The role of the journal Periodicum biologorum in representing the development of biological sciences in Croatia

Background and Purpose: The journal Periodicum biologorum is the first Croatian journal in the field of biological sciences which has been published regularly since 1886 and which has had the leading role in conveying scientific information in the field of biology in Croatia. The bibliometric analysis of the content of this journal in time span 1886-2010 provided an insight into the structure of scientific communication in the field of biology in Croatia with a purpose to present trends and development of specific biological disciplines. Materials and Methods: The analysed sample consists of 1,347 articles classified into eight biological disciplines and 40 subdisciplines over a 122-year period, 1886-2010. In order to provide easier assessment of the development of biological sciences and presenting results, the publishing period of journal has been divided into functional periods. Results and Conclusion: Since the beginning of its publication until the 1950s, the fields of study predominant in the journal involved classic biological disciplines of zoology and botany, i.e. their mostly descriptive subdisciplines. From the 1970s onwards, biological disciplines and subdisciplines in the journal have been developed in accordance to global trends, with domination of experimental fields of molecular biology, immunology, physiology etc. Despite the fact that research was conducted only with a purpose to enhance the development of biological sciences in Croatia, this journal also presents an important communication media in biomedical disciplines and subdisciplines. A detailed scientometric analysis might help the journal editorial board to reach decisions concerning journal's future development more easily.