Evolution of parasitological knowledge: can the past inform the future?

The growth of scientific knowledge and the diversification of research directions over time show striking similarities with the evolutionary history of living organisms.The rise and fall of subdisciplines within ecological and evolutionary parasitology capture the temporal changes in their respective success, with some subdisciplines appearing headed toward extinction.Relationships among subdisciplines within ecological and evolutionary parasitology can be mapped as a phylogenetic tree, illustrating the branching diversification of the field in the past few decades.The historical analysis of the growth of research in this broad area of parasitology leads to reflections about its future, and how the past can inform choices of optimal strategies for the continued expansion of our knowledge. The growth of scientific knowledge is often likened to the evolution and diversification of life: new disciplines branch off older ones, and subsequently prosper or decline in a manner reminiscent of the expansion or extinction of diverse lineages of organisms. Based on a parallel between evolutionary diversification and knowledge growth, I examine the expansion of subdisciplines within ‘ecological and evolutionary parasitology’. Bibliometric data are used to map the rise and fall of subdisciplines over time, capturing historical trends over the past several decades. This historical overview is followed by a critical consideration of its practical applications for decision-making, ranging from rational funding allocation among subdisciplines to whether the collective planning of future research directions is a desirable option. The growth of scientific knowledge is often likened to the evolution and diversification of life: new disciplines branch off older ones, and subsequently prosper or decline in a manner reminiscent of the expansion or extinction of diverse lineages of organisms. Based on a parallel between evolutionary diversification and knowledge growth, I examine the expansion of subdisciplines within ‘ecological and evolutionary parasitology’. Bibliometric data are used to map the rise and fall of subdisciplines over time, capturing historical trends over the past several decades. This historical overview is followed by a critical consideration of its practical applications for decision-making, ranging from rational funding allocation among subdisciplines to whether the collective planning of future research directions is a desirable option.