Ecological Remote Sensing: A Challenging Section on Ecological Theory and Remote Sensing

Ecosystems can now be studied from space, in large numbers, but with high spatial and spectral detail. Furthermore, a strict link between ecological theory and remote sensing algorithms is now being put forward. However, no journals, for the time being, are giving enough space to theoretical and empirical papers devoted to the development of new modelling techniques, algorithms and statistical approaches applied to ecological remote sensing. This section is concerned with the application of ecological theory at different levels, by using remote sensing data, for studying patterns and processes, ruling out the life of individual organisms, populations, communities and entire ecosystems. The application of ecological theory to remote sensing data includes several challenges such as (i) scale issues, (ii) data gathering and analysis, and (iii) software development.