Progress and Trends in Research on Soil Nitrogen Leaching: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2003 to 2023

Getong Liu, Jiajun Sun (), Chenfeng Liu, Huading Shi, Yang Fei, Chen Wang, Guilong Zhang and Hongjie Wang
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Getong Liu: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China
Jiajun Sun: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China
Chenfeng Liu: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China
Huading Shi: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China
Yang Fei: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China
Chen Wang: Technical Centre for Soil, Agriculture and Rural Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100012, China
Guilong Zhang: Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300000, China
Hongjie Wang: Hebei Key Laboratory of Close-to-Nature Restoration Technology of Wetlands, School of Eco-Environment, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-23

Abstract: An in-depth discussion on the research progress and trends in soil nitrogen leaching is essential for the development of agricultural sustainability. However, not enough attention has been paid to the progress and future trends of soil nitrogen leaching research. Using software such as VOSviewer and CiteSpace, bibliometric analyses of a total of 2767 documents in the Web of Science Core Collection were conducted; the documents considered were published over the last 20 years (2003–2023). The results are as follows: (1) The research output on soil nitrogen leaching has been increasing steadily, showing a single-discipline dominance in agronomy, but a trend of multidisciplinary cross-research has gradually begun to emerge in recent years. (2) There has been close cooperation between authors, countries, and institutions; the main cooperation includes research on modelling and management, and research related to nitrogen management practices and soil types has a high international profile. (3) The research components at the heart of soil nitrogen leaching are nitrogen cycling in soils, soil properties, water environments and crops, greenhouse gas formation and emissions, and agronomic management practices and the research hotspot has gradually changed to applied research. (4) Increasing the considerations of management measures, deepening the related research on soil microorganisms, and constructing a complete evaluation system constitute the main future research directions. This study can provide valuable references for the sustainable development of agriculture.

Keywords: nitrogen leaching; soil; sustainable agricultural development; bibliometric analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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