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Journal articles on the topic 'Geomorphometry, Habitat Mapping, Multibeam Bathymetry'
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Iampietro, Pat J., Rikk G. Kvitek, and Erica Morris. "Recent Advances in Automated Genus-specific Marine Habitat Mapping Enabled by High-resolution Multibeam Bathymetry." Marine Technology Society Journal 39, no. 3 (2005): 83–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.4031/002533205787442495.
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There is a great need for accurate, comprehensive maps of seafloor habitat for use in fish stock assessments, marine protected area design, and other resource management pursuits. Recent advances in acoustic remote sensing technology have made it possible to obtain high-resolution (meter to sub-meter) digital elevation models (DEMs) of seafloor bathymetry that can rival or surpass those available for the terrestrial environment. The acquisition and processing of these data are expensive, however, requiring specialized equipment, expertise, and large amounts of both field and laboratory effort per unit area mapped. Further, the interpretation and classification of these data into maps of habitat type is typically (and appropriately) performed only by trained experts that are familiar with both seafloor geomorphology and the nature and limitations of the data sources. Because it is done visually, this interpretation can be very time-consuming and may yield subjective results that are not comparable from site-to-site or between individual interpreters.We applied an algorithmic terrain analysis approach to efficiently and objectively classify seafloor habitats using the quantifiable landscape metric Topographic Position Index (TPI). We used high-resolution multibeam bathymetry, together with precisely geolocated (± 5 m) ROV observations of fish distribution, to produce a preliminary genus-specific habitat suitability model for eight rockfish (Sebastes) species in the Del Monte shale beds of Monterey Bay, California. A high-resolution (2 m) multibeam bathymetry Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was generated and used to produce a derived TPI surface model using repeatable, algorithmic methods. This data layer, together with the positions and counts by species from 229 rockfish observations (2892 total fish) was then used to create preliminary predictive models of habitat suitability and fish distribution, as well as stock estimates for the study area. A second, independent fish observation data set was used to validate the models.
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Calvert, Jay, James Asa Strong, Matthew Service, Chris McGonigle, and Rory Quinn. "An evaluation of supervised and unsupervised classification techniques for marine benthic habitat mapping using multibeam echosounder data." ICES Journal of Marine Science 72, no. 5 (2014): 1498–513. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsu223.
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Abstract Marine habitat mapping provides information on seabed substrata and faunal community structure to users including research scientists, conservation organizations, and policy makers. Full-coverage acoustic data are frequently used for habitat mapping in combination with video ground-truth data in either a supervised or unsupervised classification. In this investigation, video ground-truth data with a camera footprint of 1 m2 were classified to level 4 of the European Nature Information System habitat classification scheme. Acoustic data with a horizontal resolution of 1 m2 were collected over an area of 130 km2 using a multibeam echosounder, and processed to provide bathymetry and backscatter data. Bathymetric derivatives including eastness, northness, slope, topographic roughness index, vector rugosity measure, and two measures of curvature were created. A feature selection process based on Kruskal–Wallis and post hoc pairwise testing was used to select environmental variables able to discriminate ground-truth classes. Subsequently, three datasets were formed: backscatter alone (BS), backscatter combined with bathymetry and derivatives (BSDER), and bathymetry and derivatives alone (DER). Two classifications were performed on each of the datasets to produce habitat maps: maximum likelihood supervised classification (MLC) and ISO Cluster unsupervised classification. Accuracy of the supervised habitat maps was assessed using total agreement, quantity disagreement, and allocation disagreement. Agreement in the unsupervised maps was assessed using the Cramer's V coefficient. Choice of input data produced large differences in the accuracy of the supervised maps, but did not have the same effect on the unsupervised maps. Accuracies were 46, 56, and 49% when calculated using the sample and 52, 65, and 51% when using an unbiased estimate of the population for the BS, BSDER, and DER maps, respectively. Cramer's V was 0.371, 0.417, and 0.366 for the BS, BSDER, and DER maps, respectively.
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Che Hasan, Rozaimi, Daniel Ierodiaconou, Laurie Laurenson, and Alexandre Schimel. "Integrating Multibeam Backscatter Angular Response, Mosaic and Bathymetry Data for Benthic Habitat Mapping." PLoS ONE 9, no. 5 (2014): e97339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097339.
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Novaczek, Emilie, Rodolphe Devillers, Evan Edinger, and Luiz Mello. "High-resolution seafloor mapping to describe coastal denning habitat of a Canadian species at risk: Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus)." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 74, no. 12 (2017): 2073–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2016-0414.
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The Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) is listed by Canada’s Species at Risk Act as a species of special concern. Effective conservation strategies rely on accurate knowledge of habitat requirements, distribution, and vulnerabilities; however, current management plans cite lack of wolffish habitat data as a key limitation. For this study, coastal Atlantic wolffish denning habitat was characterized and mapped with high-resolution multibeam data and seafloor video in Conception Bay, Newfoundland. Four Atlantic wolffish dens, used for feeding, spawning, and egg-guarding, were surveyed and mapped. On the basis of the geomorphology and substrate of these dens, a supervised classification was applied to the multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data to identify other potential denning areas. Predicted denning habitat, limited by the occurrence of suitable rocky substrate, is most prevalent in shallow waters (<22 m) distributed over 1.6 km2 (5.9%) of the study area. Shallow denning habitat is exposed to seasonal maximum temperatures that exceed the threshold for normal Atlantic wolffish egg development, a potential vulnerability for nearshore wolffish. As management efforts progress, this information will guide research and prioritization of conservation areas.
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Wilson, Margaret F. J., Brian O’Connell, Colin Brown, Janine C. Guinan, and Anthony J. Grehan. "Multiscale Terrain Analysis of Multibeam Bathymetry Data for Habitat Mapping on the Continental Slope." Marine Geodesy 30, no. 1-2 (2007): 3–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01490410701295962.
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Janowski, Lukasz, Karolina Trzcinska, Jaroslaw Tegowski, Aleksandra Kruss, Maria Rucinska-Zjadacz, and Pawel Pocwiardowski. "Nearshore Benthic Habitat Mapping Based on Multi-Frequency, Multibeam Echosounder Data Using a Combined Object-Based Approach: A Case Study from the Rowy Site in the Southern Baltic Sea." Remote Sensing 10, no. 12 (2018): 1983. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs10121983.
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Recently, the rapid development of the seabed mapping industry has allowed researchers to collect hydroacoustic data in shallow, nearshore environments. Progress in marine habitat mapping has also helped to distinguish the seafloor areas of varied acoustic properties. As a result of these new developments, we have collected a multi-frequency, multibeam echosounder dataset from the valuable nearshore environment of the southern Baltic Sea using two frequencies: 150 kHz and 400 kHz. Despite its small size, the Rowy area is characterized by diverse habitat conditions and the presence of red algae, unique on the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea. This study focused on the utilization of multibeam bathymetry and multi-frequency backscatter data to create reliable maps of the seafloor. Our approach consisted of the extraction of 70 secondary features of bathymetric and backscatter data, including statistic and textural attributes of different scales. Based on ground-truth samples, we have identified six habitat classes and selected the most relevant features of the bathymetric and backscatter data. Additionally, five types of image processing pixel-based and object-based classifiers were tested. We also evaluated the performance of algorithms using an accuracy assessment based on the validation subset of the ground-truth samples. Our best results reached 93% overall accuracy and a kappa coefficient of 0.90, confirming that nearshore seabed habitats can be accurately distinguished based on multi-frequency, multibeam echosounder measurements. Our predictive habitat mapping of shallow euphotic zones creates a new scientific perspective and provides relevant data for the management of natural resources. Object-based approaches previously used in various environments and areas suggest that methodology presented in this study may be scalable.
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Kostylev, VE, BJ Todd, GBJ Fader, RC Courtney, GDM Cameron, and RA Pickrill. "Benthic habitat mapping on the Scotian Shelf based on multibeam bathymetry, surficial geology and sea floor photographs." Marine Ecology Progress Series 219 (2001): 121–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps219121.
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Rende, Sante Francesco, Alessandro Bosman, Rossella Di Mento, et al. "Ultra-High-Resolution Mapping of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile Meadows through Acoustic, Optical Data and Object-based Image Classification." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 8, no. 9 (2020): 647. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse8090647.
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In this study, we present a framework for seagrass habitat mapping in shallow (5–50 m) and very shallow water (0–5 m) by combining acoustic, optical data and Object-based Image classification. The combination of satellite multispectral images-acquired from 2017 to 2019, together with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photomosaic maps, high-resolution multibeam bathymetry/backscatter and underwater photogrammetry data, provided insights on the short-term characterization and distribution of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 meadows in the Calabrian Tyrrhenian Sea. We used a supervised Object-based Image Analysis (OBIA) processing and classification technique to create a high-resolution thematic distribution map of P. oceanica meadows from multibeam bathymetry, backscatter data, drone photogrammetry and multispectral images that can be used as a model for classification of marine and coastal areas. As a part of this work, within the SIC CARLIT project, a field application was carried out in a Site of Community Importance (SCI) on Cirella Island in Calabria (Italy); different multiscale mapping techniques have been performed and integrated: the optical and acoustic data were processed and classified by different OBIA algorithms, i.e., k-Nearest Neighbors’ algorithm (k-NN), Random Tree algorithm (RT) and Decision Tree algorithm (DT). These acoustic and optical data combinations were shown to be a reliable tool to obtain high-resolution thematic maps for the preliminary characterization of seagrass habitats. These thematic maps can be used for time-lapse comparisons aimed to quantify changes in seabed coverage, such as those caused by anthropogenic impacts (e.g., trawl fishing activities and boat anchoring) to assess the blue carbon sinks and might be useful for future seagrass habitats conservation strategies.
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Pike, Samuel, Dimosthenis Traganos, Dimitris Poursanidis, et al. "Leveraging Commercial High-Resolution Multispectral Satellite and Multibeam Sonar Data to Estimate Bathymetry: The Case Study of the Caribbean Sea." Remote Sensing 11, no. 15 (2019): 1830. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11151830.
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The global coastal seascape offers a multitude of ecosystem functions and services to the natural and human-induced ecosystems. However, the current anthropogenic global warming above pre-industrial levels is inducing the degradation of seascape health with adverse impacts on biodiversity, economy, and societies. Bathymetric knowledge empowers our scientific, financial, and ecological understanding of the associated benefits, processes, and pressures to the coastal seascape. Here we leverage two commercial high-resolution multispectral satellite images of the Pleiades and two multibeam survey datasets to measure bathymetry in two zones (0–10 m and 10–30 m) in the tropical Anguilla and British Virgin Islands, northeast Caribbean. A methodological framework featuring a combination of an empirical linear transformation, cloud masking, sun-glint correction, and pseudo-invariant features allows spatially independent calibration and test of our satellite-derived bathymetry approach. The best R2 and RMSE for training and validation vary between 0.44–0.56 and 1.39–1.76 m, respectively, while minimum vertical errors are less than 1 m in the depth ranges of 7.8–10 and 11.6–18.4 m for the two explored zones. Given available field data, the present methodology could provide simple, time-efficient, and accurate spatio-temporal satellite-derived bathymetry intelligence in scientific and commercial tasks i.e., navigation, coastal habitat mapping and resource management, and reducing natural hazards.
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Summers, Gerard, Aaron Lim, and Andrew J. Wheeler. "A Characterisation of Benthic Currents from Seabed Bathymetry: An Object-Based Image Analysis of Cold-Water Coral Mounds." Remote Sensing 14, no. 19 (2022): 4731. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs14194731.
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Seabed sedimentary bedforms (SSBs) are strong indicators of current flow (direction and velocity) and can be mapped in high resolution using multibeam echosounders. Many approaches have been designed to automate the classification of such SSBs imaged in multibeam echosounder data. However, these classification systems only apply a geomorphological contextualisation to the data without making direct assertions on the velocities of benthic currents that form these SSBs. Here, we apply an object-based image analysis (OBIA) workflow to derive a geomorphological classification of SSBs in the Moira Mounds area of the Belgica Mound Province, NE Atlantic through k-means clustering. Cold-water coral reefs as sessile filter-feeders benefit from strong currents are often found in close association with sediment wave fields. This OBIA provided the framework to derive SSB wavelength and wave height, these SSB attributes were used as predictor variables for a multiple linear regression to estimate current velocities. Results show a bimodal distribution of current flow directions and current speed. Furthermore, a 5 k-means classification of the SSB geomorphology exhibited an imprinting of current flow consistency which altered throughout the study site due to the interaction of regional, local, and micro scale topographic steering forces. This study is proof-of-concept for an assessment tool applied to vulnerable marine ecosystems but has wider applications for applied seabed appraisals and can inform management and monitoring practice across a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Deriving spatial patterns of hydrodynamic processes from widely available multibeam echosounder maps is pertinent to many avenues of research including scour predictions for offshore structures such as wind turbines, sediment transport modelling, benthic fisheries, e.g., scallops, cable route and pipeline risk assessment and habitat mapping.
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Trzcinska, Karolina, Jaroslaw Tegowski, Pawel Pocwiardowski, et al. "Measurement of Seafloor Acoustic Backscatter Angular Dependence at 150 kHz Using a Multibeam Echosounder." Remote Sensing 13, no. 23 (2021): 4771. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs13234771.
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Acoustic seafloor measurements with multibeam echosounders (MBESs) are currently often used for submarine habitat mapping, but the MBESs are usually not acoustically calibrated for backscattering strength (BBS) and cannot be used to infer absolute seafloor angular dependence. We present a study outlining the calibration and showing absolute backscattering strength values measured at a frequency of 150 kHz at around 10–20 m water depth. After recording bathymetry, the co-registered backscattering strength was corrected for true incidence and footprint reverberation area on a rough and tilted seafloor. Finally, absolute backscattering strength angular response curves (ARCs) for several seafloor types were constructed after applying sonar backscattering strength calibration and specific water column absorption for 150 kHz correction. Thus, we inferred specific 150 kHz angular backscattering responses that can discriminate among very fine sand, sandy gravel, and gravelly sand, as well as between bare boulders and boulders partially overgrown by red algae, which was validated by video ground-truthing. In addition, we provide backscatter mosaics using our algorithm (BBS-Coder) to correct the angle varying gain (AVG). The results of the work are compared and discussed with the published results of BBS measurements in the 100–400 kHz frequency range. The presented results are valuable in extending the very sparse angular response curves gathered so far and could contribute to a better understanding of the dependence of backscattering on the type of bottom habitat and improve their acoustic classification.
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Broadbent, HA, SE Grasty, RF Hardy, et al. "West Florida Shelf pipeline serves as sea turtle benthic habitat based on in situ towed camera observations." Aquatic Biology 29 (January 30, 2019): 17–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/ab00722.
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The use of marine offshore benthic habitats by sea turtles is poorly characterized due to the difficulty of obtaining in situ data. Understanding benthic habitat use that is important to the species’ reproduction, foraging, and migrations is critical for guiding management decisions. A towed camera-based assessment survey system (C-BASS) equipped with environmental sensors was used to characterize and assess benthic habitats on the West Florida Shelf (WFS) from 2014 to 2018. During these cruises, sea turtles were opportunistically observed during the surveys, and critical in situ data such as spatiotemporal information, species identification, habitat use, behavior, and environmental data were collected and evaluated. In total, 79 sea turtles were observed during 97 transects of approximately 2700 km of seafloor, which was recorded on 380 h of video. Several sea turtle species were spotted within the WFS, including loggerhead Caretta caretta, Kemp’s ridley Lepidochelys kempii, and green turtles Chelonia mydas. These opportunistic sightings revealed an area of high use on the WFS, an anthropogenic structure known as the Gulfstream natural gas pipeline (GSPL). C-BASS survey results suggest that 2 sea turtle species (C. caretta and L. kempii) utilize this artificial structure primarily as a resting area. We emphasize the importance of combining habitat mapping techniques (towed underwater video and multibeam bathymetry/backscatter) with tracking technology to better understand the fine-scale habitat use of sea turtles.
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Fakiris, Elias, Philippe Blondel, George Papatheodorou, et al. "Multi-Frequency, Multi-Sonar Mapping of Shallow Habitats—Efficacy and Management Implications in the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, Greece." Remote Sensing 11, no. 4 (2019): 461. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11040461.
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In this work, multibeam echosounder (MBES) and dual frequency sidescan sonar (SSS) data are combined to map the shallow (5–100 m) benthic habitats of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (NMPZ), Greece, a Marine Protected Area (MPA). NMPZ hosts extensive prairies of the protected Mediterranean phanerogams Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa, as well as reefs and sandbanks. Seafloor characterization is achieved using the multi-frequency acoustic backscatter of: (a) the two simultaneous frequencies of the SSS (100 and 400 kHz) and (b) the MBES (180 kHz), as well as the MBES bathymetry. Overall, these high-resolution datasets cover an area of 84 km2 with ground coverage varying from 50% to 100%. Image texture, terrain and backscatter angular response analyses are applied to the above, to extract a range of statistical features. Those have different spatial densities and so they are combined through an object-based approach based on the full-coverage 100-kHz SSS mosaic. Supervised classification is applied to data models composed of operationally meaningful combinations between the above features, reflecting single-sonar or multi-sonar mapping scenarios. Classification results are validated against a detailed expert interpretation habitat map making use of extensive ground-truth data. The relative gain of one system or one feature extraction method or another are thoroughly examined. The frequency-dependent separation of benthic habitats showcases the potentials of multi-frequency backscatter and bathymetry from different sonars, improving evidence-based interpretations of shallow benthic habitats.
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Ierodiaconou, Daniel, Alexandre C. G. Schimel, David Kennedy, et al. "Combining pixel and object based image analysis of ultra-high resolution multibeam bathymetry and backscatter for habitat mapping in shallow marine waters." Marine Geophysical Research 39, no. 1-2 (2018): 271–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11001-017-9338-z.
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Buhl-Mortensen, Pål, Margaret Dolan, and Lene Buhl-Mortensen. "Prediction of benthic biotopes on a Norwegian offshore bank using a combination of multivariate analysis and GIS classification." ICES Journal of Marine Science 66, no. 9 (2009): 2026–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsp200.
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Abstract Mortensen, P. B., Dolan, M., and Buhl-Mortensen, L. 2009. Prediction of benthic biotopes on a Norwegian offshore bank using a combination of multivariate analysis and GIS classification. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 2026–2032. This study is part of the multidisciplinary seabed mapping programme MAREANO (Marine AREAdatabase for NOrwegian coast and sea areas). The mapping programme includes acquisition of multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data together with a comprehensive, integrated biological and geological sampling programme. The equipment used includes underwater video, boxcorer, grab, hyperbenthic sled, and beam trawl. The Tromsøflaket offshore bank was used as a case-study area to develop suitable methods for mapping habitats and biotopes. A procedure for producing maps of predicted biotopes is described that combined information on the distribution of biological communities with environmental factors and indicators. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) was used to relate bottom environment [including multiscale physical descriptors of the seabed derived from multibeam echosounder (MBES) data] and faunal distribution to find the best physical biotope descriptors. DCA of 252 video samples (sequences 200 m long) revealed six groups of locations representing different biotopes. These were characterized by different compositions of species, substrata, depths, and values for terrain parameters. Prediction of biotope distribution was performed using a supervised GIS classification with the MBES-derived physical seabed descriptors with the strongest explanatory ability (depth, backscatter, and broad-scale bathymetric position index) identified by the DCA. The species diversity of the identified biotopes was described from the content of the bottom samples. For future MAREANO cruises, an important task will be to ground-truth predictions of habitat and biotopes and to test the reliability of these predictions in the wider MAREANO area.
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Janowski, Lukasz, Fantina Madricardo, Stefano Fogarin, et al. "Spatial and Temporal Changes of Tidal Inlet Using Object-Based Image Analysis of Multibeam Echosounder Measurements: A Case from the Lagoon of Venice, Italy." Remote Sensing 12, no. 13 (2020): 2117. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs12132117.
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Scientific exploration of seabed substrata has significantly progressed in the last few years. Hydroacoustic methods of seafloor investigation, including multibeam echosounder measurements, allow us to map large areas of the seabed with unprecedented precision. Through time-series of hydroacoustic measurements, it was possible to determine areas with distinct characteristics in the inlets of the Lagoon of Venice, Italy. Their temporal variability was investigated. Monitoring the changes was particularly relevant, considering the presence at the channel inlets of mobile barriers of the Experimental Electromechanical Module (MoSE) project installed to protect the historical city of Venice from flooding. The detection of temporal and spatial changes was performed by comparing seafloor maps created using object-based image analysis and supervised classifiers. The analysis included extraction of 25 multibeam echosounder bathymetry and backscatter features. Their importance was estimated using an objective approach with two feature selection methods. Moreover, the study investigated how the accuracy of classification could be affected by the scale of object-based segmentation. The application of the classification method at the proper scale allowed us to observe habitat changes in the tidal inlet of the Venice Lagoon, showing that the sediment substrates located in the Chioggia inlet were subjected to very dynamic changes. In general, during the study period, the area was enriched in mixed and muddy sediments and was depleted in sandy deposits. This study presents a unique methodological approach to predictive seabed sediment composition mapping and change detection in a very shallow marine environment. A consistent, repeatable, logical site-specific workflow was designed, whose main assumptions could be applied to other seabed mapping case studies in both shallow and deep marine environments, all over the world.
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Beaman, Robin J., James J. Daniell, and Peter T. Harris. "Geology - benthos relationships on a temperate rocky bank, eastern Bass Strait, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 56, no. 7 (2005): 943. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf04306.
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To better understand the possible relationships between the geology of the seabed and the associated biological communities, a multibeam sonar survey over New Zealand Star Bank in the eastern Bass Strait was conducted. A hierarchical method of benthic habitat mapping was applied to the secondary biotope and biological facies levels at the site (<10 km) scale. Four secondary biotopes and four biological facies have been defined on the basis of geomorphology revealed by the bathymetry model and the results of statistical analysis of the sediment and underwater video transect data over the bank. The major differences that control the distribution of biological communities in the New Zealand Star Bank area appear to be related to variations in substrate. (1) Hard-ground features related to high-relief granite outcrops are associated with diverse and abundant sessile and motile fauna. These faunal communities may be biologically modified to patchy barrens habitat by grazing urchins. (2) Unconsolidated sediment on a flat seabed is associated with sparse small sponges on the inner shelf. On the middle shelf and seaward of bank, the flat and muddy seabed supports a community dominated by infauna. (3) Unconsolidated sediment on a low-relief seabed is associated with an increase in the density and sizes of sponges concentrated on any low-relief feature raised above the surrounding flat seabed.
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Peukert, Anne, Timm Schoening, Evangelos Alevizos, Kevin Köser, Tom Kwasnitschka, and Jens Greinert. "Understanding Mn-nodule distribution and evaluation of related deep-sea mining impacts using AUV-based hydroacoustic and optical data." Biogeosciences 15, no. 8 (2018): 2525–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2525-2018.
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Abstract. In this study, ship- and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)-based multibeam data from the German ferromanganese-nodule (Mn-nodule) license area in the Clarion–Clipperton Zone (CCZ; eastern Pacific) are linked to ground-truth data from optical imaging. Photographs obtained by an AUV enable semi-quantitative assessments of nodule coverage at a spatial resolution in the range of meters. Together with high-resolution AUV bathymetry, this revealed a correlation of small-scale terrain variations (< 5 m horizontally, < 1 m vertically) with nodule coverage. In the presented data set, increased nodule coverage could be correlated with slopes > 1.8∘ and concave terrain. On a more regional scale, factors such as the geological setting (existence of horst and graben structures, sediment thickness, outcropping basement) and influence of bottom currents seem to play an essential role for the spatial variation of nodule coverage and the related hard substrate habitat. AUV imagery was also successfully employed to map the distribution of resettled sediment following a disturbance and sediment cloud generation during a sampling deployment of an epibenthic sledge. Data from before and after the “disturbance” allow a direct assessment of the impact. Automated image processing analyzed the nodule coverage at the seafloor, revealing nodule blanketing by resettling of suspended sediment within 16 h after the disturbance. The visually detectable impact was spatially limited to a maximum of 100 m distance from the disturbance track, downstream of the bottom water current. A correlation with high-resolution AUV bathymetry reveals that the blanketing pattern varies in extent by tens of meters, strictly following the bathymetry, even in areas of only slightly undulating seafloor (<1 m vertical change). These results highlight the importance of detailed terrain knowledge when engaging in resource assessment studies for nodule abundance estimates and defining mineable areas. At the same time, it shows the importance of high-resolution mapping for detailed benthic habitat studies that show a heterogeneity at scales of 10 to 100 m. Terrain knowledge is also needed to determine the scale of the impact by seafloor sediment blanketing during mining operations.
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Diesing, Markus, Peter J. Mitchell, Eimear O’Keeffe, Giacomo O. A. Montereale Gavazzi, and Tim Le Bas. "Limitations of Predicting Substrate Classes on a Sedimentary Complex but Morphologically Simple Seabed." Remote Sensing 12, no. 20 (2020): 3398. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs12203398.
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The ocean floor, its species and habitats are under pressure from various human activities. Marine spatial planning and nature conservation aim to address these threats but require sufficiently detailed and accurate maps of the distribution of seabed substrates and habitats. Benthic habitat mapping has markedly evolved as a discipline over the last decade, but important challenges remain. To test the adequacy of current data products and classification approaches, we carried out a comparative study based on a common dataset of multibeam echosounder bathymetry and backscatter data, supplemented with groundtruth observations. The task was to predict the spatial distribution of five substrate classes (coarse sediments, mixed sediments, mud, sand, and rock) in a highly heterogeneous area of the south-western continental shelf of the United Kingdom. Five different supervised classification methods were employed, and their accuracy estimated with a set of samples that were withheld. We found that all methods achieved overall accuracies of around 50%. Errors of commission and omission were acceptable for rocky substrates, but high for all sediment types. We predominantly attribute the low map accuracy regardless of mapping approach to inadequacies of the selected classification system, which is required to fit gradually changing substrate types into a rigid scheme, low discriminatory power of the available predictors, and high spatial complexity of the site relative to the positioning accuracy of the groundtruth equipment. Some of these issues might be alleviated by creating an ensemble map that aggregates the individual outputs into one map showing the modal substrate class and its associated confidence or by adopting a quantitative approach that models the spatial distribution of sediment fractions. We conclude that further incremental improvements to the collection, processing and analysis of remote sensing and sample data are required to improve map accuracy. To assess the progress in benthic habitat mapping we propose the creation of benchmark datasets.
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Pereira, Pedro H. C., Gislaine V. Lima, Julia C. Araujo, et al. "Mesophotic Reefs of the Largest Brazilian Coastal Protected Area: Mapping, Characterization and Biodiversity." Diversity 14, no. 9 (2022): 760. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14090760.
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Mesophotic reefs are poorly known worldwide despite their great ecological relevance and management importance for coral reef conservation strategies. To aid in filling this gap, we conducted a pioneering, large-scale survey, covering a total of around 315 miles in length, in the largest Brazilian coastal Marine Protected Area (MPA) Costa dos Corais. From the digital bathymetry model (30 to 50 m depth) generated by a multibeam echo sounder, we selected areas of greater geomorphological diversity for a detailed investigative expedition of mesophotic ecosystems. Various sampling techniques were used: single-beam echo sounders for detailing the relief, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) for habitat type investigation, baited remote underwater video (BRUV) for collecting images of the fish community, and scuba diving to perform transects describing the benthic and fish community. We analyzed reef environments from 20 to 68 m deep. As a result, we present the mapping and geomorphological characterization of two compartments of mesophotic reefs at 21–45 m depth and an image library of mesophotic ecosystems with the species description and indications of whether it is a new record in the region. Biodiversity data were collected covering eight species of sponges, with greater abundance for Ircinia spp., Aplysina spp., and Xestospongia muta; eight from corals, mainly Siderastrea spp. And Montastrea cavernosa; and 68 species of reef fish, with the Labridae family (including Scarinae—11 species) being the richest. Our results demonstrate the importance of mesophotic reefs for MPA Costa dos Corais reef biodiversity and, with that, the need to protect these areas through the application of local conservation strategies, such as the creation of “no-take zones”.
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Hoffmann, Jasper J. L., Rune Michaelis, Finn Mielck, Alexander Bartholomä, and Lasse Sander. "Multiannual Seafloor Dynamics around a Subtidal Rocky Reef Habitat in the North Sea." Remote Sensing 14, no. 9 (2022): 2069. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs14092069.
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Rocky reefs provide complex structures in the otherwise largely sand-dominated coastal North Sea. Therefore, these reefs are highly important natural habitats for the functioning of coastal ecosystems, as they provide shelter, refuge and nursery grounds for various mobile and sessile species. In the North Sea, the spatial distribution of these habitats has been intensively investigated over recent years. However, these studies generally provide static accounts of the current state of these reef systems, but limited data exist on the temporal variations in sediment dynamics at and around natural rocky reefs. In this study, we provide observations from a multiannual time series of hydroacoustic seafloor surveys conducted at an isolated rocky reef in the North Sea. We use multibeam bathymetry and side-scan sonar backscatter data in combination with video observations, sediment sampling, and sub-bottom profiler data to assess the long-term variations of the rocky reef system. The reef is located in water depths between 11 and 17 m with an areal extent of ~0.5 km2 and is surrounded by mobile sands. The topography of the rocky reef appears to create a distinct hydrodynamic system that permits mobile sands to settle or move into bathymetrical deeper parts of the reef. Our results suggest a very dynamic system surrounding the reef with large scale scouring, sediment reworking and transport, while the shallower central part of the reef remains stable over time. We demonstrate the importance of hydrodynamics and current scouring around reefs for the local variability in seafloor properties over time. These small-scale dynamics are likewise reflected in the spatial distribution of sessile species, which are less abundant in proximity to mobile sands. The hydroacoustic mapping and monitoring of seafloor dynamics at higher spatial and temporal resolutions presents an important future direction in the study of valuable coastal habitats.
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Fakiris, Elias, Xenophon Dimas, Nikolaos Georgiou, Dimitrios Christodoulou, Yuri Rzhanov, and George Papatheodorou. "Integrating dual frequency side-scan sonar data and multibeam backscatter, angular response and bathymetry, for benthic habitat mapping in the Laganas Gulf MPA, Zakinthos Isl., Greece." Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 141, no. 5 (2017): 3949. http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.4988964.
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Trembanis, Arthur, Alimjan Abla, Ken Haulsee, and Carter DuVal. "Benthic Habitat Morphodynamics-Using Remote Sensing to Quantify Storm-Induced Changes in Nearshore Bathymetry and Surface Sediment Texture at Assateague National Seashore." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 7, no. 10 (2019): 371. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse7100371.
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This study utilizes repeated geoacoustic mapping to quantify the morphodynamic response of the nearshore to storm-induced changes. The aim of this study was to quantitatively map the nearshore zone of Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS) to determine what changes in bottom geomorphology and benthic habitats are attributable to storm events including hurricane Sandy and the passage of hurricane Joaquin. Specifically, (1) the entire domain of the National Parks Service offshore area was mapped with side-scan sonar and multibeam bathymetry at a resolution comparable to that of the existing pre-storm survey, (2) a subset of the benthic stations were resampled that represented all sediment strata previously identified, and (3) newly obtained data were compared to that from the pre-storm survey to determined changes that could be attributed to specific storms such as Sandy and Joaquin. Capturing event specific dynamics requires rapid response surveys in close temporal association of the before and after period. The time-lapse between the pre-storm surveys for Sandy and our study meant that only a time and storm integrated signature for that storm could be obtained whereas with hurricane Joaquin we could identify impacts to the habitat type and geomorphology more directly related to that particular storm. This storm impacts study provides for the National Park Service direct documentation of storm-related changes in sediments and marine habitats on multiple scales: From large scale, side-scan sonar maps and interpretation of acoustic bottom types, to characterize as fully as possible habitats from 1 to 10 m up to many kilometer scales, as well as from point benthic samples within each sediment stratum and these results can help guide management of the island resources.
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Porskamp, Peter, Mary Young, Alex Rattray, Craig J. Brown, Rozaimi Che Hasan, and Daniel Ierodiaconou. "Integrating Angular Backscatter Response Analysis Derivatives Into a Hierarchical Classification for Habitat Mapping." Frontiers in Remote Sensing 3 (May 31, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frsen.2022.903133.
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Accurate maps of biological communities are essential for monitoring and managing marine protected areas but more information on the most effective methods for developing these maps is needed. In this study, we use Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park in southeast Australia as a case study to determine the best combination of variables and scales for producing accurate habitat maps across the site. Wilsons Promontory has full multibeam echosounder (MBES) coverage coupled with towed video, remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and drop video observations. Our study used an image segmentation approach incorporating MBES backscatter angular response curve and bathymetry derivatives to identify benthic community types using a hierarchical habitat classification scheme. The angular response curve data were extracted from MBES data using two different methods: 1) angular range analysis (ARA) and 2) backscatter angular response (AR). Habitat distributions were predicted using a supervised Random Forest approach combining bathymetry, ARA, and AR derivatives. Variable importance metrics indicated that ARA derivatives, such as grain size, impedance and volume heterogeneity were more important to model performance than AR derivatives mean, skewness, and kurtosis. Additionally, this study investigated the impact of segmentation software settings when creating segmented surfaces and their impact on overall model accuracy. We found using fine scale segmentation resulted in the best model performance. These results indicate the importance of incorporating backscatter derivatives into biological habitat maps and the need to consider scale to increase the accuracy of the outputs to help improve the spatial management of marine environments.
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Menandro, Pedro S., Ana Carolina Lavagnino, Fernanda V. Vieira, Geandré C. Boni, Tarcila Franco, and Alex C. Bastos. "The role of benthic habitat mapping for science and managers: A multi-design approach in the Southeast Brazilian Shelf after a major man-induced disaster." Frontiers in Marine Science 9 (October 31, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1004083.
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Seabed mapping is currently the baseline information for ocean management and conservation, and is an indispensable item within research and Marine Spatial Planning. Here, we use a case study and published data along the southeast Brazilian continental shelf to illustrate the concepts and ideas of potential benthic habitat mapping and the importance of having maps on different scales and the potential for using a multi-design approach. The case analysis presented here uses a regional map and distinct criteria (seabed geodiversity and biodiversity, and potential influence of a tailings plume) to define three areas along the continental shelf to be mapped in a high-resolution, as part of a marine monitoring program. The background of the case study is a tailing dam failure disaster that led to the input of iron ore tailings in the ocean, leading to a major environmental disaster. Three areas were chosen, including: a Marine Protected Area (MPA Costa das Algas), a major fishing ground (the Doce River prodelta/depocenter), and an understudied reef area (Forgotten Reefs). Potential benthic habitat mapping was carried out using acoustic surveys (multibeam echosounder acquiring bathymetry and backscatter) and ground-truthing (sediment samples and seafloor image). Results detailed the potential habitats throughout the three areas, providing primary information for the study of benthic habitats and their distribution. The multi-design approach indicated that although a regional analysis can indicate potential vulnerability as a first assessment approach, high-resolution potential habitat mapping (herein, 20 m or finer) is beneficial to evaluate and produce a higher-confidence level for decision-makers. Having an overall view of what and where to collect new and finer data would be best to identify vulnerable areas that, in this case study, could be threatened by plume dispersion and tailings accumulation. Our results support the delineation of priority areas aiming for monitoring, protection and guiding for other studies, besides the consolidation of habitat importance and the integration of various datasets through a hierarchical classification scheme. Although Brazil has never produced a regional or national habitat map for the entire continental margin, there are already conditions to plan, execute and maintain a habitat mapping program, partnering with Universities, Government Institutions (e.g., the Brazilian Navy), and the private sector. In the context of the UN Decade of Ocean Science targets, it is urgent to plan and implement a national database capable of supporting a habitat classification effort on a broader national scale, with the flexibility to support a multi-design or a multi-scale approach.
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Carroll, Michael L. "CAGE16-5 Cruise Report: ROV-based Geological and Biological Investigations of Methane Seeps at Prins Karls Forland, Storfjordrenna Pingos and Bjørnøyrenna Craters." CAGE – Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate Report Series 4 (January 24, 2023). http://dx.doi.org/10.7557/cage.6928.
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The cruise was an activity in of the Centre of Excellence for Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate (CAGE) at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway. The overall aim of the cruise was to utilize the NTNU/AMOS SK30k ROV for seafloor mapping and targeted sample collection at selected CAGE sites, focusing on methane seepage areas west and south of Svalbard. More specific objectives of the cruise were to: Use an ROV-mounted multibeam system to acquire very high resolution (10cm) seabed bathymetry in areas of methane seepsConduct detailed visual seabed surveys for habitat mapping and photomosaicking at specific seep featuresCollect seabed samples of authigenic carbontate crusts, sediments, microbes, foraminifera and macro organisms associated with methane seeps from the ROV, and complimented with more traditional sampling methodsContinue time series investigations of water column measurements of methane concentrations, and of methane oxidizing microbes in the seawaterNet sampling for planktic forams at seeps Sampling activities were designed with a multi-disciplinary approach, with research groups from all CAGE work packages working together in the same locations to develop a holistic understanding of the geological, oceanographic and biological components at key methane seep sites. This cruise prioritized the acquisition of information for mapping seabed features and habitat characterizations (e.g. photomosaicking, visual information) combined with in-situ site sampling using ROV technologies, and complimented by our ‘traditional’ technologies (e.g. CTD, net, and coring devices). With these objectives in mind, the strategy for each of the selected locations is to first carry out visual survey work to acquire framework measurements and data to be of use for all groups within CAGE, followed by a consolidated sampling plan to satisfy the needs of individual researchers for sample material The cruise may be known as: CAGE16_5
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Landero Figueroa, Marcela Montserrat, Miles J. G. Parsons, Benjamin J. Saunders, Ben Radford, and Iain M. Parnum. "Testing the Improvement of Coral Reef Associated Fish Distribution Models Based on Multibeam Bathymetry by Adding Seafloor Backscatter Data." Frontiers in Marine Science 8 (October 11, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.688815.
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Demersal fishes constitute an essential component of the continental shelf ecosystem, and a significant element of fisheries catch around the world. However, collecting distribution and abundance data of demersal fish, necessary for their conservation and management, is usually expensive and logistically complex. The increasing availability of seafloor mapping technologies has led to the opportunity to exploit the strong relationship demersal fish exhibit with seafloor morphology to model their distribution. Multibeam echo-sounder (MBES) systems are a standard method to map seafloor morphology. The amount of acoustic energy reflected by the seafloor (backscatter) is used to estimate specific characteristics of the seafloor, including acoustic hardness and roughness. MBES data including bathymetry and depth derivatives were used to model the distribution of Abalistes stellatus, Gymnocranius grandoculis, Lagocephalus sceleratus, Lethrinus miniatus, Loxodon macrorhinus, Lutjanus sebae, and Scomberomorus queenslandicus. The possible improvement of model accuracy by adding the seafloor backscatter was tested in three different areas of the Ningaloo Marine Park off the west coast of Australia. For the majority of species, depth was a primary variable explaining their distribution in the three study sites. Backscatter was identified to be an important variable in the models, but did not necessarily lead to a significant improvement in the demersal fish distribution models’ accuracy. Possible reasons for this include: the depth and derivatives were capturing the significant changes in the habitat, or the acoustic data collected with a high-frequency MBES were not capturing accurately relevant seafloor characteristics associated with the species distribution. The improvement in the accuracy of the models for certain species using data already available is an encouraging result, which can have a direct impact in our ability to monitor these species.
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Mbani, Benson, Timm Schoening, Iason-Zois Gazis, Reinhard Koch, and Jens Greinert. "Implementation of an automated workflow for image-based seafloor classification with examples from manganese-nodule covered seabed areas in the Central Pacific Ocean." Scientific Reports 12, no. 1 (2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-19070-2.
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AbstractMapping and monitoring of seafloor habitats are key tasks for fully understanding ocean ecosystems and resilience, which contributes towards sustainable use of ocean resources. Habitat mapping relies on seafloor classification typically based on acoustic methods, and ground truthing through direct sampling and optical imaging. With the increasing capabilities to record high-resolution underwater images, manual approaches for analyzing these images to create seafloor classifications are no longer feasible. Automated workflows have been proposed as a solution, in which algorithms assign pre-defined seafloor categories to each image. However, in order to provide consistent and repeatable analysis, these automated workflows need to address e.g., underwater illumination artefacts, variances in resolution and class-imbalances, which could bias the classification. Here, we present a generic implementation of an Automated and Integrated Seafloor Classification Workflow (AI-SCW). The workflow aims to classify the seafloor into habitat categories based on automated analysis of optical underwater images with only minimal amount of human annotations. AI-SCW incorporates laser point detection for scale determination and color normalization. It further includes semi-automatic generation of the training data set for fitting the seafloor classifier. As a case study, we applied the workflow to an example seafloor image dataset from the Belgian and German contract areas for Manganese-nodule exploration in the Pacific Ocean. Based on this, we provide seafloor classifications along the camera deployment tracks, and discuss results in the context of seafloor multibeam bathymetry. Our results show that the seafloor in the Belgian area predominantly comprises densely distributed nodules, which are intermingled with qualitatively larger-sized nodules at local elevations and within depressions. On the other hand, the German area primarily comprises nodules that only partly cover the seabed, and these occur alongside turned-over sediment (artificial seafloor) that were caused by the settling plume following a dredging experiment conducted in the area.