Research frontiers in land use change: A bibliometric study of trends and collaborative networks (2000-2023)

Abstract

Land use and land cover (LULC) change has emerged as a key focus in global environmental studies because of its strong links with urban growth, climate variability, agricultural shifts, and sustainability issues. In this study, we carry out a bibliometric analysis to explore research trends, collaboration patterns, and emerging themes in land use change literature between 2000 and 2023. The analysis reveals a steady increase in LULC research, with exponential growth in publications since 2017. Research has evolved from basic land cover classification to integrative studies involving climate models, socio-economic impacts, and predictive simulations. The United States and China lead in research contributions, with major institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and Texas A&M forming global hubs of collaboration. Emerging research themes include climate change mitigation, sustainable land management, scenario-based predictions, and policydriven land system science. Keywords such as urban expansion, remote sensing and climate resilience frequently co-occur, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Overall, this study offers a systematic overview of how land use research has evolved and where it is heading, underscoring the urgent need for integrated approaches to tackle environmental and policy challenges in an increasingly dynamic global context.