Evolution of Farmland Abandonment Research from 1993 to 2023 using CiteSpace-Based Scientometric Analysis

Abstract

Farmland abandonment significantly influences food and ecological security. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the current research landscape and evolving developments in the field of farmland abandonment, we have summarized the advancements and future trends in this research domain. This review employed CiteSpace software and incorporated geographic visualization techniques to generate knowledge maps and visually analyze literature on farmland abandonment sourced from the Web of Science (WOS) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) core databases, spanning the period from 1993 to 2023. The findings indicated a consistent annual increase in the number of publications on abandoned farmland research. China has emerged as a significant contributor to research in this field, exhibiting a relatively large number of related research publications. The investigation on farmland abandonment spans across multiple disciplines, indicating intersections among various fields. Chinese publications predominantly focus on abandoned farmland studies within the agricultural discipline, while English publications exhibit greater interest in abandoned farmland research within the context of ecological and environmental sciences. Presently, the research hotspots in this field include the alterations in the soil properties of abandoned farmland, factors impacting farmland abandonment, the ecological impact of such abandonment, and prevention and control strategies. It is expected that future research on farmland abandonment will aim to strike a balance between ensuring food security and preserving ecological value to optimize decision-making in governance.