A Review on the Interplay Between Nighttime Light and Urban Vegetation: The Role of Remote Sensing Monitoring

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an increasing component of urban environmental change, affecting vegetation dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Satellite nighttime light (NTL) data serve as proxies for urbanization and artificial illumination, aiding the analysis of vegetation responses to human pressures. However, NTL–vegetation relationships are often poorly synthesized, and ALAN is rarely included in frameworks linking urban vegetation, climate, and human drivers. Drawing on a 2014–2025 Scopus and Web of Science search, this review of 22 articles categorizes findings as (i) Lights Track Urbanization, (ii) Vegetation Modulates Light, and (iii) ALAN Shapes Ecology. Results show strong geographical concentration in China, followed by the United States, and high heterogeneity in sensors, metrics, and methods. Increasing nighttime radiance is consistently associated with vegetation decline and higher environmental pressure, while vegetation modulates light through canopy structure and phenology. ALAN effects on plant phenology are reported but vary relative to climatic drivers and are highly context-dependent. Despite these advances, the field remains methodologically inconsistent and geographically biased. This review highlights the need for harmonized multi-sensor frameworks that integrate radiance, vegetation, and climate data to improve assessments of urban environmental change and to support biodiversity conservation and light-sensitive urban planning, thereby preserving ecosystem service functions.