Epiphytic lichens (ELs) are widespread symbiotic organisms (consortia of algae, cyanobacteria, fungi, yeasts, and bacteria) crucial to the cryptogamic cover of woody plants and could significantly influence carbon cycling under climate change. This study provides a scientometric analysis (using R and VOSviewer) of 1796 Scopus publications (1950–2023) to assess research trends on ELs, including their role in greenhouse gas exchange. The study revealed the following key findings:●Approximately 73% of EL research is concentrated in Europe, while more than half of the output is produced by just nine countries, led by Italy, the USA, and Canada.●Main research themes are biodiversity and environmental pollution (64.5%); hot topics include bioindicators, biodiversity, and conservation.●Emerging frontier topics (post-2016) involve beta diversity, functional diversity, and functional traits.●Temperate forests account for the majority of studied ecosystems (65%), whereas forest–tundra and wetlands are minimally represented (0.9%).●Commonly studied EL taxa are Hypogymnia (7.8%) and Parmelia (6.1%); oak is the most frequent host tree (14.2%).●Critical knowledge gaps persist regarding EL’s contribution to carbon cycling and greenhouse gas fluxes (addressed in just 0.5% of papers).The analysis underscores the need for long-term EL studies as model systems for environmental health assessment. The results are vital for researchers, policymakers, and forestry professionals aiming to mitigate climate impacts on biogeochemical cycles and biodiversity in natural ecosystems, urban forests, and plantations. Keywords: Epiphytic lichens; Carbon cycle; Climate change; Bioindicator; Biodiversity; Forest ecosystems; Bibliometric analysis.