Research Hotspots and Trends in the Environment Condition of the Yellow River Basin (2014–2024): A Bibliometric and Visualization

Abstract

The Yellow River holds significant developmental and historical importance for China. Over the past decade, there has been a growing recognition of the river basin’s complexity as a hydrological, ecological, economic, political, and social system. Therefore, analyzing its research hotspots and trends helps to anticipate future research directions. This study utilized bibliometric software (such as VOSviewer and CiteSpace) to analyze the articles and research trends related to the ecological environment of the Yellow River Basin over the past 11 years (2014–2024). The results indicate that a total of 2096 articles have been published on this topic, with an almost annual increase in publications. Keyword co-occurrence and clustering network analysis indicate that the middle and lower reaches of the Loess Plateau, the delta, and the water quality and flow changes in the Yellow River Basin have been long-term research focuses. Climate change plays a dominant role in Yellow River runoff variation. In recent years, water quality has steadily improved, although delta erosion issues remain unresolved. Research on the sustainable development and ecosystem services of the Yellow River Basin has become a recent trend. With continuous policy development, refinement, and advancements in research, significant progress has been made in enhancing ecosystem services and achieving sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin. Regarding international collaboration, China, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany rank among the top five, with the most intensive collaborations occurring between China and the US, the UK, and Germany.