Topic modelling of ecology, environment and poverty nexus: An integrated framework

Abstract There is little research on the ecology, environment and poverty nexus. To understand the major research concerns and clusters of ecology, environment and poverty (EEP), we have built an integrated framework of their nexus to pursue sustainable development. We have collected 4335 English language publications using the search terms “Ecology and Environment and poverty” by type “Topic” in Web of Science, covering publication years from 1981 to 2017. A 9-topic model, 35 references with the strongest citation bursts and the top-30 citation clusters are used to describe the integrated framework. We introduce topic modelling into the EEP field using scientific articles, combined with bibliometric analysis and visualisation approaches, and finally propose an integrated ecology-environment-poverty model. The greatest concerns are biodiversity and environmental services. Six main clusters related to poverty are ecosystem, health risk, economic and environmental development, natural resources and food production, children, women and inequality, and urban poverty. Therefore, ecological and environmental degradation and poverty are linked, and must be tackled together. The win-win strategies on local and national levels that both restore the environment, enhance incomes and ensure a sustainable livelihood are needed. The joint approaches of topic modelling and bibliometrics are expected to be further applied in ecological and environmental economics and management fields. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for further research and decision making and contribute to sustainable development.