Trends in research on global climate change: A Science Citation Index Expanded-based analysis

[Eugene Garfield]

Trends in research on global climate change: A Science Citation Index 
Expanded-based analysis

Author(s): Li, JF (Li, Jinfeng); Wang, MH (Wang, Ming-Huang); Ho, YS (Ho, 
Yuh-Shan)
Source: GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE  Volume: 77  Issue: 1-2  Pages: 13-
20  DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2011.02.005  Published: MAY 2011  

Abstract: This study was conceived to evaluate the global scientific output of 
climate change research over the past 18 years and to assess the 
characteristics of the research patterns, tendencies, and methods in the 
papers. Data were based on the online version of Science Citation Index 
Expanded from 1992 to 2009. Articles referring to climate change were 
assessed by distribution of source countries, source institutes, paper titles, 
author keywords, KeyWords Plus, abstracts, and the most cited articles in 
these years. By synthetic analysis of the four kinds of keywords, it was 
concluded that the items "temperature", "environment", "precipitation", 
"greenhouse gas", "risk", and "biodiversity" will be the foci of climate change 
research in the 21st century, while "model", "monitoring", and "remote sensing" 
will continue to be the leading research methods. A novel method, 
"phylogeography", may have a strong application potential in the near future. 
(C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: English
Document Type: Article
Author Keywords: word cluster analysis; bibliometrics; climate change; 
research trend; model
KeyWords Plus: SPACE-TIME CLIMATE; SEA-LEVEL RISE; BIBLIOMETRIC 
ANALYSIS; ICE-CORE; PRECIPITATION; TEMPERATURE; ADAPTATION; 
RESPONSES; SYSTEM; MODEL

Addresses: [Ho, YS] Asia Univ, Trend Res Ctr, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
[Li, JF; Wang, MH] Peking Univ, Dept Environm Sci, Coll Environm Sci & Engn, 
Beijing 100871, Peoples R China
[Ho, YS] Minist Educ, Key Lab Water & Sediment Sci, Beijing 100871, Peoples R 
China
Reprint Address: Ho, YS (reprint author), Asia Univ, Trend Res Ctr, Taichung 
41354, Taiwan

E-mail Address: ysho at asia.edu.tw
ISSN: 0921-8181
URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921818111000324