Global trends and research gaps in tide pool studies: a bibliometric analysis (1934–2023)

Abstract

Tide pools are dynamic intertidal habitats that have attracted sustained scientific attention due to their ecological complexity and accessibility as natural study systems. This study provides a quantitative bibliometric analysis of tide pool research conducted between 1934 and 2023. We compiled a global database of 249 publications to examine temporal trends, thematic focus, geographic distribution, and research structure within the field. Our analysis reveals a marked increase in publication output over time, with a pronounced acceleration after 2010, indicating growing scientific interest. Research topics are unevenly distributed, with fish-related studies representing the largest proportion of the literature, followed by experimental approaches. Other topics, including ecology, environmental drivers, and biodiversity, are present but comparatively less represented. Geographically, research effort is strongly concentrated in the Americas and Europe, while Africa and Asia remain underrepresented, highlighting significant spatial disparities in knowledge production. The diversity of research themes and their temporal evolution illustrate how tide pools have been used as model systems across multiple areas of marine science. At the same time, the observed imbalances in topic prevalence and geographic coverage point to important gaps in the current literature. Based on these patterns, we identify several forward-looking directions for research development, including expanded geographic representation, improved comparability across studies, and broader integration of complementary methodological approaches. By systematically characterizing the structure of existing research, this study provides a quantitative foundation for understanding how tide pool science has developed over time and where future efforts may be most effectively directed.