The systematic literature review of the karst desertification control research status and prospects

The karst desertification (KD) control is an integrated control project aimed at ecological restoration and improving human well-being in ecologically fragile karst areas. To explore the current research status and future directions of KD control, this study systematically reviewed and analyzed 3895 articles retrieved from the WoS, Scopus, PubMed, and CNKI databases using the systematic literature review approach. Results showed that: (1) Institutions and scholars from South China played a leading role in this research field. (2) Research focuses on theory research, technology development, model construction, application demonstration, and monitoring and evaluation. (3) The annual publication volume can be divided into initial, rapid, and stable development stages. (4) The major global advancements and landmark achievements have been systematically mapped, along with the key scientific and technological issues to be solved in the world. This study bridges KD control gaps from emerging challenges, guiding future research and strategies.