Current state of research on the climate change-livestock relationship; a bibliometric review

Saulo Acevedo Cruz, Juan Antonio Leos Rodríguez, Victoria Pacheco Almaraz

Abstract


Background. Bibliometric analysis is an essential tool for defining the frontiers of knowledge in climate change research and its relationship with different economic sectors, especially beef cattle farming due to its greenhouse gas emissions, as livestock farming is currently considered the primary activity that contributes most to greenhouse gas emissions. Objective. To define the current state and trends in research on the relationship between climate change and livestock farming. Methodology. Metadata obtained from the Scopus repository (830) articles for the period between 1994 and 2024 were analyzed using the search equation “(TITLE-ABS-KEY (”carbon capture“) ORTITLE-ABS-KEY (”carbon sequestration") OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (“carbon sinks”) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (“carbon fixation”) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (“cattle production”) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (“livestock sector”) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (livestock) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (“animal production”)) AND (LIMIT TO (DOCTYPE,“ar”)) AND (EXCLUDE (SUBJAREA,“CHEM”)). using VOSviewer and R-studio software, and the thematic groups were then characterized. Main findings. Scientific interest focuses on the analysis of climate change and agriculture, agricultural and livestock practices, and GHG emissions, as well as on reducing emissions and carbon capture from livestock systems. Implications. Scientific interest has shifted from focusing on the negative aspects of primary activities and the presence of carbon on the planet to examining it as a climate change mitigation strategy. Conclusions. Research into the relationship between climate change and livestock farming has evolved towards the search for solutions within the activity itself, recognizing the potential of sustainable livestock systems as elements of change in the face of the climate emergency, requiring further research to enable the implementation of possible strategies.

Keywords


Global warming; livestock sector; greenhouse gases; carbon sequestration; bibliometric; sustainable livestock farming; carbon neutral.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Albiac, J., Kahil, T., Notivol, E. and Calvo, E., 2017. Agriculture and climate change: Potential for mitigation in Spain. Science of the Total Environment, 592, pp.495–502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.110

Biagini, D. and Betta, M., 2024. An unconventional approach to evaluating the environmental role of a productive system: An environmental assessment of beef farms in North-West Italy. Science of the Total Environment, pp. 953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176100

Bilotto, F., Christie-Whitehead, K.M., Malcolm, B. and Harrison, M.T., 2023. Carbon, cash, cattle and the climate crisis. Sustainability Science, 18(4), pp.1795–1811. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-023-01323-2

Brook, R., Forster, E., Styles, D., Mazzetto, A.M., Arndt, C., Esquivel, M.J. and Chadwick, D., 2022. Silvopastoral systems for offsetting livestock emissions in the tropics: a case study of a dairy farm in Costa Rica. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 42(5), pp.101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00834-z

Bruck, S.R., Bishaw, B., Cushing, T.L. and Cubbage, F.W., 2019. Modeling the financial potential of silvopasture agroforestry in eastern North Carolina and Northeastern oregon. Journal of Forestry, 117(1), pp.13–20. https://doi.org/10.1093/jofore/fvy065

Caracuel-Sillero, M., Alfonso-Caveda, D. and Menor-Campos, A., 2024. Research trends on agricultural cooperatives in Spain: a bibliometric analysis. European Public and Social Innovation Review, 9, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2024-1820

Chen, Y., Tao, Y., Cheng, Y., Ju, W., Ye, J., Hickler, T., Liao, C., Feng, L. and Ruan, H., 2018. Great uncertainties in modeling grazing impact on carbon sequestration: A multi-model inter-comparison in temperate Eurasian Steppe. Environmental Research Letters, 13(7), pp.075005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aacc75

Diaz Cordero, G., 2012. Vista de El cambio clima?tico general. Ciencia y Sociedad, XXXVll, pp.227–240.

Díaz Pablo, M.E., Alegre Orihuela, J.C., Gómez Bravo, C.A., Mendoza Tamani, P. and Arevalo-Hernandez, C.O., 2024. Reservas de carbono en tres sistemas silvopastoriles de la Amazonía peruana. Manglar, 21(3), pp.305–311. https://doi.org/10.57188/manglar.2024.033

FAO, 2024. Cambio Climático: El impacto en la agricultura y los costos de adaptación. Cambio Climático: El impacto en la agricultura y los costos de adaptación. International Food Policy Research Institute. https://doi.org/10.2499/0896295370

Fatumah, N., Mohammed, S., Ashraf, N., Abasi, K. and Shadia, N., 2023. Adoption of novel climate-smart farming systems for enhanced carbon stock and carbon dioxide equivalent emission reduction in cattle corridor areas of Uganda. Heliyon, 9(3), pp.e14114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14114.

Forliano, C., De Bernardi, P. and Yahiaoui, D., 2021. Entrepreneurial universities: A bibliometric analysis within the business and management domains. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 165., pp. 120522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120522

Gao, L., Fei, F., Jia, Y., Wen, P., Zhao, X., Shao, H., Feng, T. and Huo, L., 2024. Optimal dispatching of integrated agricultural energy system considering ladder-type carbon trading mechanism and demand response. International Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems, 156, pp.109693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijepes.2023.109693

García-Peñalvo, F.J., 2022. Developing robust state-of-the-art reports: Systematic Literature Reviews. Education in the Knowledge Society, 23, pp. e28600. https://doi.org/10.14201/eks.28600

Gómez, M.C.S., García, J.L.C., Castro, S.V. and del Brio Alonso, I., 2025. Research Methods in the Educational Field: Bibliometric Analysis - A Comparative Study between Scopus and WoS. Revista Espanola de Educacion Comparada, (46), pp.141–172. https://doi.org/10.5944/reec.46.2025.40201

Gómez Murcia, J.J., 2024. Huella de Carbono: contribución en la producción y consumo responsables. Estudios y Perspectivas Revista Científica y Académica, 4(1), pp.465–475. https://doi.org/10.61384/r.c.a..v4i1.111

Gutiérrez-Mora, I., Hernández-Cázares, A.S., Hidalgo-Contreras, J.V., Lopez-Ayala, J.L. and Velasco-Velasco, J., 2025. Application of remote sensing in the estimation of agricultural crops yields: a bibliometric review. Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems, 28, pp.037. https://doi.org/10.56369/tsaes.5613

Jaurena, M., Durante, M., Devincenzi, T., Savian, J. V., Bendersky, D., Moojen, F.G., Pereira, M., Soca, P., Quadros, F.L.F., Pizzio, R., Nabinger, C., Carvalho, P.C.F. and Lattanzi, F.A., 2021. Native Grasslands at the Core: A New Paradigm of Intensification for the Campos of Southern South America to Increase Economic and Environmental Sustainability. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5, pp.547834. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.547834

Khoshnevisan, B., He, L., Xu, M., Valverde-Pérez, B., Sillman, J., Mitraka, G.C., Kougias, P.G., Zhang, Y., Yan, S., Ji, L., Carbajales-Dale, M., Elyasi, S.N., Marami, H., Tsapekos, P., Liu, H. and Angelidaki, I., 2022. From renewable energy to sustainable protein sources: Advancement, challenges, and future roadmaps. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, pp.157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.112041.

Kuhla, B. and Viereck, G., 2023. Die Methanemissionen von Nutztieren in Deutschland Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts und heute im Vergleich. Agrarwissenschaft Forschung, 101(1), https://doi.org/10.12767/buel.v101i1.441

Lean, I.J. and Moate, P.J., 2021. Cattle, climate and complexity: food security, quality and sustainability of the Australian cattle industries. Australian Veterinary Journal, 99(7), pp.293–308. https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.13072

Lefebvre, D., Fawzy, S., Aquije, C.A., Osman, A.I., Draper, K.T. and Trabold, T.A., 2023. Biomass residue to carbon dioxide removal: quantifying the global impact of biochar. Biochar, 5(1), pp.65 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-023-00258-2

Lerner, A.M., Zuluaga, A.F., Chará, J., Etter, A. and Searchinger, T., 2017. Sustainable Cattle Ranching in Practice: Moving from Theory to Planning in Colombia’s Livestock Sector. Environmental Management, 60(2), pp.176–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-017-0902-8

Lessmann, M., Ros, G.H., Young, M.D. and de Vries, W., 2022. Global variation in soil carbon sequestration potential through improved cropland management. Global Change Biology, 28(3), pp.1162–1177. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15954

López Feldman, A.J., y H.C.D., 2016. Vista de Cambio clima?tico y agricultura_ una revisio?n de la literatura con e?nfasis en Ame?rica Latina. E Trimestre Económico, LXXXlll, pp.459–496.

Lorente Saiz, A., 2010. Ganadería y cambio climático: una influencia recíproca. GeoGraphos. Revista Digital para Estudiantes de Geografía y Ciencias Sociales, 1(3), pp.1–22.

Machado, J.M., da Motta, E.A.M., Barbosa, M.R., Weiler, R.L., Mills, A., Ongaratto, F., Maidana, F.M., Montagner, P., Rodrigues, D.P.A. and Silveira, D.C., 2022. Strategies to mitigate the emission of methane in pastures: enteric methane: A review. Australian Journal of Crop Science, 16(6), pp.682–690. https://doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.22.16.06.p3457

Meissner, H.H., Blignaut, J.N., Smith, H.J. and du Toit, C.J.L., 2023. The broad-based eco-economic impact of beef and dairy production: A global review. South African Journal of Animal Science, 53(2), pp.250–275. https://doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v53i2.11

Monteiro, A., Barreto-Mendes, L., Fanchone, A., Morgavi, D.P., Pedreira, B.C., Magalhães, C.A.S., Abdalla, A.L. and Eugène, M., 2024. Crop-livestock-forestry systems as a strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the sustainability of forage-based livestock systems in the Amazon biome. Science of the Total Environment, pp.906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167396

Morales Ruiz, D.E., Aryal, D.R., Pinto Ruiz, R., Guevara Hernández, F., Casanova Lugo, F. and Villanueva López, G., 2021. Carbon contents and fine root production in tropical silvopastoral systems. Land Degradation and Development, 32(2), pp.738–756. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3761

Ostoja, S.M., Choe, H., Thorne, J.H., Alvarez, P., Kerr, A., Balachowski, J. and Reyes, J., 2023. The Impact of Climate Change on California Rangelands and Livestock Management. Agriculture, 13(11), pp.2095. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13112095

Page, M.J., McKenzie, J.E., Bossuyt, P.M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T.C., Mulrow, C.D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J.M., Akl, E.A., Brennan, S.E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J.M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M.M., Li, T., Loder, E.W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., McGuinness, L.A., Stewart, L.A., Thomas, J., Tricco, A.C., Welch, V.A., Whiting, P. and Moher, D., 2021. The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. The BMJ, 372, p.n71 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

Paricahua Choque, M., 2021. Cambio Climatico y Desarrollo Sostenible. Revista Latinoamericana Ogmios, 21(1), pp. 008. https://doi.org/10.53595/rlo.2021.1.008

Pateiro, M., Munekata, P.E.S., Domínguez, R. and Lorenzo, J.M., 2020. Extensive livestock farming against climate change in Spain. ITEA Informacion Tecnica Economica Agraria, 116(5), pp.444–460. https://doi.org/10.12706/itea.2020.024

Ramirez, R.F., Vargas, P.L. and Cardenas, O.S., 2020. La seguridad alimentaria: una revisión sistemática con análisis no convencional. Espacios, [online] 41(45), pp.319–328. https://doi.org/10.48082/espacios-a20v41n45p25

Salinas, M., 2020. Sobre las revisiones sistemáticas y narrativas de la literatura en Medicina. Revista Chilena de Enfermedades Respiratorias, 36, pp. 26-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-73482020000100026

Staddon, P.L. and Faghihinia, M., 2021. Grazing intensity is key to global grassland carbon sequestration potential. Sustainable Environment, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/27658511.2021.1895474

Steinfeld, H., Gerber, P., Wassenaar, T., Castel, V., Rosales, M. and de Haan C., 2007. La larga sombra del ganado: problemas ambientales y opciones. Roma:FAO. https://www.fao.org/4/a0701s/a0701s.pdf

Van Eck, N.J. and Waltman, L., 2010. Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), pp.523–538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3

Varela, N.E., Estévez, S.O. and Sánchez, S.S., 2024. Food in the international institutional discourse: A lexical analysis of official documents on climate change. Politica y Sociedad, 61(3). https://doi.org/10.5209/poso.88151

Viglizzo, E. and Ricard, M., 2019. Is there a missing link in the carbon balance calculation in Argentine grazing livestock systems? Revista Argentina de Producción Animal, 39, pp. 105-111. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/epdf/10.5555/20203256106

Zhang, Y.W., Peng, Z.C., Chang, S.H., Wang, Z.F., Li, L., Li, D.C., An, Y.F., Hou, F.J. and Ren, J.Z., 2024. Grazing management can achieve the reconfiguration of vegetation to combat climate impacts and promote soil carbon sequestration. Plant Diversity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2024.09.002




URN: http://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/urn:ISSN:1870-0462-tsaes.v28i3.64237

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.56369/tsaes.6423

Bookmark and Share


Copyright (c) 2025 SAULO ACEVEDO CRUZ, Juan Antonio Leos Rodríguez, Victoria Pacheco Almaraz

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.