Data from literature search systematically conducted using two widely-used academic databases: Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus . Data include the annual amount of KM publication in China and across the world, in WoS, the total amount of knowledge management (KM) publication during the searched years for each country (top 20), in Scopus, the total amount of KM publication during the searched years for each country (top 20), information about the retained KM publication for environmental management in China. The data were generated during the NERC grant 'The transmissive critical zone: understanding the karst hydrology-biogeochemical interface for sustainable management' reference NE/N007425/1 undertaken as part of the NERC Using Critical Zone Science to Understand Sustaining the Ecosystem Service of Soil & Water (CZO) programme.