ECOPERSIA

ECOPERSIA

Mapping the Intellectual Structure and Thematic Evolution of Research on Iran’s Biodiversity: A Scientometric Analysis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Rouhallah Khademi 1
Mojtaba Amiri 2
1 Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
2 Ph.D., Associate Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
10.48311/ecopersia.2026.122294.82935
Abstract
Aims: This study uses a scientometric approach to investigate Iranian biodiversity research and identify thematic structures and trends.
Materials & Methods: This study uses a descriptive scientometric approach and the Scopus database to analyze biodiversity research in Iran, with a query developed based on expert feedback. The query, designed to retrieve relevant documents while excluding unrelated terms, yielded 1758 entries, which were analyzed using Bibliometrix software with its Biblioshiny interface.
Findings: The analysis showed that 1758 documents on biodiversity in Iran were published between 1984 and 2025. Word and concept frequency increased after 2008, with the ten keywords showing upward trends. The keyword Iran showed an earlier upward trend in retrieved publications, beginning around 2003. Biodiversity and animal were the next most prominent concepts, while taxonomy, species richness, distribution, conservation, water quality, ecosystem, and the Middle East also increased in the literature. Co-word analysis identified three clusters: biodiversity conservation and forest ecosystems in Iran; biogeography and animal phylogeny; and biodiversity issues from a marine perspective.
Conclusion: Biodiversity research in Iran has gradually shifted from descriptive, species-focused studies toward more applied themes related to conservation, ecosystems, and environmental management. Taxonomy and biogeography remain foundations, while conservation-related topics are receiving increasing attention. These thematic patterns can clarify research priorities and highlight areas for further study. These findings may help link biodiversity research and conservation planning in Iran. Future progress would benefit from stronger interdisciplinary collaboration, improved biodiversity data resources, and closer integration of basic research with conservation practice.
Keywords
Biodiversity
Bibliometrix
Co-word Analysis
Intellectual Structure
Iran
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 20 July 2026
  • Revise Date 10 October 2026
  • Accept Date 11 October 2026
  • First Publish Date 11 October 2026
  • Publish Date 01 August 2026