Centralization and Decentralization of the Field of Soviet Biological Periodicals: Geographical and Organizational Patterns of Bibliometric Crises (1917-1970)

This paper analyzes the changes taking place in the scientific community through the production of biological journals, writings, and bulletins in the period from 1917 to 1970. The purpose of work - to deepen the characteristic of bibliometric crises of various types, complementing them with data on the geographical distribution, and also to consider the previously undescribed postwar crises. In the reporting period, there are four crises, which have occurred in 1930, 1941-1945, 1948-1950 and 1954-1955. Comparative analysis of various indicators leads to the conclusion that the bibliometric crises by their nature are divided into two types - the crisis of reorganization and general depression. An analysis of the geographical distribution of periodical and continuing publications leads to the conclusion that capital cities are most crisis-affected, while provincial cities manage to keep the relative stability.