Global research trends on aquaponics: a systematic review based on computational mapping

Aquaponics is an integrated fish and crop production system that includes aquaculture and hydroponics. The purpose of this study was to assess aquaponic research and social media attention in light of the exponential growth of aquaponics systems. This article condenses numerous studies into a single paper, which provides insights into the worldwide growth and advancement of the study field and establishes a future research agenda. A thorough scientometric study of the worldwide scientific output on aquaponics from 2004 to 2021 was conducted using the Scopus database. Altmetric data for individual articles were collected from Altmetric.com. The analysis tools, MS Excel, Tableau, Biblioshiny, and VOSviewer, were used in this study. The results show that aquaponics research has been growing significantly over the years. In recent years, aquaponics research primarily focused on the optimization of system performance (component ratio, hydraulic loading rate, hydroponic component, etc.), wastewater treatment, nutrient management, system production, technology adoption, and varieties of plants and fishes. The study identified the most prolific authors, journals, and affiliations in the field of aquaponics. The USA, Europe, and some Asian countries, especially China and India, are the most innovative regions with significant research in this area. Altmetric analysis found that aquaponics research has not received impressive online social attention and needs further social media promotion. However, publications have a considerable readership on Mendeley.