Mapping Scientific Literature on Marine Pollution: A Scientometric Analysis

By Aiden Harrison

The Aiden Harrison book "Mapping Scientific Literature on Marine Pollution: A Scientometric Analysis" looks at all the research trends and patterns in the area of marine pollution. Scientific articles, conference proceedings, and books about marine pollution are mapped and analysed using scientometric analysis in this book. The writings come from a number of databases, such as Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. This study looks at the main research themes, trends, and knowledge gaps in the area of marine pollution.

The book also looks at how many publications different countries, institutions, and writers make, as well as how they work together and how they get cited. It lists the most important books, papers, and authors in the field and rates how they have changed the literature. The book also looks at how different types of research funding, like government grants and money from businesses, have changed the way marine pollution study is done.

Researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who work in the field of marine pollution will find this book's results useful. So will scholars who want to learn more about scientometric analysis of research literature. The book talks about the main research themes and gaps, finds areas where more research is needed, and names the most important researchers, institutions, and papers in the field.

• Language: English
• Publisher: NajeebAhmed
• Release date: Mar 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224600540

Book preview

Mapping Scientific Literature on Marine Pollution

A Scientometric Analysis

BY

Aiden Harrison

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO.

––––––––

CONTENTS

PAGE NO.

INTRODUCTION

1

2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE RESEARCH DESIGN

3

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

––––––––

1-30

31-98

99-116

117-254

255-280

1  INTRODUCTION 1

2  REVIEW OF LITERATURE 31

2.1  INTRODUCTION 31

2.2  STUDIES RELATED TO MARINE POLLUTION 32

STUDIES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL

2.3  SCIENCE 34

2.4  STUDIES RELATED TO MARINE SCIENCE 46

2.5  STUDIES RELATED TO OTHER SUBJECTS 54

2.6  STUDIES BASED ON H-INDICES 66

STUDIES BASED ON BIBLIOMETRIC LAWS /

2.7  SCIENTOMETRIC INDICATORS 71

2.8  STUDIES BASED ON JOURNALS 78

2.9  STUDIES BASED ON COUNTRIES 81

2.10  STUDIES BASED ON INSTITUTIONS 83

2.11  INFERENCES 84

REFERENCES 86

3  RESEARCH DESIGN 99

3.1  INTRODUCTION 99

3.2  THE SOURCE DATABASE 99

3.3  APPLICATIONS OF STATISTICAL TOOLS 100

SCIENTOMETRIC INDICATORS AND

3.4  STATISTICAL TOOLS 100

3.4.1  Annual Growth Rate (AGR) 101

3.4.2  Exponential Growth Rate (EGR) 102

3.4.3  Relative Growth Rate (RGR) 102

3.4.4  Doubling Time (DT) 103

3.4.5  Time Series Analysis (TSA) 103

3.4.6  Degree of Collaboration (DC) 104

3.4.7  Collaboration Index (CI) 105

3.4.8  Collaboration Co-Efficient (CC) 105

3.4.9  Modified Collaboration Co-efficient (MCC) 106

3.4.10  Co-Authorship Index (CAI) 106

3.4.11  Lotka’s Law Author Productivity 107

3.4.12  Price’s Square Root Law 108

3.4.13  h-Index 108

3.4.14  g-Index 109

3.4.15  hg-Index 109

3.4.16  e-Index 110

3.4.17  A-Index 111

3.4.18  R-Index 111

3.4.19  f-Index 111

3.4.20  Bradford’s Law of Scattering 112

3.4.21  Impact Factor 112

3.4.22  SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) 113

3.4.23  Activity Index (AI) 113

3.4.24  VOSviewer 114

4.2 RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY IN MARINE POLLUTION LITERATURE

117

Frequency Distribution of Publications 117

Annual Growth Rate and Exponential Growth Rate of publications

Relative Growth Rate and Doubling Time of publications

Time Series Analysis: The Future Growth of Publications

––––––––

120

123

126

AUTHOR PRODUCTIVITY 128

Authorship Pattern Vs Number of Publications 128

Year-wise Authorship Pattern Vs Number of Publications

Single Author Vs Multiple Authors Contributions

––––––––

130

134

Degree of Collaboration (DC) 136

Collaboration Index (CI) 138

Collaborative Coefficient (CC) and Modified Collaborative Coefficient (MCC)

140

Co-Authorship Index (CAI) 141

Prolific Authors Vs Number of Publications 144

Prolific Authors Vs Number of Citations 150

Prolific Authors Publications Vs Citation per Paper (CPP)

Prolific Authors Vs h-index, g-index and hg- index

158

160

Prolific Authors Vs e-index 162

Prolific Authors Vs R-index 164

Prolific Authors Vs f-index 165

Prolific Authors Vs A-index 167

Lotka’s Law of Author Productivity 168

Lotka’s Inverse Square Root Law of Author Productivity

Price’s Square Root Law of Author Productivity

170

173

JOURNAL PRODUCTIVITY 175

Source Title wise Distribution of Publications 175

Source Title wise Distribution of Citations 179

Source Title wise Distribution of Citations Vs

Impact Factor, SCImago Journal Rank and h- index

184

4.4.4 Bradford’s Distribution of Journals 189

DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS BY STRUCTURE 203

Document Type Distribution of Publications 203

Language-wise Distribution of Publications 204

Subject-wise Distribution of Publications 206

Author Keyword Occurrence 208

Index Keyword Occurrence 210

Analysis of Zipf’s Law 213

Institutions-wise Distribution of Publications 215

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS

218

Country-wise Distribution of Publications 218

Country-wise Distribution of h-indices 223

Activity Index of Top 10 Countries 225

Continent wise Distribution of Publications 228

Continent wise Distribution of h-indices 230

BRICS Countries Distribution of Publications 230

INDIAN RESEARCH OUTPUT ON MARINE POLLUTION LITERATURE

232

World Output Vs India Output 232

Citations of Indian Publications 234

Authorship Productivity of Indian Contributions

235

Prolific Authors in Indian Publications 237

Foreign Author’s Collaboration with Indian author’s

241

4.8.6 Highly Cited Paper of Indian Author’s Publications

244

Ranking of Indian Institutions 247

State-wise Distribution of Publications 249

  Ranking of Tamil Nadu Institutions 252

5.2.1 RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY IN MARINE POLLUTION LITERATURE

255

Frequency distribution of publications 255

Annual Growth Rate and Exponential Growth Rate

256

Relative Growth Rate and Doubling Time 257

Time Series Analysis 257

AUTHOR PRODUCTIVITY 258

Authorship Pattern Vs Number of Publications 258

Single Author Vs Multiple Authors 259

Degree of Collaboration 259

Collaboration Index 259

Collaboration Co-efficient 260

Co-Authorship Index (CAI) 260

Prolific Authors Vs Number of Publications 260

Prolific Authors Vs Number of Citations 261

  Prolific Authors Vs h-index, g-index and hg-

261

CHAPTER CONTENTS NO.

5.2.2.15 Price’s Square Root Law of Author Productivity

PAGE NO.

263

JOURNAL PRODUCTIVITY 264

Source Title wise Distribution of Publications 264

Source Title wise Distribution of Citations 264

Bradford’s Distribution of Journals 265

CITATION ANALYSIS 265

Publications Vs Citations 265

Highly Cited Publications 266

DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS BY STRUCTURE

266

Document Type Distribution of Publications 266

Language-wise Distribution of Publications 267

Subject-wise Distribution of Publications 267

Keyword Occurrence 268

Institutions-wise Distribution of Publications 268

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS

269

Country-wise Distribution of Publications 269

Country-wise Distribution of h-indices 269

Activity Index of Top 10 countries 270

Continent wise Distribution of Publications 270

BRICS Countries Distribution of Publications 271

5.2.7 INDIAN RESEARCH OUTPUT ON MARINE POLLUTION LITERATURE

271

World Output Vs India Output 271

Citations of Indian Publications 271

Authorship Productivity of Indian Contributions

272

Prolific Authors in Indian Publications 272

CHAPTER CONTENTS NO.

Highly Cited Paper of Indian Author’s Publications

PAGE NO.

273

Ranking of Indian Institutions 273

State-wise Distribution of Publications 274

Ranking of Tamil Nadu Institutions 274

FINDINGS IN RELATION TO HYPOTHESES 275

CONCLUSION 277

DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH - SUGGESTIONS

279

Lotka’s Law of Author Productivity 169

Lotka’s  Inverse  Square  Root  Law  of  Author Productivity 171

Price’s Square Root Law of Author Productivity 173

Top  50  Source  Title  wise  Distributions  of Publications 175

Top 50 Source Title wise Distributions of Citations 180

Top 50 Source Title wise Distributions of Citations Vs Impact Factor, SCImago Journal Rank and h-

index 185

Bradford’s Distribution of Journals 189

Bradford’s Distribution of Journals in Zones 192

Year-wise Publications Vs Citations on Marine

Pollution 1989-2018 194

Citation Range Vs Cited Papers in Marine

Pollution Literature 196

Top 20 Highly Cited Publications in the Marine

Pollution Literature 198

Document Type Distribution of Publications 203

Language-wise Distributions of Publications 205

Subject-wise Distribution of Publications 207

Top 50 Author Keyword Occurrences in Marine

Pollution Literature 208

Top 50 Index Keyword Occurrences in Marine

Pollution Literature 211

Ranking of Word Occurrence (Zipf’s Law) 214

Top 25 Productive Institutions in Global Level 216

Country-wise Distribution of Publications in

Marine Pollution Literature 218

Top 25 Country-wise Distribution of h-indices 223

Activity Index of Top 10 countries in Marine

Pollution Literature 226

Continent wise Distribution of Publications 229

Continent wise Distribution of h-indices 230

BRICS Countries Distribution of Publications 231

Year-wise World Output Vs India Output 232

Year-wise Citations of Indian Publications 234

Authorship Productivity of Indian Contributions 236

Top 25 Prolific Authors in Indian Publications 238

Foreign Author’s Collaboration with Indian

author’s 242

Top 10 Highly Cited  Paper  of  Indian  Author’s  Publications 245

Top 20 Indian Institutions in Marine Pollution

Literature 247

State-wise Distribution of Publications 250

Ranking of Tamil Nadu Institutions in Marine

Pollution Literature 252

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ACP - Average Citation per Year

AGR - Annual Growth Rate

AI - Activity Index

ANON - Anonymous

APA - American Psychological Association ASFA - Aquatic Science and Fisheries Abstract

BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa CAGR - Compound Annual Growth Rate

CAI - Co-Authorship Index

CC - Collaborative Coefficient

CI - Collaboration Index

CPP - Citation per Paper

CSIR - Council of Scientific & Industrial Research DC - Degree of Collaboration

DT - Doubling Time

EGR - Exponential Growth Rate

EU - European Union

IF - Impact Factor

IIT - Indian Institute of Technology

LIS - Library and Information Science MCC - Modified Collaborative Coefficient NIO  -  National Institute of Oceanography

NOAA - National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration

NP - Number of Publications

OER - NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research OL - Ocean Literacy

RGI - Relative Growth Index

RFID - Radio Frequency Identification

RICR - Relative International Collaboration Rate SCI - Science Citation Index

SCIE - Science Citation Index Expanded SJR - SCImago Journal Rank

SICP - Share of International Collaborative Papers SIR - SCImago Institution Rankings

SSCI - Social Science Citation Index TC - Total Citations

TGCS - Total Global Citation Scores TLCS - Total Local Citation Scores TSA  -  Time Series Analysis

UK - United Kingdom

USA - United States of America

USDA - United States Department of Agriculture WoS - Web of Science

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1  PREAMBLE

The term ‘research’ according to Cambridge dictionary refers that a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding. According to the American sociologist Earl Robert Babbie, Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon. Research involves inductive and deductive methods (Babbie, 1998).

Scientific research refers that application of scientific techniques to the examination of relationships among natural fact, or to resolve a scientific and technical crisis.

Scientometrics is the field of study which deals with measuring and analyzing scientific activities, mainly to generate valuable data on scientific literature indexed in databases. Scientometrics is a technique to assess the performance of a research and compare the scientific productivity of individuals, institutions and countries at regional, national and international levels.

The impact of wastes on the environment is simply known as pollution. The harmful entry of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste into the marine environment leads to marine pollution. This circumstance creates threat to the marine ecosystem.

There are some new areas of research in various disciplines which gain momentum. Marine pollution research is one such area which has grown-up more rapidly over the recent years.

In this research, scientometric methods have been applied to investigate the research progress, productivity of authors, collaborative tendency, citation patterns, most important countries, institutions, core journals, quantitative indices such as h- index, g-index, etc and qualitative indices such as f-index, R-index, etc at universal level in the area of Marine pollution literature.

1.2  SCIENTOMETRICS OVERVIEW

Scientometrics is the technique of measuring information using quantitative and qualitative indicators. It is analogous to Bibliometrics and Informatics; it uses mathematical and statistical techniques for the evaluation and predicting the advancement of science. Scientometrics may be defined as the application of those quantitative methods which are dealing with the analysis of science viewed as an information process (Nalimov & Mulcheno, 1969).

Scientometrics is a technique of assessing scientific productivity of an individual, institution, subject or nation. Scientific literature produced by these entities reflects their scientific activity. Hence scientometric analysis is being increasingly used to evaluate the research performance of researchers, research institutions and the research trends in various disciplines. Mathematical and statistical tools are used to conduct these studies. Though bibliometric and scientometric techniques are found to be more or less similar, the emphasis of scientometric studies are the quantitative aspects of generation, propagation and use

of scientific information in order to contribute to understanding the mechanism of scientific research (Bormann, 2007).

Tauge-Sutchiffe defined Scientometrics as a study of the quantitative aspects of science as a discipline or economic activity. It is part of the sociology of science and has application to science policy-making. It involves quantitative studies of scientific activities including, among others, publications and so overlaps bibliometrics to some extent.

The dynamics of the academic world of science and technology keeps on changing the landscape characterized by the continuous emergence and development of new research directions, funding initiatives, scientific publications, and communication and collaboration networks (Etzkowitza & Lydesdorffb, 2000).

The quantitative approach to characterize scientific activity emerged as a new strand of research within science and technology studies in 1960’s. Science becoming huge in terms of investment and skilled manpower requirement, competition for funding among different disciplines, peer review process being questioned as subjective helped push the new agenda of quantitative approach. This quantitative approach to measure scientific activity was coined as Scientometrics. It is a generic term for a system of knowledge which endeavors to study the scientific and technological system, using a variety of quantitative approaches within the area of Science and Technology Studies (STS).

Scientometrics is concerned with the quantitative features and characteristics of science and scientific research. Emphasis is placed on investigations in which the development and mechanism of science are studied by statistical mathematical

methods. Scientometrics is now considered as a part of the sociology of science and is applied to science policy making. Thus Scientometrics involves studies in:

›  Sociology of Science

›  History of Science

›  Growth of literature

›  Behaviour of Scientists

›  Science indicators

1.2.1  Applications of Scientometrics

›  The quantitative characteristics of library and information science studies, especially use and user studies, growth of collection, age distribution of documents, circulation statistics, etc.

›  Journal productivity (by coverage, by use, by citation, cost-effectiveness measures, impact factor, h-index, sources of citations, immediacy of citations, age of sources cited, coverage in databases, etc.)

›  Measures of productivity or author productivity, including studies related to multiple authorship (number of publications. cost-effectiveness measures, impact factor, h-index, reprints request, photocopies made, sources of citations, immediacy of citations, number of reviews, adoption rates (text books), etc.)

›  Obsolescence and growth of literature

›  Co-citation, bibliographic coupling, co-word analysis, rank distribution of words, etc.

›  Quantitative analyses of science (science indicators—country-wise, language-wise, subject-wise, etc.)

›  Identifying relationships among various disciplines, structure of subjects, etc.

›  Evaluation of scientific research (by institutions, by individuals, by countries, etc.)

1.3  ENVIRONMENT - OVERVIEW

The Solar system in which Earth is located comprises Sun, planets and their moons apart from several thousand of other minor planets, asteroids, planetoids and large number of comets. Each member of the Solar system ultimately revolves round the Sun. Earth is the fifth largest planet in the Solar system and the third nearest planet to the Sun. Earth is also called as the Blue Planet because 80% of its surface is covered by water. Man, considered to be the intellectual gene on the earth, is both the creator as well as the mould of his own environment which gives him not only physical sustenance but also an opportunity for intellectual, moral and spiritual growth. Earth and Environment are inseparable, and inter-dependent (Maheshwara Swamy, 2010).

The concept of environment is as old as the concept of the Nature itself. It is a composite term reflecting the condition in which organisms consisting of air, water, food, sunlight etc., thrive and become living sources of life for all the living and non-living beings including plant life.

The concept of environment can be understood two dimensionally, namely, in a narrow sense and broader sense. In its narrow and etymological sense environment denotes surroundings whereas in its broader sense it includes everything visible and invisible, seen and unseen, known and unknown, living and non-living and their interaction in, on, under and above the surface of the earth.

The following are some of the important definitions given by various authors and authorities, to the term Environment.

According to Park, the term Environment refers to the Sum total of conditions which surround man at a given point in space and time.

According to Goudi, Environment is the representative of physical components of the earth wherein man is the important factor influencing his environment.

According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the term Environment means the entire range of external influences acting on an organism, both the physical and biological, and other organism, i.e. forces of nature surrounding an individual.

1.3.1  Types of Environment

Environment can broadly be divided into the following two types namely Natural Environment and Man-made Environment.

Natural Environment

It has a self-regulating mechanism. It is also called as homeostatic environment mechanism. Under this type any change in the system caused due to

natural processing is counter balanced by the changes in the other components of the environment.

Man-made Environment

It is environment created by man for his own development, such as industrial development, communication media, such as telephone, telex, fax, satellite, computers, agricultural implements, machines and equipments, energy sources, such as nuclear and atomic energy, hydro and thermal energy, dams, parks, zoos, sanctuaries, monuments, buildings, etc.

Factors affecting Environment

The available literature on this subject indicates that there are four important factors that frequently affect the environment in a natural way, namely

›  Topographic or physiographic factors, such as altitude, direction of mountain chains, plains, lakes, plateaus, rivers, sea level and valleys.

›  Climatic factors or aerial factors, such as atmosphere, humidity, temperature, light, etc.

›  Edaphic factors, such as lithosphere or soil and

›  Biotic factors, such as human beings, animals, plants and micro- organisms which interact among themselves in different forms.

1.4  POLLUTION - OVERVIEW

The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in U.K. in its third report gave the following definition to the term Pollution namely The introduction by man into the environment of substances or energy liable to cause hazards to human health, harm to living resources and ecological systems, damage to structure or amenity or interference with legitimate uses of the environment.

U.K. Environment Protection Act 1990 says the term Pollution means The release (into any environmental medium) from any process of substances which are capable of causing harm to man or any other living organisms supported by the environment. Pollution occurs when there is the potential for harm. Harm of man is not confined to physical injury but encompasses offence caused to any of his senses or harm to his property, therefore smells and noise which may not cause injury can constitute pollution. Harm to living organisms can include harm to their health or interference with the ecological systems of which they form a part.

According to Mc Laughlin Pollution is defined as The introduction by man into any part of the environment of wastes/water energy or energy or surplus energy which so changes the environment directly or indirectly adversely to effect the opportunity of men to use or enjoy it.

The Indian law defines environmental pollution as the presence in the environment of any environmental pollutant and as per the provisions of the Act Environmental pollutant means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment.

1.4.1  Kinds of Pollution

Environmental pollution may broadly be classified into

›  Natural Pollution – Environment is polluted often by natural phenomenon, such as earthquakes, floods, drought, cyclones, etc.

›  Man-made Pollution – Human activities

›  The pollution can also be classified further as, air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, food pollution, noise pollution and radio-active pollution, etc.

1.4.2  Causes of Pollution

The important causes which lead to environmental pollution are as follows:

›  Increase in population

›  Unmindful use of technology

›  Lack of check over the increasing number of pollutants

›  Industrial development through exploitation of natural and other sources

›  Unplanned discharge of pollutants into air, land and water,

›  Unplanned disposal of excreted and waste water and other dust materials

›  Inappropriate management of solid wastes

›  Failure to control vectors

›  Failure in food protection

›  Failure to prevent emission of ionizing radiation

›  Inappropriate management of electro-magnetic energy, heat and sound, etc.

1.4.3  Types of Pollution

Figure 1.1 Types of Pollution

1.4.3.1  Air Pollution

Air pollution is presence of substances in the air (which generally originate from human activities) in sufficient concentrations and sufficient time, to interfere with the comfort, health, safety or full use and enjoyment of property (Chawla, 2013).

Air pollution is the contamination of the atmosphere by gaseous, liquid, or solid wastes or by-products that can endanger human health and the health and welfare of plants and animals, or can attack materials, reduce visibility, or produce undesirable odours. Air pollution is generally disequilibrium condition of air caused due to the introduction of foreign elements from natural or man-made sources into the air so that it proves injurious to biological community (Myneni, 2008).

1.4.3.2  Soil Pollution

Soil pollution refers to any physical or chemical change in soil conditions that may adversely affect the growth of plants and other organisms living in or on that soil. Soil pollution and water pollution are closely connected. Acid rain and excessive use of chemical fertilizers result in the soil’s inability to hold nutrients. This, in turn, allows toxic pesticides or atmospheric fallows to rapidly seep into the groundwater or to run off into rivers and coastal waters. Some of the persistent pollutants remain in the soil and degrade it (Myneni, 2008).

1.4.3.3  Noise Pollution

The release of unwanted sound in the atmosphere is called noise pollution. Noise pollution is the uneasy, unwanted and undesired sound produced by traffic, industrial units, airplanes, and similar source. Noise pollution is a part of air pollution as noise is carried through the air (Myneni, 2008).

1.4.3.4  Water Pollution

When the quality or composition of water changes directly or indirectly as a result of man’s activities such that it becomes unfit for any purpose, it is said to be polluted. Water pollution is the contamination of water by foreign matter such as micro-organisms, chemicals, industrial or other wastes or sewage (Myneni, 2008).

Water pollution is classified as freshwater pollution (it includes both surface and ground water pollution) and marine water pollution (Chawla, 2013).

1.5  MARINE POLLUTION

Marine pollution has been an ever-present problem since the advent of large- scale agricultural activity and industrialization. However, significant laws and regulations at an international level to tackle the problem came only in the mid- twentieth century. During United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea in the early 1950s, the various stakeholders came together to deliberate and formulate laws pertaining to marine pollution. Till mid-twentieth century the majority of the scientists maintained that oceans were vast enough to be able to dilute the amount of pollution being drained into them, thus, considering pollution harmless to the marine life.

Oceans cover more than 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface and contain some of the Earth’s most complex and diverse ecosystems. In addition to serve as the habitation for a vast array of plants and animals, the marine also supply people with food, energy and mineral resources. Over half the people in the developing countries obtain 40 per cent or more of their total animal protein from fish. The coastal zone constitutes only about 10 percent of the total oceanic area, but accounts for more than half of the ocean’s biological productivity and supplies nearly all the world’s catch of fish. Coastal areas contain many kinds of ecosystems that are vital to marine life and humankind; four of the most productive are salt marshes, mangroves, estuaries, and coral reefs. About 60 percent of the world’s population or nearly 3 billion people live on or within some 100 km of a sea coast. In parts of South East Asia, 75 percent of the populations