Fundamental ecological processes and patterns such as photosynthesis and vegetation structure are critical to understanding how plants will respond to a changing climate. Remote sensing provides a unique opportunity to quantify vegetation function and structure from leaf and canopy to the global scale. Novel observations from optical, thermal, and microwave remote sensing have provided new insights into ecosystem processes at the global scale. With the increasing availability of various remote sensing data and instrumentation, there is an opportunity to integrate these data and methods instead of putting them in silos. Here I provide an overview of multi-platform remote sensing for ecologists, focusing mainly on vegetation photosynthesis and canopy traits. I will also give an example of integrating hyperspectral, LiDAR, and leaf traits to understand the drivers of canopy processes.
