[Objective] The research progress on the ecological environment of key lakes in the Yangtze River economic belt was systematically reviewed. Using bibliometric methods, research hotspots, development trajectories, and frontier trends were identified in order to provide scientific references for subsequent research and policymaking. [Methods] Based on the core databases of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) and the Web of Science(WOS), this study retrieved Chinese and English publications related to the ecological environment of key lakes in the Yangtze River economic belt from 1979 to the present. A total of 5 081 Chinese and 2 243 English publications are included. CiteSpace 6.3. R1 software was used to conduct keyword co-occurrence analysis, cluster analysis, burst word detection, and timeline mapping. A multidimensional visualization analysis is carried out, focusing on annual publication volume, research hotspots, and evolutionary trends. [Results] ① The annual publication volume can be divided into four stages: initial(1979—1995, with an average of fewer than 50 publications per year), slow growth(1996—2003), rapid growth(2004—2015), and enhanced international influence(2016 to present). National policies and major environmental events(such as the Taihu Lake cyanobacterial bloom event) have significantly affected the research trajectory.② Research hotspots focus on five major themes: mechanisms and control of lake eutrophication; characteristics and risk assessment of water and sediment pollution; driving effects of climate change and human activities on lake ecology; ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation; and application of remote sensing and intelligent monitoring technologies.③ Research frontiers have gradually shifted from early localized pollution control to multidimensional and systematic research. This shift is particularly evident in strong burst words in recent years, including ‘climate change'(2022 to present), ‘landscape pattern'(2015 to present), and ‘ecosystem services'(2019—2021), reflecting a growing focus on the synergy of social-ecological system and the integrated relationship between rivers and lakes. [Conclusion] Research on the ecological environment of lakes in the Yangtze River economic belt has formed a complete research chain, from problem identification to driver analysis, and to governance response, establishing a distinct theoretical and practical framework. Future efforts should focus on further strengthening the research on multiscale coupling mechanisms, cross-regional ecological compensation, and coordinated optimization of land use control mechanisms for lakes, as well as deepening the application of nature-based solutions(NbS) in lake restoration, so as to support ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yangtze River economic belt.