Analysis of the spatial distribution of net primary productivity across Corsica (France) using the echelon approach

One of the main directions of research for ecologists studying the Earth as a global system is the search for quantitative methods for mapping and monitoring broad-scale patterns of net primary productivity (NPP). While all monitoring activities have a spatial context to a varying degree, the monitoring of NPP patterns requires an objective, criterion-based method for characterizing the spatial distribution of areas that are high or low in NPP relative to their surroundings. In this Letter, we apply a topology-based methodology called the 'echelon approach' to characterize the spatial structure of the remotely sensed NPP spatial structure across the island of Corsica (France) using a coarse-grained grid consisting of annually integrated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values. Results show that the echelon approach provides a new perspective to objectively characterize the structural complexity of a tessellated surface variable for environmental monitoring purposes.