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35 years and 160,000 articles: A bibliometric exploration of the evolution of ecology

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Abstract

We utilize the bibliometric tool of co-word analysis to identify trends in the methods and subjects of ecology during the period 1970–2005. Few previous co-word analyses have attempted to analyze fields as large as ecology. We utilize a method of isolating concepts and methods in large datasets that undergo the most significant upward and downward trends. Our analysis identifies policy-relevant trends in the field of ecology, a discipline that helps to identify and frame many contemporary policy problems. The results provide a new foundation for exploring the relations among public policies, technological change, and the evolution of science priorities.

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Correspondence to Mark William Neff.

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Neff, M.W., Corley, E.A. 35 years and 160,000 articles: A bibliometric exploration of the evolution of ecology. Scientometrics 80, 657–682 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-008-2099-3

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