Ecological restoration research in Colombian Andean forests: a bibliometric analysis and information gap

Abstract Research is the basis for the development of ecological restoration strategies and, therefore, bears the responsibility for the frequent failure of this practice. Experimental research is considered one of the most powerful tools to establish the causality of an ecological phenomenon and to provide relevant information in terms of ecosystem management. In this work, a review of the specific scientific knowledge on ecological restoration of Andean and high Andean forests was carried out in order to perform an analysis based on bibliometric indicators of importance (Price index, Isolation index and Collaboration index) and scientific impact (Immediacy index and Impact index of publications) to identify information gaps regarding experimental research. A total of 186 documents were analyzed, including scientific articles, technical papers, books, book sections and graduate theses. In general, experimental research in terms of ecological restoration in Andean and high Andean forests is only used in 17% of the research, with a special emphasis on the study of flora. The largest information gaps, derived from experimental research, are found in the fields of agroecology, socioeconomics and multi-thematic or multidisciplinary studies. Most of the experimental research corresponds to technical documents or degree theses with partial or unpublished results, so the potential for generating knowledge in ecological restoration is high if the investigations are completed and carried out with sufficient scientific rigor.