Trends in research approaches and gender in plant ecology dissertations over four decades

TL;DR

This paper examines trends in research methods and gender representation in plant ecology dissertations over four decades.

Contribution

The study quantifies changes in research approaches and gender representation in plant ecology dissertations over time.

Findings

Observational studies remained dominant in plant ecology dissertations over four decades.

Newer methods like big data and theoretical approaches have increased but not replaced traditional methods.

The representation of women in plant ecology dissertations increased over time.

Abstract

Dissertations are a foundational scientific product; they are the formative product that early‐career scientists create and share original knowledge. The methodological approaches used in dissertations vary with the research field. In plant ecology, these approaches include observations, experiments (field or controlled environment), literature reviews, theoretical approaches, or analyses of existing data (including “big data”). Recently, concerns have been raised about the rise of “big data” studies and the loss of observational and field‐based studies in ecology, but such trends have not been formally quantified. Therefore, we examined how the emphasis on each of these categories has changed over time and whether male and female authors differ in the methods employed. We found remarkable temporal consistency, with observational studies being dominant over the entire time span examined. There was an increase in the number of approaches employed per dissertation, with increases in analyses of databases and theoretical studies adding to rather than replacing traditional methodologies (like observations and field experiments). The representation of women increased over time. There were some differences in the approaches taken by men and women, which requires further investigation.

Recently, some researchers have raised concerns over the apparent rise of big data studies and the decline of field observations in ecology. But to what extent is this change occurring? Using plant ecology dissertations as a test case, we quantified trends in research methodologies and found that observational studies continue to dominate, even though newer methods have nudged their way in.

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