Research on wildfires, soil erosion and land degradation in the XXI century

Abstract

This study carries out a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scientific production on wildfires, soil erosion and land degradation, with the aim of understanding trends, critical gaps in scientific knowledge and research patterns. A total of 1400 articles published between 2001 and 2023 were analyzed with bibliometric tools (Bibliometrix and VOSviewer), revealing a steady growth in the number of publications over time. International collaboration between countries such as the United States, Spain, China and Portugal is evident, highlighting the global approach to tackling these issues, as well as the mobility and collaboration between scientists. Analyzing the conceptual structure through the co-occurrence of keywords reveals central themes such as “soil erosion” and “wildfire”, indicating areas of primary focus in research. This study highlights the continuing importance of these themes and the need for global collaboration to tackle the environmental challenges affecting forest ecosystems, and particularly the soil layer, caused by wildfires, which affect wildlands all over the world.