The Global Scientific Trends and Knowledge Structure of Deforestation Research (1974–2025): A Bibliometric Analysis

Deforestation remains a crucial Anthropocene challenge, driving biodiversity loss, carbon emissions, and socio-ecological disruption. Despite extensive study, the long-term structure, thematic evolution, and collaborative patterns of deforestation research remain insufficiently synthesized. This bibliometric analysis examines 5091 publications from WoS and Scopus (1974–2025), using RStudio (version 4.5.2 (31 October 2025)), VOSViewer (version 1.6.20), and Excel to analyze publication trends, citation patterns, thematic clusters, and collaboration networks. Results show rapid growth after 2000, with citation peaks in 2010 and 2020. Major thematic clusters include deforestation, climate change, agriculture, governance, REDD+, and remote sensing. Environmental Research Letters is the most influential journal; Fearnside, P., is the leading author, and the UC system is a top institution. The USA and Brazil lead nationally, with the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia as primary geographic foci, reflecting persistent North–South collaboration dynamics. Limitations include reliance on English-language publications and title-only search criteria, which may underrepresent non-Anglophone research. Future research should expand to multiple languages, incorporate gray literature, and examine the policy impacts of deforestation-free supply chain regulations, such as the EUDR. This review underscores deforestation science as a growing, multidisciplinary field that requires the integration of social and ecological sciences, AI, and geospatial tools, alongside stronger research-policy linkages and enhanced capacity in forest-affected regions.