Seaweed Growth, Transcriptomics, and Defense Responses: Trends and Insights from Bibliometric Mapping
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Abstract
Seaweeds (macroalgae) play a critical ecological role and hold growing promise for aquaculture, biotechnology, and the sustainable bioeconomy. Despite substantial advances in seaweed physiology, transcriptomics, and stress biology, current knowledge remains fragmented across physiological, molecular, and applied research domains. Here, we present a comprehensive bibliometric and critical synthesis of global seaweed research, integrating co-occurrence mapping with in-depth literature analysis. A dataset of 13,657 publications from Scopus and Web of Science (1970–2026) was analyzed using the Bibliometrix R-package (Biblioshiny) to identify research trends, thematic clusters, and knowledge gaps. Three dominant themes emerged: (i) growth and physiological regulation, (ii) stress responses and molecular adaptation, and (iii) cultivation and applied systems. Trend analysis indicates a clear shift from traditional ecological studies toward stress-related and application-driven research, including biostimulants and climate resilience. However, thematic mapping reveals a persistent disconnect between physiological and molecular approaches, alongside limited mechanistic insight in cultivation research. Our critical synthesis further uncovers inconsistencies in reported growth responses under environmental stress and a weak linkage between transcriptomic insights and practical aquaculture outcomes. These findings emphasize significant gaps in connecting gene expression with phenotypic performance and in translating laboratory-based molecular knowledge into field-scale cultivation systems. Collectively, the results suggest that interdisciplinary, multi-omics frameworks are essential for advancing seaweed growth and stress tolerance research, and that bridging fundamental and applied science is key to developing resilient, sustainable seaweed production systems.
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