science, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
² South China Institute of Environmental Science, Guangzhou, 510530, China; SCIES Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Tropical Island's Ecology and Environment, China.
³ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China. Electronic address: Hdu@stu.edu.cn.
⁴ South China Institute of Environmental Science, Guangzhou, 510530, China; SCIES Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Tropical Island's Ecology and Environment, China. Electronic address: chenqinghua@scies.org.

PMID: 39504806
DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106807

Abstract

Seagrass sediment is intricately linked to their ecological functions, collectively forming the foundation of the seagrass ecosystem, and providing a range of essential ecosystem services, underscoring their significant research importance. This study aims to analyze the emerging hotspots and evolving trends in research on seagrass sediment over the past two decades (2003-2023), identify current research gaps, and forecast future directions for investigation. We extracted data from 3,390 studies identified in the Web of Science that have published pivotal research on seagrass sediment. Over this period, investigations into seagrass sediment have progressively transitioned from focusing on seagrass ecology to examining global change impacts on these sediments, ultimately shifting towards blue carbon research. Notably, there remains a paucity of studies addressing the sediments of small and tropical seagrasses. Furthermore, while the sedimentation mechanisms related to seagrasses represent an active area of inquiry, comprehensive analyses regarding these mechanisms are still limited. This study underscores the critical need for further exploration into sedimentation processes involving seagrasses as well as calls for enhanced integration within blue carbon ecosystem sediment studies pertaining to seagrass habitats.

Keywords: Bibliometric analysis; Blue carbon; Global change; Research hotspots; Seagrass sediment.