The Application of Remote Sensing Technologies in Pastures Monitoring: A Review for the Mediterranean Region

Pastures represent one of the most significant ecological components of Mediterranean landscapes, occupying large surfaces and guaranteeing ecosystem functions of primary importance. In Mediterranean silvo-pastoral systems, the coexistence of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous layers creates a complex ecological mosaic in which grazing activity plays a decisive role. In this framework, understanding the ongoing transformations affecting Mediterranean pastures becomes essential for identifying the main degradation processes and their ecological implications. Remote sensing (RS) technologies are robust and cost-effective tools for quantifying vegetation dynamics, identifying degradation patterns, and supporting sustainable management decisions. This review aims to summarize the most recent scientific evidence on the role of Mediterranean pastures as elements of ecological regulation and fire risk mitigation, while highlighting the potential of RS as a monitoring and decision-support tool. The analysis was performed considering papers from January 2000 to October 2025, by querying the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The analysis allowed the selection of 83 pertinent papers. The selected papers were analyzed, allowing exploration of the literature on RS applied to Mediterranean pastures from multiple angles, highlighting the historical progression of publications, the main geographical locations of study areas, and the evolution and intertwining of recurring themes.