Adaptive Evolution of Marine Organisms: A Bibliometric Analysis Based on CiteSpace

Abstract

(1) Background: The increasing complexity of marine organism habitats and the impact of climate change on the marine environment have garnered global attention towards the adaptive evolution of marine organisms. However, there still remains a lack of understanding regarding the historical development and research trends of adaptive evolution in marine organisms. (2) Methods: We conducted an analysis on the adaptive evolution of marine organisms published in the Web of Science (WOS) over the past two decades. Through a visualization of publications, authors, institutional affiliations, and keywords based on CiteSpace, this review examines research contributions, identifies research hotspots, and outlines future development trends in this field. (3) Results: The findings indicate a surge in the advancement of the adaptive evolution of marine organisms, particularly since 2017, with tight collaboration among European nations. Additionally, Chinese research institutions and scholars have emerged as some of the most significant contributors in this field. (4) Conclusions: This review provides an overview of the main research hotspots and frontiers in the field pertaining to adaptive evolution of marine organisms, as well as the historical timeline of research and development. This review has offered scientific guidance to scholars and institutions concerned with conducting research on marine organisms and adaptive evolution.