Global trends in watersheds prioritization – a bibliometric analysis
Abstract: The prioritizing of watersheds is a significant concern for researchers and decision-makers in the context of intensifying hydrological and geomorphological processes. Consequently, implementing territorial management measures has become a priority. The main objective of this paper is to conduct a quantitative analysis of scientific production over time at the global level, through bibliometric methods. A total of 957 scientific and review articles addressing the concept of “prioritization of watersheds” were identified in the Web of Science database. Using the VOSviewer application, trends, co-authorship relationships, country distribution, leading authors, and citation counts were evaluated. The results indicate a steady increase in the number of publications between 1993 and 2025, with 2021 recording the highest number at 114 publications. The most productive countries in terms of publications are India and the USA, with American articles receiving the highest number of citations (8,618) and exhibiting the most extensive collaboration network. Nevertheless, India stands out with two publications each exceeding 400 citations. The involvement of researchers from 55 countries across six habitable continents, each contributing at least three articles, highlights the widespread interest in watershed prioritization. Accordingly, this study suggests future directions for applying the concept and for selecting journals and collaborators to facilitate interventions aimed at sustainable watershed management.
