The fragmentation of plant and food biosecurity research networks: a scientometric analysis

Cardon V., Barbier M. (2017) The Fragmentation of Plant and Food Biosecurity Research Networks: A Scientometric Analysis. In: Gullino M., Stack J., Fletcher J., Mumford J. (eds) Practical Tools for Plant and Food Biosecurity. Plant Pathology in the 21st Century, vol 8. Springer, ChamScientometric analysis based on the mapping of complex networks performed with the Cortext manager platform reveals that biosecurity and bioterrorism have established research communities and literature, in which plant and crop biosecurity are by far less represented than human and animal issues. Biosecurity has not made plant health “disappear” and/or does not constitute a rival field of research. The conceptual apparatus of biosecurity is close to that of some other fields of research on plant health. Some specific consistent clusters of scientists and concepts related to biosecurity and agro-terrorism can be isolated however, in particular the members of the PlantFoodSec Network of Excellence. This result demonstrates the impact of European and international programs (such as CropBioTerror, PlantFoodSec, etc.) on the structure of research networks on agro-terrorism. The article opens with an analysis of qualitative material regarding the way this scientific production and agenda permeates (or not) through daily professional activities. Focusing on plant biosecurity and agro-terrorism, it targets some common issues in scientometrics and sociology of science about the boundaries of research domains and the emergence of new paradigms with specific concepts, methods, authors and cited references. It also echoes the range of questions and reflections at stake within the scientific communities related to biosecurity, and shows the effects of expertise-driven processes on the dynamics of knowledge