The advent of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) in 1978 heralded a transformative era in ocean color remote sensing, paving the way for a deeper understanding of upper-ocean biogeochemistry. Over the past decades, the field has evolved significantly, with the recent inclusion of light detection and ranging (lidar) technology offering unprecedented insights into the marine environment. This Research Topic aims to encapsulate the collective knowledge and advancements presented in the Research Topic, highlighting the innovative applications of lidar and ocean color remote sensing in marine ecology. It is our intent to provide a comprehensive overview that not only summarizes the articles but also contextualizes their contributions within the broader scope of marine and atmospheric research. Four papers have been published, featuring contributions from a wide array of academic and industrial entities spanning 15 organizations, including the University of Iowa, Science Systems and Applications, Inc., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Université Laval (Canada), ArcticNet, QuébecOcéan, Département de biologie, University of Toronto Scarborough, Département de Physique, BeamSea Associates, Ministry of Natural Resources, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (CAS), Nanchang Hangkong University, Université de Lille.