International research hotspots and emerging trends of agroecology based on WOS

In recent years, with continuous changes in the ecological environment, there is a public perception that the promotion of coordinated and sustainable agriculture is much higher than the development of extensive, industrial, and single-oriented agriculture. Agroecology, as an interdisciplinary science at the intersection of ecology and agricultural science, provides a channel to optimize conventional farming systems and ecological agriculture practices, thus becoming a thriving research hotspot in the present day. Therefore, clarifying the research hotspots and emerging trends in international agroecology research helps explain its development and prospects, although there is little in-depth research on this topic. Thus, this study employs the visual analysis software CiteSpace to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the relevant literatures on international agroecology research in the Web of Science from 2012 to 2021. According to this study, three points emerge. The first concerns the research hotspots of international agroecology. Specifically, the analysis of 19 keyword clusters reveal that the research hotspots focus more on the agro-ecosystem’s overall performance and evaluation; for example, the investigation of irreversible influences of climate change, the optimization of climate resilient systems, and the improvement of the field. Moreover, the fundamental and scientific research of ecological agriculture practice gains extensive scholarly focus on agricultural intensification, integrated weed management, soil organic matter, plant function traits etc. Additionally, the social movement of ecological agriculture and its social influence on food security and food sovereignty have been widely investigated. The second point concerns the basic knowledge of agroecology. Through a detailed account of the highly cited references and reference co-citation clustering network, the knowledge base reflects that international agroecology scholars have conducted basic and innovative studies in this field. Notably, the related knowledge base dwells on the ecological transformation and industrial form of ecological agriculture, its social movement, and the adjustment of ecological factors embedded in agricultural ecosystems (e.g., crop diversification, diverse cropping systems, and plant patterns) to construct a sustainable agro-ecosystem. The third point relates to emerging trends in international agroecological studies. Based on burst words and references with subsequent citation bursts, emerging trends highlight agrobiodiversity, biodiversity conservation, landscape ecological security patterns, production systems, and pesticide pollution within the natural sciences. It also involves research in the social management field, specifically the cultivation of knowledgeable farmers, agricultural education, and the connection between indigenous knowledge and modern agro-ecological practices based on participatory action research. Rooted in the national conditions, the future development of domestic agroecology can strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, follow trending international research topics, and comply with the national development strategy and boost the advancement of new agricultural technology, thus enhancing the diversity and sustainability of agro-ecosystems.