How much biodiversity is concealed in the word 'biodiversity'?

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• The term 'biodiversity' is crucial for conservation but frequently used as a buzzword in scientific literature.
• Research claiming 'global biodiversity' focus may concentrate on limited taxonomic groups, habitats, or facets (taxonomic, phylogenetic, functional).
• Extrapolating findings from narrow studies can distort our understanding of global biodiversity and conservation efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the usage and scope of the term 'biodiversity' in scientific publications.
• To assess trends in the taxonomic scope of biodiversity research over time.
• To investigate the relationship between the taxonomic scope of studies and their citation impact and online attention.

Main Methods:

• A random sample of research papers with 'biodiversity' in their titles was analyzed.
• The taxonomic scope of selected studies was evaluated.
• Citation counts and online attention metrics were collected for the sampled papers.

Main Results:

• Despite advancements in tools and data, the taxonomic scope of biodiversity research has not significantly widened in recent years.
• Studies examining a broader taxonomic scope tend to attract more citations.
• Research with wider taxonomic scope also garners greater online attention.

Conclusions:

• The narrow taxonomic focus in much biodiversity research may lead to inaccurate generalizations about global biodiversity.
• Findings suggest that a wider taxonomic scope in research is associated with greater scientific impact and visibility.
• This highlights a need to broaden research perspectives for more accurate global biodiversity assessments and effective conservation strategies.