Extensive livestock systems are vital livelihood strategies in arid and semiarid regions, yet are undergoing profound transformations driven by complex social, economic, and ecological changes. How these transformations are studied shapes not only scientific understanding but also problem diagnoses and policy responses. We conducted a systematic review of literature analyzing trends in extensive livestock systems in arid, semiarid, and Mediterranean regions over the past four decades (1980-2020). Using the coupled infrastructure systems framework, which distinguishes infrastructure and governance alongside ecological and social components, we examined research focus across five system components: resources, users, user private infrastructure, public infrastructure, and public infrastructure providers. We evaluated social-ecological, disciplinary, and biogeographic patterns. Our analysis reveals a fundamental mismatch: although socioeconomic disturbances (policy changes, market shifts, institutional transformations) are reported as the dominant drivers of change, research attention remains concentrated on biophysical components (livestock numbers, pasture condition), with social and institutional dimensions severely underrepresented. Integration across system components is limited, with most studies examining one or two components in isolation, missing critical feedbacks. Geographically, research concentrates on developing regions with increasing livestock, whereas developed-country systems undergoing destocking and degrading ecosystems remain understudied. These patterns reflect institutional and epistemic structures that privilege certain knowledge forms, reinforcing narrow framings centered on ecological degradation while obscuring social and institutional processes. Addressing these systems' challenges requires structural changes in funding, training, and collaboration that elevate social science perspectives and prioritize integration.
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