Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Environmental Sciences

Analysis and Visualization of the Research Done about Lake Urmia: A Scientometric Review based on Web of Science Data 1976-2024

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of knowledge & Information Science Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University

2 Department of Environmental Sciences, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University Tabriz, Iran-Sustainable Development Management Research Center of Urmia lake Basin and Aras River, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.

10.22034/rsgi.2025.64198.1112

Abstract

The aim of the present study is scientometric analysis and visualization of the researches conducted on Lake Urmia based on Web of Science. The descriptive research method was carried out with a scientometric approach. The statistical population of the research was 924 documents. To describe the data, SPSS software was used, ISI.EXE software and Text Statistic Analyzer software were used to identify the co-authorship pattern, and VOSViewer software was used to illustrate the co-authorship network and vocabulary occurrence. Based on the Spearman test, there was a significant relationship between the year with the number of articles and the number of citations. Collaborative Coefficient (CC) among authors was 0.69 and only 3.78% of the articles were written individually; also, articles with three, four, five and two authors were the common co-authorship pattern in this field. Universities of Tehran, Tabriz and Urmia respectively had the most documents in this field. Tabriz, Tehran and Urmia universities received the most citations respectively. In terms of the number of documents and received citations, “Bakhtiar Feizizadeh” and “Thomas Blaschke” were two core and leading researchers in this field; in terms of the number of articles “Vahid Nourani” and in terms of the number of received citations “Kaveh Madani” were the next core researchers. The researchers of the USA, Germany and Turkey contributed the most in writing articles in this field, respectively. The topics of “climate change”, “remote sensing”, “artemia urmiana”, “GIS”, “machine learning”, “drought” and “underground waters” were new study trends in this field.

Keywords

Main Subjects

هدف مطالعه حاضر تحلیل علم‌سنجی و مصورسازی پژوهشهای انجام شده در خصوص دریاچه ارومیه است که در وب‌آو‌ساینس نمایه شده‌اند. روش پژوهش توصیفی و با رویکرد علم‌سنجی انجام شد. جامعه آماری پژوهش 924 مدرک بازیابی شده در وب‌آو‌ساینس بود. به منظور توصیف داده‌ها، از نرم‌افزار SPSS، شناسایی الگوی هم‌تالیفی از نرم‌افزار ISI.EXE و نرم‌افزار Text Statistic Analyzer و مصورسازی شبکه هم‌تالیفی  و رخداد واژگان از نرم‌افزار VOSViewer استفاده شد. بر اساس نتایج آزمون همبستگی اسپیرمن رابطه مثبت و معنی‌داری (r=0.951, p,0.001) بین سال و تعداد مقالات وجود داشت؛ همچنین رابطه منفی و معنی‌دار (r=-0.526, p,0.001) بین سال نشر و تعداد استناد وجود داشت. اکثریت مقالات منتشرشده در راستای یک یا چند هدف توسعه پایدار بودند. ضریب همکاری بین نویسندگان 69/0 بود و فقط 78/3 درصد مقالات، بصورت انفرادی نوشته شده بودند؛ همچنین، مقالات با سه، چهار، پنج و دو نویسنده به ترتیب الگوی هم‌تالیفی رایج در مطالعات این حوزه بودند. دانشگاههای تهران، تبریز و ارومیه به ترتیب بیشترین مدارک را در این زمینه داشتند. دانشگاههای تبریز، تهران و ارومیه به ترتیب بیشترین استناد را دریافت کردند. از نظر تعداد مدارک و استناد دریافتی، «بختیار فیضی‌زاده» و «توماس بلاشکه» دو پژوهشگر هسته و پیشرو در این حوزه بودند؛ «وحید نورانی» نیز از نظر تعداد مدارک و «کاوه مدنی» از نظر تعداد استناد دریافتی پژوهشگران هسته بعدی بودند. پژوهشگران کشورهای امریکا، آلمان و ترکیه نیز به ترتیب بیشترین مشارکت را در تألیف مقالات این حوزه داشتند. گرایش‌های مطالعاتی جدید این حوزه «تغییرات آب و هوایی»، «سنجش از دور»، «آرتیمیا»، «GIS»، «یادگیری ماشینم، «خشکسالی» و «آب‌های زیرزمینی» بودند. این پژوهش جزء اولین مطالعاتی است که با رویکرد علم‌سنجی به بررسی پژوهش‌های بین‌المللی انجام شده درباره دریاچه ارومیه پرداخته است.

Abbaszadeh, M., Banifatemeh, H., Nikdel, N. (2020). A Study of Farmers’ Perception of Urmia Lake (UL) Crisis with Grounded Theory Approach. Journal of Applied Sociology, 31(2), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.22108/jas.2019.117790.1728 (In Persian)
Ajiferuke, I., Burell, Q. Tague, J. (1988). Collaborative coefficient: A single measure of the degree of collaboration in research.  Scientometrics, 14, 421–433. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02017100
Amin Fanak, D., Rezaei, R., Kahrizi, Z. (2023). Identification and Analysis of the Barriers to Farmers' Participation in the Revitalization of Lake Urmia Mahabad Sub-Basin. Journal of Water and Sustainable Development, 10(3), 51-60. https://doi.org/10.22067/jwsd. v10i3.2303-1225 (In Persian)
Bredillet, C. (2006). Investigating the future of project management: a co-word analysis approach. In Proceedings of the 7th Biannual International Research Network on Organising by Projects (IRNOP) Research Conference (pp. 477-497). International Research Network on Organising by Projects (IRNOP). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/49507/ 
Britannica, the Editors of Encyclopaedia (2019). Lake Urmia. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 8, 2024 from: https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Urmia
Duran-Sánchez, A., Alvarez-García, J., del Río-Rama, M. D. L. C. (2018). Sustainable water resources management: A bibliometric overview. Water, 10(9), 1191. https://doi.org/10.3390/w10091191
Ferreira, V., Fabregat-Aibar, L., Pie, L., Terceno, A. (2022). Research trends and hotspots in bioeconomy impact analysis: a study of economic, social and environmental impacts. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 96, 106842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.­2022.106842
Glänzel, W. (2001). National characteristics in international scientific co-authorship relations. Scientometrics, 51, 69-115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1010512628145
Hayati, B., Maliki, M., Hosseinzad, J., Haghjou, M. (2014). The Conservative and Improvement Value of Urumiye Lake from Urmian Citizen’s Point of View. Agricultural Economics, 8 (Special Issue), 123-136. https://www.iranianjae.ir/article_9923_en.html (In Persian)
He, Q. (1999). Knowledge discovery through co-word analysis. Library Trends, 48 (1), 133-159.  https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/8226/bitstreams/28129/data.pdf.
Ho, L., & Goethals, P. (2020). Research hotspots and current challenges of lakes and reservoirs: a bibliometric analysis. Scientometrics, 124(1), 603-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-020-03453-1
Ho, Y. S. (2007). Bibliometric analysis of adsorption technology in environmental science. Journal of environmental protection science, 1(1), 1-11. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255650­756_Bibliometric_Analysis_of_Adsorption_Technology_in_Environmental_Science
Hoseinzadeh Khachak, S., Rafieyan, O., Valizadeh_Kamran, K., dalalian, M. R., Mohammadi, G. H. (2024). Identifying Potential Areas to Dust generation using fuzzy logic and AHP in the Southeast of Urmia Lake. Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Environmental Sciences, 4(10), 77-48. https://doi.org/ 10.22034/rsgi.2024.61299.1071 (In Persian)
Hossain, S., Batcha, M. S. (2022). Mapping Scientific Literature Trend on Sustainable Development Goals at Global Perspectives: A Scientometric Insight. Indian Journal of Natural Sciences, 13(73), 45643-45653.https://tnsroindia.org.in/JOURNAL/issue73/ISSUE%2073%20%20FULL%20TEXT­%20PART%2001.pdf
Huang, L., Chen, X., Ni, X., Liu, J., Cao, X., & Wang, C. (2021). Tracking the dynamics of co-word networks for emerging topic identification. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 170, 120944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120944
Kumar, S., & Jan, J. M. (2012). Discovering knowledge landscapes: an epistemic analysis of business and management field in Malaysia. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 65, 1027-1032.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.237
Lv, T., Wang, L., Xie, H., Zhang, X., Zhang, Y. (2021). Evolutionary overview of water resource management (1990–2019) based on a bibliometric analysis in Web of Science. Ecological informatics, 61, 101218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101218
Maler, R., M. Rudolf, and S. Seidens. (2020). Co-Authorship Patterns in Business and Economics: A Social Network Analysis. In Academy of Management Proceedings. Academy of Management Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2020.12619abstract
Nikdel, N., Banifatemeh, H., Abbaszadeh, M. (2022). Narrative analysis of the Iranian scientific and political elites on the water crisis of Urmia Lake. Journal of Economic & Developmental Sociology, 11(1), 1-30 https://doi.org/10.22034/jeds.2022.34723.1268 (In Persian)
Ogasawara, N. (2024). Collaborative networks in gastroenterology research: a co-authorship network analysis (2000-2023). Arquivos de Gastroenterologia, 61, e24083. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0004-2803.24612024-083
Pandey, S., Sahoo, S. (2020). Research collaboration and authorship pattern in the field of semantic digital libraries. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 40(6), 375-381. https://doi.org /10.14429/djlit.40.06.15680
Pushpa, S. T. (2023). Authorship Pattern and Collaborative Research on Encephalitis. Library Progress International, 43(1), 110-117. https://doi.org/10.48165/bapas.2024.44.2.1
Ravichandran, S., Vivekanandhan, S. (2022). Scientometric Analysis of Soil Pollution Research Publications from SCOPUS Database during 2011-2020. Journal of Information Management, 9(1), 92-103. https://doi.org/10.5958/2348-1773.2022.00009.1
Sarkar, A., Pal, A. (2019). Where does data science research stand in the 21st century: Observation from the standpoint of a scientometric analysis. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Available online at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu
Shettar, I. M., Hadagali, G. S. (2022). Collaboration Pattern in the Research Output of National Institutes of Technology in India during 1999–2018. Journal of Indian Library Association, 57(2), 108-122. https://www.ilaindia.net/jila/index.php/jila/article/view/880
Singh, P. K., Arti, D. (2024). Indian Research Output on Remote Sensing Literature Using Scopus Database: A Bibliometric Study (2015-2022). Library Waves, 10(1), 80-92. http://librarywaves.com/index.php/lw/article/view/195
Soudi, M., Ahmadi, H., Yasi, M., Hamidi, S. A. (2017). Sustainable restoration of the Urmia Lake: History, threats, opportunities and challenges. European Water, 60(1), 341-347. https://www.ewra.net/ew/pdf/EW_2017_60_47.pdf
Thamaraiselvi, M., Lakshmi, S., Manthiramoorthi, M. (2021). Correlation of Authorship Pattern, Lotka‘s Law and Collaborative Measures on Research Publications of Anna University: A Bibliometric Study. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1-12. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/4790
United Nations, Islamic Republic of Iran (2024).  The Sustainable Development Goals in Islamic Republic of Iran. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from: https://iran.un.org/en/sdgs
Vos, T., Lim, S. S., Abbafati, C., Abbas, K. M., Abbasi, M., Abbasifard, M., ... & Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The lancet, 396 (10258), 1204-1222. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30925-9
Yang, S., Yuan, Q., & Dong, J. (2020). Are scientometrics, informetrics, and bibliometrics different? Data Science and Informetrics, 1, 50-72. https://doi.org/10.4236/dsi.2020.11003
Yao, X., Zhang, Y., Zhang, L., & Zhou, Y. (2018). A bibliometric review of nitrogen research in eutrophic lakes and reservoirs. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 66, 274-285. DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2016.10.022
Zhang, Y., Yao, X., & Qin, B. (2016). A critical review of the development, current hotspots, and future directions of Lake Taihu research from the bibliometrics perspective. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23, 12811-12821. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6856-1
Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Environmental Sciences
Volume 5, Issue 17
February 2026
Pages 16-1
  • Receive Date: 26 October 2024
  • Revise Date: 13 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 12 December 2025