Characterization of a scientific field based on data from the Lattes platform: an analysis of Brazilian paleontology (1945-2024)

Abstract

The present study analyzed the scientific production in Paleontology in Brazil between 1945 and 2024, using data from the Lattes Platform to map its development. The research is built on scientometric and historiographical perspectives and revealed significant growth in the field, especially from the 1970s onwards, with a peak in publications in 2020. The Journal of South American Earth Sciences stood out as the journal with the most publications (1,315), followed by the Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (1,064) and the Revista Brasileira de Geociências (943). The analysis of journal dispersion, based on Bradford’s law, indicated a high dispersion, with 53.24% of the journals having only one publication. Despite this, most publications were concentrated in core, highly specialized journals, particularly in the fields of Geosciences and Biosciences, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of Paleontology. The temporal analysis showed a steady increase in production, with a period of high productivity between 2000 and 2020. After 2020, a slight decline can be noted, possibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that Paleontology in Brazil has consolidated itself as a field of research, with a strong influence from national and international journals. The study underlines the importance of the Lattes Platform as a data source for scientific analyses and highlights the growing maturity of Paleontology in Brazil.