Constanța-Mihaela Ion, Dumitru T. Murariu
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bibliometric analysis, centipedes, ecology, research trends
As predatory soil macroinvertebrates, centipedes are often considered groups used for soil community studies. However, research explicitly targeting centipede ecology remains relatively scarce. This paper addresses this gap by conducting a formal literature review and scientometric analysis of worldwide publications on the ecology of centipedes, specifically focusing on research studies conducted in Romania. We utilized articles published after 1990 and available in Web of Science collections under Ecology Research Area. As supported by the authors’ keywords co-citation networks, classical aspects of centipedes ecology, such as environmental requirements and tolerances of a particular species, seem to be hidden mainly within taxonomy and faunistic papers. Community ecology approaches are better delimited under the umbrella of biodiversity. Among these, ecotoxicology and food webs topics stand out, the latter being the subject of some of the most cited papers. The study also investigated collaboration groups and the countries supporting research in the field of centipede ecology. In Romania, Zachiu Matic studied the altitudinal distribution of centipedes in two mountain ranges, providing valuable insights into elevation limits for certain species. Additionally, Matic discussed synecological data on centipede communities in oak forests. Another researcher, Radu Gava, compared centipede diversity in different forest types, including oak, beech, and alder forests. Overall, the analysis revealed that the growth of articles on the ecology of centipedes had not followed a growing trend over the years, both internationally and locally. This stagnation suggests that certain limitations may still hinder research development in this field. However, the study sheds light on the existing research landscape and highlights specific areas for further investigation.
Cite this paper: Ion, C.M., Murariu, D.T. (2023). STUDIES ON CENTIPEDE ECOLOGY (MYRIAPODA: CHILOPODA) A BIBLIOMETRIC REVIEW. Current Trends in Natural Sciences, 12(23), 68-77. https://doi.org/10.47068/ctns.2023.v12i23.009
