This study presents a bibliometric analysis of 926 scientific publications devoted to Argania spinosa, extracted from the Scopus database and covering the period 1897–2024. It constitutes the first investigation encompassing all research themes related to the argan tree. The selection of the corpus and the search strategy were carried out according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
The methodological approach relies on the use of the Bibliometrix package and the VOSviewer software, which since the late 2010s have become reference tools for evaluating scientific performance, analyzing collaboration networks, and visualizing keyword co-occurrences.
The earliest writings on the argan tree date back to the 12th century and are attributed to Andalusian Arab scholars, but scientific research remained limited until the 1990s. Between 1996 and 2021, scientific output increased progressively, in connection with the development of the argan oil sector and its economic valorization, particularly in medicine, phytotherapy, and cosmetics. This dynamic can also be explained by the creation of women’s cooperatives, international development programs, various certifications (UNESCO biosphere reserve, intangible cultural heritage), the strengthening of public policies, the contribution of national and international funding, and the organization of scientific conferences. Industrial interest and international demand have stimulated research on the chemistry, genetics, domestication, and biological properties of the argan tree. However, the period 2021–2024 shows a recent decline in publications, probably related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, financial constraints, and unfavorable climatic conditions.
Network analyses highlight the intellectual and social structure of the research field (authors, domains, sources, countries, and collaborations).
The co-occurrence analysis of eighty-eight emerging keywords identifies two major thematic clusters. The first concerns research on argan oil: chemical composition, extraction techniques, the role of phenolic compounds in tolerance to water stress, variation of fatty acids and phenolic compounds among argan tree varieties, as well as antioxidant properties and effects on human health. The second cluster deals with the conservation and reforestation of argan forests and their adaptation to climate change. Publications address conservation initiatives, plantations, genetic diversity, germination techniques, and the valorization of by-products such as argan shells.
The cross-analysis of conceptual, intellectual, and social structures provides a contextualized interpretation of the evolution of research and helps better understand the dynamics and orientations of the scientific community working on the argan tree.
Today, research remains mainly oriented toward the valorization of argan oil, while long-term forest sustainability remains relatively understudied in the context of climate change. Future research should adopt a multidisciplinary approach integrating genomics, biotechnology, nursery innovation, molecular genetics, digital monitoring tools, and socio-institutional governance.
Among the strategies proposed to strengthen the resilience of argan forests is assisted migration, which involves intentionally relocating the species to areas less affected by climate change. However, this approach overlooks the fact that the argan forest also constitutes a cultural landscape, reflecting a long-standing and close relationship between local populations and their environment.
The originality of this publication lies in the construction of the corpus, the depth of the analysis, and the scientific interpretation of the results.
Timzioura R., Ezzine S., Benomar L., et al., 2025 - Bibliometric Analysis of Argan (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) Research: Scientific Trends and Strategic Directions for Climate-Resilient Ecosystem Management. Forests, 16, 892. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060892
Posted by Jean-Paul Peltier.