Research trends and frontiers of groundwater-lake interaction

Significance To analyze the research trends and frontiers in the field of groundwater-lake interaction, we conducted a comprehensive review the relevant papers from the Web of Science (WOS) database. Using VOSviewer software, we mapped the developmental trajectory of research topics in the field. Core papers from both WOS and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were analyzed to systematically summarize prominent topics, research tools, and existing gaps. Based on the historical development of the field, future trends were also predicted. Progress Our analysis identified three successive developmental stages in this field, including the individualism stage, the reductionism stage, and the holism stage. Current hot research topics focus on water exchange, solute transport, and ecosystem mutual feedback mechanisms. Several key challenges remain, such as the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of groundwater-lake interactions, biogeochemical processes at the groundwater-lake interface, and the delayed imp