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A Bibliometric Review of Histological Responses to Environmental Stress and Pollution in Birds (1975–2024)
Summary
A bibliometric analysis of 151 studies spanning 1975–2024 shows growing scientific interest in histological responses to environmental pollution in birds, with plastic pollution emerging as a prominent research cluster alongside heavy metals and oxidative stress. Avian histopathology is a sensitive endpoint for microplastic exposure assessment, as birds ingest plastic debris directly and accumulate particles in tissues, making this review a useful map of methodological trends in the field.
Environmental stress and pollution pose significant threats to bird populations by impacting their health and survival and this study provides a comprehensive examination of the histological changes in avian tissues caused by such stressors and pollutants. Analyzing 151 scientific documents published between 1975 and 2024, the study utilized source analysis to identify publication trends, keyword analysis to highlight key topics, Lotka analysis to assess scientific productivity among researchers, and thematic analysis to categorize the research into main clusters. The findings indicate a growing scientific interest in this field since 2000 and show that the highest number of publications was reached in 2023, even though the dataset includes articles published up to 2024. The United States leads in the number of publications (30.5%), followed by Canada (17.2%), China (13.2%), and Spain (11.3%) and most articles have appeared in leading environmental science journals such as Science of the Total Environment, Environmental Pollution, and Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. The most prominent topics identified include “histological changes,” “heavy metal accumulation,” “oxidative stress,” and “plastic pollution.” Lotka analysis shows that scientific productivity is driven by a small number of highly productive researchers, while the majority of authors have published only one (n=551) or two (n=68) articles. Thematic analysis revealed four main research clusters: (i) heavy metal accumulation, (ii) plastic pollution, (iii) the effects of organic and inorganic minerals, and (iv) histological changes. Overall, this study underscores the importance of histological analysis in understanding the impact of environmental pollution on avian health and provides a bibliometric framework that can guide future research priorities and conservation strategies, particularly by highlighting emerging contaminants, underrepresented regions, and key themes for long-term histopathological monitoring.