The water and food nexus : trends and development of the research landscape

Examined is the field of water research from 2007-2011, expanded to include the increasingly critical interface of water and food research. Water resources research refers to natural and social science studies of water use, mostly freshwater use and technology. Water and food research is the natural and social science study of water consumption and recycling to produce food. It appears that water and food research is intrinsically interdisciplinary, while water resources research is becoming more interdisciplinary. In water resources research, computer science and mathematics remain high-growth fields, while economics has significantly declined in the last two years. The increased publication production in computer science and mathematics likely reflects the growing use and sophistication of statistical modeling and quantitative measurement tools. Environmental science remains the mainstay of water resources research, accounting for nearly half the papers and reflecting the continued attention to human impact the natural environment. In water and food research, mathematics and social sciences are the fastest growing fields. Agriculture and biological sciences account for well over half of all water and food research articles. [authors abstract]