Chapter-5. Evolving Frontiers of Environmental Conservation: A Quantitative Bibliometric Mapping of Research Trends from 2016 to 2025
Date
2026
Authors
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Publisher
Shankhik
Abstract
This study aims to map the evolving frontiers of environmental conservation research by examining publication growth, influential sources and authors, highly cited documents, and dominant research themes through a quantitative bibliometric analysis. A total of 900 publications published between 2016 and 2025 were retrieved and analyzed using bibliometric techniques. Performance indicators, source dispersion, authorship productivity, citation impact, keyword frequency, and growth modeling were employed to assess the intellectual structure and developmental trajectory of the field. The results reveal a rapidly expanding research domain, with an annual growth rate of 17.87% and publication output increasing steadily over the study period. Research outputs are distributed across 668 sources, indicating high interdisciplinarity and dispersion. The field is characterized by strong collaboration, with 2,395 authors and an average of 2.96 co-authors per document, alongside 219 single-authored publications. Conceptual richness is evident from 730 author keywords, while 11,525 cited references reflect substantial intellectual grounding. The average document age of 3.16 years highlights the contemporary nature of the research, and an average of 4.037 citations per document indicates moderate and growing scholarly impact. Author productivity analysis identifies YOON J, KIM G, MAHARAJAN KL, and RAHMAN NA as among the most prolific contributors, with notable differences between absolute publication counts and fractionalized contributions, underscoring varying degrees of collaborative engagement. Citation analysis highlights several globally influential publications, including works by Purnomo et al. (2020), Nelson et al. (2020), and Zhang et al. (2020), published in leading journals such as Forest Policy and Economics, PLOS ONE, and Science of the Total Environment. These studies exhibit high total citations and strong annual citation rates, reflecting their foundational role in shaping contemporary environmental conservation discourse. Keyword frequency analysis indicates that research is strongly anchored around environmental conservation, conservation, environment, and sustainability, with growing emphasis on biodiversity, ecosystem services, local wisdom, contingent valuation, and ecotourism, highlighting an increasing integration of ecological, socio-economic, and valuation-based perspectives. Overall, the findings portray environmental conservation as a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and rapidly developing research frontier, with expanding thematic diversity and significant potential for future scholarly advancement. By integrating productivity, citation, authorship, and thematic analyses, this study offers a comprehensive and forward-looking bibliometric overview of environmental conservation research, providing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and sustainability scholars.
Description
Keywords
SOCIAL SCIENCES::Other social sciences::Library and information science
Citation
Dhali, G. (2026). Evolving frontiers of environmental conservation: A quantitative bibliometric mapping of research trends from 2016 to 2025. In G. Rajbanshi, F. Hossain, & S. Adhikary (Eds.), Contemporary aspects of environment, society, and livelihood (pp. 61-79). Shankhik Publication.