A bibliometric analysis of research trends of biogenic volatile organic compounds emitted from terrestrial ecosystems

Abstract:

Living organisms in terrestrial ecosystems produce, accumulate, and emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs). Many studies have been conducted on the emissions of BVOCs due to their effect on human health and climate change. However, it is difficult to grasp the emerging trends in the existing research, identify consensus with respect to the salient topics, and anticipate future research directions. In this study, a scientometric analysis related to BVOC emissions was conducted. The results showed that the overall word frequency was found to have increased over time. “Isoprene” and “monoterpene” were identified as the top keywords in this field in terms of co-occurrence frequencies. Several keywords, including “O₃”, “SOA”, “air quality”, and “climate change” showed a high and increasing frequency. Additionally, cluster analysis showed that the main knowledge domains were BVOC emissions and drivers, BVOCs and their oxidation products in biosphere-atmosphere exchange, and soil BVOCs (SBVOCs) in plant-microbe interactions. These results imply that BVOC emissions have received increasing attention in recent years. Compound-based research has been the primary focus of BVOC emissions that are closely related to atmospheric chemistry and climate effects. SBVOCs in plant-microbe interactions can be expected to become a new research trend in future research.