Mapping the Research Progress of Soil Quality in Camellia oleifera Forests: A Bibliometric Analysis Using CiteSpace

Authors

  • Yan-kui Chen

    Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; College of Geographical Science and Tourism, Jiaying University, Meizhou 514015, China
  • Meng-Choung Chiong

    Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Built Environment, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
  • Xue-fei Mo

    College of Geographical Science and Tourism, Jiaying University, Meizhou 514015, China; Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
  • Yu Zhang

    College of Geographical Science and Tourism, Jiaying University, Meizhou 514015, China; International College, Krirk University, Bangkok 10220, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i4.13080
Received: 27 January 2026 | Revised: 26 March 2026 | Accepted: 1 April 2026 | Published Online: 14 July 2026

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of the evolution, structural patterns, and emerging directions of research on soil quality in Camellia oleifera plantations. Relevant publications from 1995 to 2024 were retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). A bibliometric and knowledge-mapping approach was employed using CiteSpace, with analyses focusing on publication trends, collaboration networks among authors and institutions, keyword co-occurrence and clustering, and burst detection. The results show that: (1) research in this field has evolved through three phases: initial exploration (1995–2006), steady expansion (2007–2020) and rapid advancement (2021–2024), a temporal analysis of keyword co-occurrence and thematic clustering reveals a thematic shift in research emphasis over time. Early studies centered on discrete soil components, while more recent work has increasingly focused on process-oriented management and integrative system-level regulation; (2) Chinese and international studies follow largely parallel but complementary trajectories, with Chinese research emphasizing applied topics such as soil fertility assessment, nutrient management, and yield improvement, while international research focuses more on underlying mechanisms, including soil acidification, microbial diversity, and aluminum-phosphorus interactions; these strands are increasingly converging; (3) current research hotspots include mechanisms and mitigation of soil acidification, construction of minimum data sets (MDS), and regulation of rhizosphere microecology, with methodological advances moving from conventional physicochemical analyses toward high-throughput sequencing and machine learning; and (4) future research should prioritize multi-scale integration and long-term observations, strengthen coupled soil plant microbe system studies, advance intelligent decision-support tools for soil health management, and develop integrated assessment frameworks for sustainable Camellia oleifera development.

Keywords:

Camellia oleifera; Soil Quality; CiteSpace; Knowledge Mapping; Visualization

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How to Cite

Chen, Y.- kui, Chiong, M.-C., Mo, X.- fei, & Zhang, Y. (2026). Mapping the Research Progress of Soil Quality in Camellia oleifera Forests: A Bibliometric Analysis Using CiteSpace. Research in Ecology, 8(4), 53–76. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i4.13080

Issue

Vol.8, Iss.4 (August 2026): In Progress

Article Type

Review

License

Copyright © 2026 Yan-kui Chen, Meng-Choung Chiong, Xue-fei Mo, Yu Zhang

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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