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The Impact of Climate Change on Nitrogen Migration and Transformation in Inland Water Bodies: A Bibliometric Landscape Analysis

Water 2026 Score: 50 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Danhua Wang, Cancan Jiang, Xu Wang, Huijuan Feng, Hongjie Gao

Summary

This review of over 2,600 studies found that climate change is creating a dangerous cycle with nitrogen pollution in lakes and rivers. As temperatures rise and weather patterns shift, nitrogen moves differently through water systems, which can worsen toxic algae blooms and release more greenhouse gases back into the atmosphere. This matters because it threatens our drinking water quality and makes climate change worse, showing why we need better strategies to manage nitrogen pollution as our planet warms.

Based on a bibliometric analysis of 2680 publications (1962–2024), this study elucidates the knowledge structure and intellectual evolution of research on climate change-driven nitrogen migration and transformation in inland waters, a critical issue for water security and global climate stability. The field has experienced accelerated growth since 2016, led by the United States and China. Analysis reveals a research framework centered on climate change, nitrogen, and water quality, interconnected with processes like eutrophication and denitrification. The intellectual focus has evolved from early investigations into fundamental chemical mechanisms towards a contemporary emphasis on human–climate interactions (e.g., land use), model-based predictions, and regional management solutions for nonpoint source pollution. A key finding is the bidirectional climate–nitrogen feedback, where climate alters nitrogen pathways and transformations, which in turn release greenhouse gases. The findings underscore a pivotal shift from theoretical understanding to applied, solution-oriented research. Future work must prioritize integrated multi-technique approaches, cross-ecosystem comparisons, and data-driven modeling to advance predictive capabilities and support effective nitrogen management in inland waters under a changing climate.

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