Bibliometric Insights into Global Research Trends on Bioassessment in Aquatic Ecosystems

Aquatic bioassessment has become crucial worldwide for evaluating and preserving water bodies under growing human pressures, yet a comprehensive global synthesis of its scientific development remains lacking. This study aims to identify key themes and subthemes associated with bioassessment in aquatic ecosystems, and evaluate the current scope and trends of peer-reviewed publications in this field through systematic bibliometric analysis. Data were obtained exclusively from the Scopus database for the period 2015-2024 using the search terms "bioassessment" OR "biological assessment" combined with specific aquatic ecosystem terminologies. After applying inclusion criteria and data cleansing procedures, 815 peer-reviewed articles from 239 journals were analyzed using Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny packages in R, encompassing publication trends, collaboration networks, citation patterns, keyword co-occurrence mapping, and thematic evolution assessment. The analysis revealed six core themes dominating the field: bioassessment, biomonitoring, diatoms, functional diversity, water quality, and phytoplankton, with emerging subtopics including eDNA metabarcoding, biotic indices, and predictive modeling. China, the United States, and Germany emerged as the most productive and collaborative nations, with 2887 authors contributing across highly collaborative networks (mean = 5.24 co-authors; 33.9% international papers). Publication output peaked in 2016 (103 papers) before stabilizing, while citation patterns showed declining per-article rates despite continued innovation. Molecular methods (DNA barcoding, eDNA) and computational tools (machine learning) are driving a methodological shift toward integrative, high-resolution monitoring approaches. The field demonstrates strong international collaboration and methodological diversification, with the.