Advancing Water Security in the Tropical and Subtropical Regions: An Integrative Topic Modeling Approach

Karling Fernanda Schuster; Cássia Alves Lima‐Rezende; José Francisco Gonçalves; Renan de Souza Rezende

doi:10.1002/wwp2.70050

journal article Open Access Dec 20, 2025

Advancing Water Security in the Tropical and Subtropical Regions: An Integrative Topic Modeling Approach

Karling Fernanda Schuster

Cássia Alves Lima‐Rezende

José Francisco Gonçalves

Renan de Souza Rezende

World Water Policy Vol. 12 No. 1 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/wwp2.70050

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Water security in tropical regions faces escalating pressures from climate change, land‐use shifts, and population growth. We conducted a bibliometric review of 1146 peer‐reviewed articles (1964–2023) on tropical water security. Latent Dirichlet Allocation identified 13 thematic topics and their evolution. Publications rose sharply after 2012, peaking post‐2018, mirroring mounting concern over climate‐related risks. Research has centered on climate‐water interactions, water quality and treatment, and hydrological modeling, whereas interest in soil‐moisture remote sensing declined. A new focus on land‐cover‐water linkages signals increasing interdisciplinary integration. Gap analysis revealed methodological compartmentalization: SWAT‐based modeling studies rarely intersect with empirical water‐quality work, creating a persistent evidence divide. Conversely, topics on vegetation, land use, and water balance show strong semantic coherence. Our reproducible topic‐modeling framework clarifies evolving research foci and highlights underexplored areas, offering a roadmap to bridge disciplinary divides and inform science‐based water‐governance strategies across the Global South.

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Details

Published: Dec 20, 2025
Vol/Issue: 12(1)
License: View

Authors

K

Karling Fernanda Schuster

Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences Communitarian Univ of Chapecó Region—Unochapecó Chapecó Santa Catarina Brazil

C

Cássia Alves Lima‐Rezende

Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences Communitarian Univ of Chapecó Region—Unochapecó Chapecó Santa Catarina Brazil

J

José Francisco Gonçalves

AquaRiparia—Limnology Laboratory, Department of Ecology University of Brasilia‐UnB Brasilia Distrito Federal Brazil

R

Renan de Souza Rezende

Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences Communitarian Univ of Chapecó Region—Unochapecó Chapecó Santa Catarina Brazil

Funding

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico Award: 302044/2022‐1

Fundação de Amparo ã Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina Award: 2024TR002336

Cite This Article

Karling Fernanda Schuster, Cássia Alves Lima‐Rezende, José Francisco Gonçalves, et al. (2025). Advancing Water Security in the Tropical and Subtropical Regions: An Integrative Topic Modeling Approach. World Water Policy, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/wwp2.70050

Advancing Water Security in the Tropical and Subtropical Regions: An Integrative Topic Modeling Approach

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