11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

Poster Mini-Symposium 17: Emerging Techniques in Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis
17.553
GIS Derived Spatial Analysis as a Tool to Predict Nearshore Coral Reef Fish
Species in American Samoa
D. Paul BROWN* 1 , Gerald ALLEN 2
1 National Park Service, Pago Pago, American Samoa, 2 Department of Aquatic Zoology,
Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia
The U.S. National Park Service has undertaken a monumental task of inventorying
species found within park boundaries both below water and on land. This is part of the
Inventory & Monitoring program aimed to increase our management efforts in all the
U.S. National Parks. In the National Park of American Samoa, the inventory of coral reef
fish has helped to discover 44 new species records for the territory of American Samoa.
This was done using both GIS polygons derived from known geographic distributions of
marine fish as well as in-water surveys using SCUBA and technical diving procedures. A
distribution map was created for all known coral reef fish species from the central South
Pacific. Using ArcInfo GIS software, a point was generated on an equal area map of the
South Pacific for each recorded occurrence of a given species. These point records,
whether collection or observational records, were then used to create a GIS polygon.
Although these polygons include broad expanses of deepsea/ pelagic habitat, it is
assumed that fish species only occur in suitable habitat. When American Samoa fell
inside this polygon, it was assumed that this species could be found. GIS benthic habitat
maps were then used to locate suitable and likely locations for a given species. In-water
surveys were then conducted to look for the assumed present species. Using this
technique 118 additional species were presumed to be located in Am. Samoa. To date the
in-water surveys have found 44 new records, of these, 27 were assumed present from the
GIS modeling but had never previously been found. Many of the remaining species are
small and cryptic and are unlikely to be encountered without the use of icthyocides.
17.554
Monitoring The Health Of Coral Reef Using Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing -A
Case Study Of Pirotan Island, Marine National Park, Gulf Of Kachchh, Gujarat ,
India
Sahadev SHARMA* 1 , Anjali BAHUGUNA 2 , Nandini Ray CHAUDHARY 2 , Shailesh
NAYAK 3 , Sachin CHAVAN 4 , Chavi Nath PANDEY 4
1 University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan, Nishihara, Japan, 2 Space Applications
Centre (ISRO) Ahmedabad, India, Ahmedabad, India, 3 Indian National Centre for Ocean
Information Service, Hyderabad, India, hyderabad, India, 4 Gujarat Ecological Education
and Research Foundation, Gandhinagar, India, Gandhinagar, India
Multi-temporal coral reef study is required for monitoring the climate and human impact
changes. We have evolved an indicator-based (mainly satellite-derivable indicators)
approach for monitoring health of reefs. The indicators tell about the damage already
done, current ecological condition and early warning to the reefs. Early warning
indicators are Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly, Turbidity, and Delay in Onset of
Algae. The ecological indicators are diversity (both floral, faunal and habitat), percentage
cover of live and dead corals, etc., and the Damage indicators are the deposition of mud
and sand on the reef, erosion, phase shift, etc. The health status for Pirotan reef (22.6 0 N,
70 0 E) located in the Gulf of Kachchh, India, has been assessed using health indicators.
Indicators of Pirotan Reef health are temperature rise, high salinity, increase in macroalgae,
over-fishing, high sedimentation rate, human influences, and deposition of mud
over reef, etc. Indian Remote Sensing Satellite LISS III sensor data of periods 1998, 2000
and 2005 were analysed to zone the eco-morphological zones of the reef like algal ridge,
mud over reef, sandy muddy reef flat, live coral zone, seagrass, macro-algae, algae on
muddy reef flat, etc. with an accuracy of 87% at 90% confidence level. NOAA-AVHRR
average monthly SST data was analyzed from 1998 to 2005 (March, April, May and
June) to identify the effect of temperature rise on coral reef like bleaching and increased
macro-algae cover. Depositions of sand and mud have increased owing to the high
sedimentation rate, sand mining and cutting of mangroves. Coral bleaching and stress has
resulted in increased macro-algal growth. Onset of coral reef friendly macro-alga
(Sargassum) has shifted from September-October to early December. The Pirotan reef is
under severe degradation as is apparent from the indicators of health. Efforts are currently
underway to model the indicators for establishing health.
17.555
Coral Color - Reflection And Absorption
Noga STAMBLER* 1
1 Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
Light absorption per unit of coral surface area decreased with increase in colony size, with a
clear effect of different coral morphologies. In branched colonies, shading among branches
reduced the absorbed light per unit area and per zooxanthellae.
Corals often have different colors; color is variable, even among colonies of the same species
growing together. While the colors blue, pink, and green are due to the protein pigments in the
host tissue, the brown color is due to the absorption of the zooxanthellae pigments.
Coral colors change as a result of acclimation and adaptation to environmental conditions. Dark
brown colors, representing higher absorption, are due to low-light intensities or exposure to
high-nutrient concentration, while lightness colors are due to low pigment concentrations, in
some cases due to natural conditions while others indicate stress conditions.
The absorption range of the corals and their symbiotic zooxanthellae, and their ability to change
their color by photo-acclimation and photoadaptation enable the coral to grow and survive.
These variations can monitor on a reef level, however corals can exhibit different colors in the
same colony. The spectral variation between color morphs of the hermatypic corals Stylophora
pistillata and Pocillopora damicornis in the northern Red Sea was found to be higher than
between species. Therefore species recognition based on reflectance spectra is only possible in
certain cases.
17.556
Geomorphological Symbolization Of Coral Reef Environments Along The Southeast
Coast Of Florida: Interpretation Of Airborne Laser Bathymetry And Development Of An
Extension For Arcinfo GIS
Jacob ESTEBANELL BECERRA 1 , Victoria ACHATZ 2 , Charles FINKL* 3
1 Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 2 School of Geoinformation,
University of Applied Sciences Villach, Villach, Austria, 3 Coastal Geology & Geomatics,
Coastal Planning & Engineering, Boca Raton, FL
Interpretation of laser airborne depth sounding (LADS) imagery along the SE Florida coast
initially identified numerous coral reef environments that were displayed as discrete polygons
on maps. Although this recognition of morphoforms provided a comprehensive overview of
spatial differentiation and interrelationships between reef subsystems, the topology lacked clear
integration of form with function and morphodynamic processes. In an effort to glean more
information from the LADS imagery that would better reflect the detailed distribution of
morphoforms, we amalgamated symbolization as recommended in manuals for meso- and
microscale geomorphological mapping as seen in the Geomorphological Map of Europe. The
procedure involved detailed subdivision of mapping units already derived for the 600 km2
study area by interpretation of morphoforms and onscreen digitizing using symbols specifically
created for this purpose. The characterization of coral reef environments involved classification
of different geomorphic forms and processes followed by the creation of index forms for maps.
After adapting existing landscape symbols to seafloor forms and adding new symbols, hand
drawn maps including all patterns (point, line, polygon) were prepared as overlays to the LADS
imagery. Polygon and point patterns were digitized in a graphics drawing program while line
patterns were created in the ArcGIS Style Manager. After importing geomorphic symbols into
the ArcGIS Library, shape and color patterns were adjusted for final digitalization of the
geomorphic map with a self programmed extension for ArcGIS. The result produced maps
showing coral reef environments displayed in terms of true geomorphic symbolization.
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