ADVANCES IN GLOBAL LAND USE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Aim of the study Land-use systems have a significant impact on environmental, economic, and societal issues worldwide. With agricultural activities, urban development, and conservation efforts, the complex nature of land use influences key global challenges, including climate change, food security, and biodiversity loss. As the world confronts these issues, it is essential to understand the trends, innovations, and emerging frontiers in land use systems. These developments not only reflect the evolving relationship between humans and the environment but also offer potential pathways toward sustainability and resilience.


INTRODUCTION
Land-use systems have a significant impact on environmental, economic, and societal outcomes worldwide (Zscheischler and Rogga, 2021).With agricultural activities, urban development, and conservation efforts, the complex nature of land use influences key global challenges, including climate change, food security, and biodiversity loss (Quintana et al., 2021).As the world confronts these issues, it is essential to understand the trends, innovations, and emerging frontiers in land-use systems (Schirpke et al., 2023).These developments not only reflect the evolving relationship between humans and the environment but also offer potential pathways toward sustainability and resilience (Zscheischler and Rogga, 2021).To inform policy and guide effective land management, it is crucial to comprehend the efforts made to enhance scientific productivity and investments toward global land-use systems development and sustainability (GLUSDS).Land use was previously largely driven by subsistence agriculture, which evolved to accommodate the growing population and economic development (Schirpke et al., 2023).The Industrial Revolution marked a significant turning point, introducing mechanised farming and contributing to extensive environmental degradation (Hsieh and Rossi-Hansberg, 2023).In recent decades, there has been a pronounced shift towards urbanisation, which has profound implications for land use planning and management.The impact of human decisions at varying scales, from local landowners to national land use planning and international trade agreements, is profoundly manifested in land system changes.The consequences of these changes resonate globally, altering the provision of vital ecosystem services, regulating natural hazards, and shaping cultural landscapes (Verburg et al., 2015).Consequently, the evolving global land use systems are both a cause and a consequence of the intricate interplay between socio-ecological processes.This historical evolution underscores the adaptability of land use systems and highlights the escalating challenges posed by limited land resources, emphasising the need for innovative and sustainable approaches to land management (Hsieh and Rossi-Hansberg, 2023).
Global land use systems have undergone significant changes over time, influenced by technological advancements, socioeconomic transformations, and environmental challenges (Long et al., 2021).A multidisciplinary approach to land use planning, which integrates technological, policy, and economic considerations, has become crucial in addressing the complexities of modern land use management (Oh and Lu, 2023).As technology continues to advance, evolving policy landscapes and calls for sustainable and equitable land management practices persist.In adapting to these changes and balancing competing demands on land resources, it will be vital to secure a sustainable future for human societies and the environment (Oreggioni et al., 2021).As a successor to the Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) (1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) and the Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems project, GLP has been instrumental in shaping the discourse on land system science (LSS).Arising from the convergence of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP), GLP serves as a pivotal platform for synthesizing insights, methodologies, and knowledge within the LSS community (Dear et al., 2013).Addressing the evolving challenges of understanding and managing global land use systems, GLP carries forward the legacy of its predecessors.Fig. 1 presents the spatial distribution of global LULCC between 1993 and 2023 using Landsat datasets archived in Google Earth Engine (GEE) (https://code.earthengine.google.com/)and ArcGIS 10.8 software.
Evidence presented (i.e., Fig. 1 with further details in Table 1.A) shows considerable shifts in some classes over the past three decades.The distribution (Table 1.A) shows that cultivated land, built-up, grassland and water bodies have been increasing steadily at a rate of +12.22%, +4.64%, +12.28% and +0.02%, respectively, over the past 30 years.Contrarily, a re-duction in areas covered by unused land (-0.07%) and forests (-10.87%) could be observed over the same period.These changes are mainly driven by policy mixes linked to socio-political, cultural, economic, technological advancements, and biophysical or climate-induced factors.For instance, increase in builtup areas in Siberia can be attributed to the vast availability of natural resources in the region, such as oil, gas, and gold, have attracted transnational and multinational companies looking to exploit these resources.As a result, there is a growing demand for labor in the area, leading to an influx of workers and their families.Another key factor contributing to this development is associated with improved transportation and infrastructure, such as building new roads, railways, and airports by the Russian government in the region.These have made it easier for people to travel and settle in the area.Improved infrastructure has also facilitated the movement of goods and services, further attracting businesses and investors to Siberia.As a result, previously isolated and remote areas in Siberia are now more accessible, leading to a surge in population growth and economic activity.Moreso, the changing climate and environmental conditions in Siberia are also driving the increase in settlements in the region.As global temperatures rise, the Arctic ice is melting, opening up new shipping routes and opportunities for economic development in Siberia.This, in turn, has attracted more people to the region in search of job opportunities and a better quality of life.Additionally, some regions in Siberia are experiencing milder winters, making it more hospitable for settlement and agriculture.
Innovations in land-use management (LUM) are crucial in addressing the contemporary challenges faced by global land-use systems (Spangler et al., 2020).Technological advancements, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and drone technology, have revolutionised land use planning and monitoring, enabling more precise and efficient management of land resources (Kumar et al., 2022).These technologies provide detailed, real-time data on land use patterns, environmental conditions, and resource availability, facilitating better decision-making (Schirpke et al., 2023).Additionally, sustainable farming techniques, including agroforestry, organic farming, and permaculture, are increasingly being adopted to improve agricultural productivity while preserving the ecological balance (Dinesha et al., 2024).In urban areas, innovations, such as green infrastructure, smart city designs, and vertical farming, are being implemented to enhance urban sustainability and resilience (Oh and Lu, 2023).Table 1 presents information on some major studies conducted on global land use systems development, key approaches utilized, policy implications and future research perspectives that drive the current study.Advancements in Land Use Science (LUS) represent a paradigm shift in land use management, moving towards efficient, productive, environmentally sustainable, and socially equitable practices (Alinda et al., 2024).Similarly, emerging fields in LUS are increasingly recognised for their prospect of revolutionising traditional practices and contributions to global sustainability goals (Kumar et al., 2022).One such field involves the integration of renewable energy projects into land-use planning, addressing the pressing need for sustainable energy sources (Hsieh and Rossi-Hansberg, 2023).Additionally, innovative agricultural practices such as vertical farming and urban agriculture are gaining momentum, offering solutions for food production in space-constrained urban environments while reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional farming and transportation (Hasnat and Hossain 2021).The expansion of protected natural areas and the promotion of ecotourism are also emerging as key land-use strategies that aim to conserve biodiversity and provide economic incentives for sustainable land management (Monkkonen et al., 2023).These emerging fields highlight the shift towards more integrated and multifunctional land use approaches, balancing the needs for development, conservation, and sustainability in the face of a rapidly changing global context (Zscheischler and Rogga, 2021).This, therefore, underscores the need to carry out this study to explore the scientific productivity, impact, emerging frontiers, and issues on GLUSDS.This review study enriches the existing literature on the rare and underdeveloped topic of land use systems development and sustainability across the globe.Consequent to this aim, we attempt to: 1. Analyse the research output or contributions of various authors, journals and nations towards the development of global land use systems and sustainability.2. Investigate the degree of collaboration, impact, co-occurrence analyses, and emerging frontiers driving smart land use tools, theories and practice.3. Examine how these trends, smart tools and emerging frontiers create avenues for innovation and enhance scientific research in related fields.

Data source
Considering the extent of works of literature and research progress on GLUSDS, we utilised a bibliometric approach to attain the objectives presented above.Table 2 captures data generated from the Web of Science (WoS) core database between 2004 and 2023.It details information, search terms and how documents/data acquired were refined for further analysis.
The WoS is known for its reputable, established, and widely-known bibliographic and citation database, archived in a well-structured format.The choice of opting for this specific period (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018)(2019)(2020)(2021)(2022)(2023) is primarily linked to the validity and reliability of advancements, tools and scientific production of GLUSDS-related studies.A review of the extracted data revealed that scientific studies conducted prior to the years under consideration were scarce.Additionally, review studies that comprehensively explore GLUSDS remain underdeveloped or largely unexplored.This study covers the most recent periods and advances in the field, which may have been overlooked in previous studies.It further utilises a broader search criterion across various disciplines/fields (Table 2).We restricted the choice of language to 'English' to ensure uniformity in data coverage; thus, by using one standardised parameter, we do not have to deal with over and under-representation of studies published in local dialects.opment.This study employed the same standardised technique to identify and quantify the co-occurrence of keywords based on the articles generated in line with the search terms presented in Table 2 and information titles, abstracts, year of publication, and publishing units according to the data generated from the WoS database.Fig. 2 presents the workflow of the bibliometric analysis carried out through R Studio's Biblioshiny software.Despite the availability of descriptive statistics regarding the significant contributions and research output of various authors, journals, institutions, and nations through the WoS web-based platform, this study refines and submits these reports and contributions to content analysis.

RESULTS
This section presents findings based on this study's objectives to (i) analyse the research output or contributions of various authors, journals, and nations towards the development of global land use systems and sustainability, (ii) investigate the degree of collaboration, impact, co-occurrence of analyses, and emerging frontiers influencing smart land-use tools, theories and practice, and (iii) examine how these trends, smart tools and emerging frontiers create avenues for innovation and enhance scientific research in related fields.
In this part, a comprehensive analysis of scholarly reviews, contributions and research breakthroughs in the domain of global land use systems development is undertaken.

Annual distribution of GLUSDS publications and citations
Figure 3 illustrates global research productivity of land use systems development and sustainability between 2004 and 2023.Empirical data demonstrates that both scientific productivity and citations have experienced a consistent upward trend throughout the study period.Land use persists as a prominent subject in the contemporary era due to the escalating pressure exerted upon finite resources and the necessity of harmonising economic development with environmental preservation.As populations continue to grow and urban areas expand, competition for land for agriculture, housing, industry, and natural habitats intensifies.This leads to conflicts over land ownership, land grabbing, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and climate change.Governments, policymakers, and stakeholders must address these issues by implementing sustainable land use planning, promoting land rights and inclusive decision-making processes, and integrating land use policies with broader sustainable development goals.The intricate interplay between social, economic, and environmental factors makes land use a complex and crucial issue that requires careful consideration and collaboration to ensure the long-term well-being of both present and future generations.These have greatly influenced scientific productivity (Fig. 3) on GLUSDS among different authors, institutions and nations.

Productivity of various academic journals
Given the 1,814 number of articles/book chapters based on our keyword search in the WoS database, the top 25 most influential sources that actively publish articles/book chapters in this field of study are presented in Table 2 and Fig. 4. Out of this total, the top 15 journals (Fig. 4) contributed a total of 707 articles (i.e., more than a quarter of the total number of articles) to this field, representing 38.9%.Similarly, the top 5 journals 'Sustainability', 'Land Use Policy', 'Land', 'Science of the Total Environment', and 'Ecological Indicators' contributed 22.7% (i.e., 412 articles) to this sample.Moreover, Table 3 presents the top 25 most cited/ impactful papers in GLUSDS studies between 2004 and 2023.The paper titled 'Landscape perspectives on agricultural intensification and biodiversity -ecosystem service management,' authored by Tscharntke et al. (2005), stands out as the most cited, accumulating over 2829 citations.In contrast, the least cited paper in the study received 200 citations.Interestingly, only a few relevant sources (i.e., solely four journals -Science of the Total Environment, Ecological Indicators, Catena and Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment) (Fig. 4) appeared to have papers cited in the top 25 most impactful studies (Table 3).

Authorship and country-based collaborative network analyses
The collaborative network analysis performed was aimed at exploring the level of collaboration among the leading authors and nations within the scope of this study.Here, the size of each circle indicates the dominance of each author, whereas the length and thickness of the nodes or connecting lines denote the degree of collaboration between the top-performing or most influential authors in the field.In addition, a moderate or subtle degree of collaboration exists among (i.e., within/intra) the leading authors in the same country/institution.The illustration (Fig. 6) clearly shows a low level of collaboration between the leading authors in the field of global land use systems development and sustainability based on the data generated from the WoS core database.However, as seen in Figure 6, there was a collaboration between Olorunfemi IE, Fasinmirin JT, and other researchers on the paper titled "Dynamics of land use land cover and its impact on carbon stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa: an overview."They record that more than two-thirds of the SSA population relies on forests, yet there is an acceleration in deforestation, leading to diminished ecosystem resilience (Olorunfemi et al., 2022).
Synonymously with Fig. 6, a low level of collaboration exists between the leading nations, contributing immensely to the development and sustainability of global land use systems.Evidence presented in Fig. 7 depicts China, the USA, Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, The Netherlands, Australia, France, Sweden, Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana, and a host of other nations as the most influential nations based on a single country (SC) and multiple countries (MC) productivity levels.It is worth noting that the country of affiliation for the corresponding authors concerning the articles used for the analysis in this study reflects the dominance of nations and the level of collaboration in the field of land use science and sustainability.A strong level of collaboration exists between authors who originate from China and the USA based on the thickness and proximity of connecting lines/nodes between both countries.
Per regional analysis, there is some moderate to high level of collaboration between European countries and countries from other continents.Similarly, several nations within Africa, Oceania, North America, and other continents have low investments and scientific output in global land use systems development and sustainability; hence, the lack of representation or trace of collaboration is based on the evidence presented in Fig. 7.

Word frequency and keyword co-occurrence analysis
Frequently used keywords (Fig. 8) over time, considering 1,814 articles/book chapters generated or utilised for this study's analysis based on the WoS database between 2004 -2023, showcase the recurrent use of certain keywords and how they have been synergized or applied in other fields based on the complexity, encompassing a multidisciplinary nature of land use and sustainability-related concepts.Fig. 8 shows 'Land Use ', 'Land Use Management', 'Ecosystem Services', 'Climate Change', and'Remote Sensing' over the given study duration (2004-2023), have been captured among keywords in the total number of articles used for this study's analysis.For instance, 'Land Use' occurred more than 150  ', 'Land Cover Change' and 'Sustainable Development.'Based on the distribution presented (Fig. 8), these keywords have attracted academic interest, particularly in recent years.
The keyword co-occurrence analysis was also employed to demonstrate the centrality and the synergy of keywords within the study sample.Per the analysis given in Fig. 9, the thickness or size of the widths of the connecting lines to each keyword or concept demonstrates the degree of co-occurrence based on the given study sample.Indicatively, the top 10 widely used concept/keyword pair within the understudied field (Fig. 9) based on the width/thickness of the connecting lines/nodes constitute 'Land Use-Land Cover', 'Land Use -Climate Change', 'Land Use -Ecosystem Services', 'GIS -Spatial Planning', 'GIS -Remote Sensing', 'Land Use -Remote Sensing', 'Land Use -Urbanization', 'Land Use -Water Quality', 'Ecosystem Services -Sustainable Development' and 'Land Use -Land Use Management'.Within the development and sustainability of the sector, these pairs delve into environmental, technological, economic, socio-cultural, and political variables.In a similar vein, they offer insight into the complex and dynamic nature of land use systems.

Keywords timeline classifications
A host of topics have increasingly and persistently made waves over time.Timeline keyword classifications based on results presented in Fig. 10 show trending topics and emerging frontiers in global land use systems development and sustainability-related studies.The size of the nodes in Fig. 10 shows the frequency or occurrence of these trending topics.Considering scientific research productivity related to the scope of this study being non-uniformly sparse and worse moving back in time, it is evident that a host of topics related to land use gained massive weight/prominence since the late 2000s, specifically in 2010.Between 2010 and 2020, topics generating substantial attention, as evidenced by a count exceeding 50, were 'Sustainability', 'Biodiversity', 'Land Use Management ', 'Watershed Management', 'Land Use Planning', 'Soil Organic Carbon', 'Impact Assessments', 'Sensitivity Analysis', 'Land

DISCUSSION
In this section, we analyse the scientific output of the most influential authors, journals, and nations based on the results obtained.Generally, evidence (Table 2 and Fig. 3) presented based on the given search terms "global land use system*" (Topic) or "land use management" (Topic) or "land use science" (Topic) or "land use" (Topic) and " land cover change" (Topic) and "sustainable development" or "global sustainability" (Topic) indicate scientific productivity increased steadily between 2004 and 2023.Indicatively, publications and citations during the study period have increased at a rate of 2377.7% and 7433%, respectively (refer to Table 2.A for research output distribution).This implies that there was an average annual contribution rate of about 125% and a 412.9% yearly average citation rate.It is worth noting that since no citation was recorded for 2004, 2005 was assumed as the base year for computing the overall citation rates.Interestingly, scientific productivity of journals and citation analyses (Fig. 3) depict the difference between quantity (i.e., number of studies conducted/published) and quality (i.e., impact of publication among the scientific community which can be attributed to the number of citations).Evidence of strong shifts (Figs.5-7) towards China, as the largest developing nation, and Chinese authors can be attributed to these key reasons; thus (i) increasing impact of Chinese-based scientists and institutional demands, (ii) emerging of some key MDPI journals (Fig. 4), and (iii) institutionalisation of ecological civilization or restoration projects, calls for strong urban-rural linkages (URLs) and sustenance of effective land use policies/reformation initiatives, amid rapid urbanisation and industrialization trends in the development of smart or eco-cities in China and other nations in the Global South.This study acknowledges or recognizes the difference in socio-cultural, economic and political settings that influence land use management in different parts of the world.In addition, the given study period (2004-2023) may partly influence these trends despite building on previous representative works.Efforts and investments made by various stakeholders, as well as calls for innovative approaches and further studies, among other global, continental, national, and locally-driven initiatives like attaining UN 17 SDGs by 2030.Given that all activities occur on land, efforts to develop and sustain global land use systems amid extreme weather conditions or climate stressors and disturbances (specifically addressing SDGs 13 and 15) emphasise the necessity for increased contributions from various stakeholders.Scientific contributions serve as policy responses or feedback that report, evaluate, design, and address 'Life on land' and its related events.
The results presented in Table 2 clearly demonstrate that the highly cited papers have significantly influenced numerous studies across different nations, sectors, and disciplines.This underscores the complexity and all-encompassing nature of land use systems.Tscharntke et al. (2005), in a landscape study dubbed 'Landscape perspectives on agricultural intensification and biodiversity -ecosystem service management', expounded on the essence of understanding the challenges and principles of agricultural land use for maintaining biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and endpoints.They highlighted agriculture's impact on land management and identified some knowledge gaps and future research perspectives at various scales.They emphasised the need for further investigation into the relative significance of local and landscape management in relation to biodiversity and ecosystem services.These calls have inspired numerous studies that explore the interplay between different land use systems and ecosystem functions/endpoints, as illus-trated in Figures 9 and 10.In a review study, Bronick and Lal (2005) discussed how soil structure could be modified through a host of land use practices and environmental changes.They dwelt on the role pedology plays in sustainable food production across the globe and its contribution to societal welfare.They recommended a holistic approach to sustainable land utilisation, initiatives that regulate various practices that exert pressure on soil resources.Considering the major contribution of soil structure on multiple fronts, pedology plays a vital role in land use systems management and sustainability.
Contemporarily, both industrialised and emerging nations across different continents are actively working towards regrowth initiatives that dwell on green and circular economies, which are geared towards promoting quality of life for all ecosystems or ecological processes.These initiatives have attracted massive investments, political commitment, and scientific productivity to transform different landscapes and trickle direct and indirect benefits.These gains or prospects include reducing susceptibility levels, improving air quality, averting land degradation, and supporting adaptive capacity mechanisms.Dormann et al. (2007) proposed land management strategies for nature conservation in Europe.Their study utilised some ecological models to evaluate the land use patterns, degree, composition, and configuration and their implications on plant and animal species and communities.They demonstrated how these parameters impact ecological processes and contribute to overall functionality and sustainability.Similar progress has been observed in China and India, according to Chen et al. (2019), in their land use management project published in Nature Sustainability.The researchers discovered significant greening patterns in both countries by examining satellite data.As the largest developing country, China has made substantial efforts to preserve and expand its forests and croplands in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).These initiatives, according to Scannell and Gifford (2010), advance efforts made towards the realisation of alleviating poverty (SDG 1), addressing hunger issues (SDG 2), child health (SDG 3), safe cities (SDG 11), climate action (SDG 13), and life on land and biodiversity preservation (SDG 15) based on the 2030 target.They advocated the need for reliable and valid representation of anthropogenic land use practices in Earth system models.For instance, China's land consolidation/reforms development is linked to its targeted poverty alleviation, rural resident land administration, and strong urban-rural linkages or transformation agenda.Land as a production element is critical to the sustenance of all social, economic and ecological processes.Hence, its efficient utilisation and demand amid competitive interests require constant monitoring and assessment through policy initiatives, research and innovation on different fronts.
Advancements in global land use systems development have driven several innovative pairs of research topics (Fig. 9) and policy response initiatives in some internationally oriented journals.The most relevant sources based on the evidence presented in Table 2 depict 'Sustainability', 'Land Use Policy', 'Land', 'Science of the Total Environment' and 'Ecological Indicators' as the top 5 sources based on their research output.Information captured in Table 2 indicates these journals serve as reference platforms for researchers, academicians, policy-makers, land use strategists, and international donors, among other relevant stakeholders.The aforementioned platforms serve as repositories for important data, models, frameworks, policy-response, and evaluation tools.These resources empower key decision-makers and facilitate informed choices.Additionally, the platforms encourage critical reflection on existing systems, potentially leading to their modification or reconsideration.In addition, these relevant sources serve as avenues that produce new information linked to novel approaches to tackle basic problems at the local, regional, continental and global levels.Similarly, they facilitate the tracking or monitoring research progress amid environmental challenges and sustainable development concerns (Zhu and Hua 2017).For instance, information presented in Fig. 10 covers trending topics captured in the sampled articles, which highlights novel areas in 'land system science', 'emerging digital technologies (i.e., use of integrated remote sensing techniques and Geographic Information Systems)' linked to the application of artificial intelligence (i.e., machine and deep learning techniques) to thoroughly understand land use dynamics and its consequences in other sectors, and socioeconomic models (i.e., regression models and other quantitative methods) in an ever-changing world.These 'emerging digital technologies' have been applied in various rural, urban, and peri-urban studies aimed at understanding environmental challenges, such as land degradation and climate stressors (Xie et al., 2020).Furthermore, these systems are utilised for the administration and reporting of risks, vulnerabilities, and disaster-prone areas, including the development of early warning systems.(Girotto et al. 2024).Additionally, these technologies propose feasible frameworks to mitigate future uncertainties by enhancing current efforts to improve the adaptive capacity of individuals, households, regions, and so on.Most used terms or keywords such as 'Sustainability', 'Biodiversity ', 'Land Use Management', 'Watershed Management', 'Land Use Planning', 'Modelling', 'Soil Organic Carbon', 'Impact Assessments', 'Sensitivity Analysis', 'Land ', 'Geodetector', and 'Plus Model' underscore the complexity, multi-and-transdisciplinary nature of land use systems development, its evolution over time, and how these fields can be synergized to tackle environmental challenges amid sustainability concerns for sustainable utilisation of land and other natural resources.

CONCLUSIONS
Land, the fundamental component upon which human civilizations thrive, stands at the nexus of intricate interplays between natural processes, socioeconomic dynamics, and environmental sustainability.As the global population burgeons and climate change reshapes the contours of our planet, understanding the issues that influence GLUSDS becomes paramount.This bibliometric-based study examined the major contributions of various authors, journals, and nations towards the development of global land use systems and sustainability.We further investigated the degree of collaboration, impact, co-occurrence analyses, and emerging frontiers driving smart land use tools, theories, and practice, coupled with how these trends, smart tools, and emerging frontiers create avenues for innovation and enhance scientific research in related fields and other disciplines.Based on the findings generated, the following conclusions are drawn.Results show that GLUSDS's scientific production increased between 2004 and 2023.According to research articles in the discipline, there has been an average annual growth rate of 125% over the given study period, with 412% recorded for citations.The information produced and disseminated by the five most prominent sources -Sustainability, Land Use Policy, Land, Science of the Total Environment, and Ecological Indicators -drives policy responses, innovations, and future research perspectives.Similarly, the most cited studies underscore the complexity and all-encompassing nature of land use systems development and sustainability.
Findings proved a low (high) level of cooperation between (among) the leading scholars in the field.Compared to emerging nations, industrialised nations such as China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany have a far greater impact on land use science.In order to fully identify, monitor, and advance knowledge in land use science, management, and sustainability, current research trends demonstrate the utilisation of 'digital technologies (DTs)' through the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and integrated remote sensing techniques, Geo-detectors, regression models, artificial intelligence, as well as social and economic models.This review study presents a strong case for dissecting the various facets that underlie this subject in order to establish the groundwork for a thorough comprehension of the history, contemporary, and prospective developments of global land use systems.In an attempt to enhance how technical knowledge related to land system science are communicated and understood or accepted by the society or citizenry (i.e., bridging scientific communication and societal knowledge gaps), we propose the application of 'Citizen Science' in land use systems development and sustainability-related projects on different scales.Based on the evidence presented, we strongly propose an exchange/collaboration between leading researchers, social units, policy-makers, and independent organisations/agencies to enhance land management and land system science innovation.Enhancing the theoretical and application values associated with land use sustainability requires combining several techniques or models, integrating policy mixes, and utilising big data.

Fig. 4 .
Fig. 4. Most influential sources in relation to global land use systems development and sustainability based on WoS database (2004-2023) (source: Authors' own elaboration)

Fig. 5 .
Fig. 5. Top 15 performing authors in relation to global land use systems development and sustainability studies based on WoS database (2004-2023) (source: Authors' own elaboration)

Fig. 6 .Fig. 7 .
Fig. 6.Degree of collaboration between/among the top performing authors in global land use systems and sustainability studies based on WoS database (2004-2023) (source: Authors' own elaboration)

Fig. 8 .
Fig. 8.Most frequently used words in global land use systems and sustainability studies based on WoS database (2004-2023) (source: Authors' own elaboration)

Table 1 .
Some major global land use development and sustainability studies (source: Authors own elaboration)

Table 2 .
Steps utilised for data acquisition processes based on WoS core database between 2004 and 2023 (source: Authors' own elaboration)

Table 3 .
Most relevant sources pertaining to global land use systems development and sustainability (source: Authors' own elaboration) Fig. 3. Trends in global research productivity of land use systems development and sustainability between 2004 and 2022 (source: Authors' own elaboration) www.acta.urk.edu.plFrontiers In Environmental Science Physics and Chemistry of The Earth Environment Development and Sustainability

Table 4 .
Most cited global land use systems development and sustainability-related studies based on WoS database (2004-2023) (source: Authors' own elaboration)