Abstract:
Conservation of ecosystems such as Bolgoda is crucial in achieving sustainable development goal 11 – Make cities
inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. To conserve such valuable ecosystems, the importance of reviewing
research has been highlighted. Grey literature such as theses and dissertations are important sources of information
since they include valuable context-specific local information not published in conventional scientific publications.
Hence this study attempted to carry out a bibliometric analysis of theses and dissertations related to the Bolgoda
ecosystem. Keyword searches were conducted across various academic platforms and repositories, seeking records
related to the Bolgoda Ecosystem up to the year 2022. Bibliographic details and subject areas were recorded, with
particular attention to the frequency of the term "Bolgoda" in retrieved documents. The study identified a total of 45
theses and dissertations related to the Bolgoda ecosystem, with 11 from foreign institutions and the University of
Moratuwa contributing the highest number (16) among local universities. The majority were Master of Science
(MSc) theses (58%), followed by Ph.D. theses (18%), with 25 documents originating from Taught Postgraduate
programs. Categorization of the research according to Millennium Ecosystem Services (MES) revealed that the
majority focused on Regulating services (e.g., water), followed by Provisional services (e.g., food) and Cultural
services (e.g., aesthetic and recreational). Notably, documents with restricted access had an average of 3.56
occurrences of the word "Bolgoda," while open-access documents had 20.2 occurrences. This bibliometric analysis
provided a comprehensive overview of Bolgoda ecosystem-related research, highlighting a concentration on certain
ecosystem services. The study emphasizes the need to expand local research into less-explored areas to effectively
manage the Bolgoda ecosystem and work towards achieving sustainable development goals.
