Temporal trends, geographic scope, and research gaps in Mozambican mangrove studies

Mangrove forests are wetlands of vital ecological and economic importance, currently threatened globally by several factors. Mozambique, with the 15th largest global mangrove extent, is implementing some programs to reinforce its conservation, and in this instance, the lack of scientific information for decision-making is challenging. We systematically reviewed the existing literature on mangroves in Mozambique, examining articles included in PubMed, Web of Science, Scielo, and Scopus databases. Our specific objectives are: (a) Determine temporal patterns in the production of scientific literature on mangroves in Mozambique; (b) Analyze spatial patterns of mangrove related research efforts; (c) Investigate eco-geographical patterns of mangrove-related research; (d) Identify thematic and geographic knowledge gaps; and (e) We identified scientific collaboration and publication networks among scientists and national and international institutions. We found 169 studies published between 1962 and 2023, with 1996–2023 being more productive. Most studies focused on rural areas and southern Mozambique (sandy coast), which did not reflect the geographical distribution of this ecosystem that abounds in central and northern Mozambique. Twenty countries from all continents participated in mangrove research in the country; however, Mozambique spearheaded 33 % of all publications, followed by Portugal. Within Mozambique, Eduardo Mondlane University led. The main research topics were mangrove ecology, interdisciplinary topics, and remote sensing. Our study results suggested a need to increase research efforts on pollution, ecosystem services, climate change, and other related topics.