Remote sensing ecology

Abstract

Remote sensing ecology is a new paradigm fusing improved satellite remote sensing technology and ecological process study using system models. Satellite remote sensing has made a dramatic progress during nearly half a century of the history. The technology was promoted according with surrounding environment such as sensor development, renovation of computer science and the spread of Geographical Information System (GIS) software and Global Positioning System (GPS). Especially it shows outstanding results in earth environment research and timely collection of wide area agricultural information. However, this technology could not apply for elucidation of matter dynamics and eco-physiological actions occurring in a local ecosystem. On the other hand, the ecological process study, which can measure precise function and minute matter dynamics in vegetation at the target point, but it is difficult to expand environmental scale. Therefore, it makes difficult to combine remote sensing technology and ecological studies which make possible for the inclusive solution. Entering the 21 st century, improvements in spatial, spectral and temporal resolution of satellite sensor permitted not only higher accuracy of land-cover classification, but also measurement of eco-physiological functions and chase of matter dynamics in the ecosystem. Here, we propose “remote sensing ecology” which permits to apply remote sensing technology and ecological process study to observe on a same target with same spatial scale, using system models, and illustrated with some new research.