“…In this Special Issue, many papers highlighted data and methods used to infer patterns across multiple scales and ecosystems, as well as to provide solutions, including predictive capabilities. For marine ecosystems, the delicate nature of the phytoplanktonenvironmental nexus was highlighted is in determining the extent and persistence of algal blooms [1], and the ways in which the phenology of coastal vegetation in a cold temperate intertidal system impacts remote sensing (and the subsequent classification of coastal habitats) was addressed [2]. Both studies actually emphasize how ecological conditions affect the information that can be gathered and yet add intrinsically uncontrollable (but measurable) uncertainty into monitoring technology; this is rather important and unappreciated since a large number of scientists and policy makers assume that all data are the undisputable, golden truth.…”