Carbon Dynamics of Tropical Forests and Their Role in Climate Change Mitigation: A Bibliometric Analysis (2000-2025)

Tropical forests play a critical role in global carbon cycling and climate change mitigation; however, research in this field has expanded rapidly and remains fragmented across disciplines. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications on carbon dynamics in tropical forests from 2000 to 2025 using data from the OpenAlex database. A total of 5,517 articles were analyzed using the Bibliometrix package in R and Biblioshiny to examine publication trends, citation patterns, key authors, sources, collaboration networks and thematic evolution. Results indicate a steady increase in scientific output, with an annual growth rate of 6.76%, reflecting growing global attention to forest-based climate solutions. Highly cited studies emphasize the importance of biomass estimation, carbon mapping and remote sensing technologies. The field is characterized by strong collaboration, with an average of 6.15 co-authors per document and 45.22% international co-authorship. Core journals such as Forest Ecology and Management and Global Change Biology dominate publication output. Thematic analysis reveals a transition from traditional ecological studies to integrated approaches involving remote sensing and environmental science. Despite this progress, a core-periphery pattern persists in global collaboration, highlighting the need for greater inclusion of tropical regions in research.