Active Tectonics & Seafloor Mapping Lab

Annotated Bibliography

 Habitat mapping in marine protected areas

Mapping seafloor habitat has been widely used in marine resources management. It provides resource managers a spatial overview or accounting of the environment while describing the physical and biological attributes of the seafloor. Various tools and methods have been developed to improve the characterization of these attributes especially through the marine protected areas (MPAS) management process. Acoustic remote sensing (e.g. multibeam SONAR, Side-Scan SONAR) products paired with visual observation studies (e.g. ROV and submersible) are commonly used to investigate seafloor morphology.  Data acquired with these instruments must be characterized or further interpreted from raw products using GIS software, models, and algorithms to yield a product useful for management.

MPAs have been documented to promote and conserve biodiversity, improve fishery management and protect marine habitats. However, knowledge of habitat characteristics and biological diversity at a site along with social preparedness for the MPA designation is crucial in the onset of the planning phase, during the establishment, and the potential success of these MPAs.

The following citation annotations evaluate a set of studies   where seafloor habitat mapping was used in MPA management:

 Sala, E., O. Aburto-Oropeza,  G. Paredes, I. Parra, J. C. Barrera, and P. K. Dayton .(2002). A general model for designing networks of marine reserves. Science 298(5600): 1991-1993.

In 2002, Sala et al suggested that decision-makers employ a reserve network design approach that considers the networks appropriate locations, size, and connectivity of marine reserves in the Gulf of California. Basic biodiversity and ecological data from all important rocky coast habitats as well as socio-economic factors were collected and then applied to a reserve-sitting model based on optimization algorithms that maintain connectivity. Their findings suggest that an MPA network covering 40% of rocky reef habitat can attain many conservation goals while reducing social conflict. This article provides an important framework and criteria to objectively set up a network of marine reserve. However, factors such as political and financial consideration, socio-economic setting and the availability of potential habitat are critical in MPA establishment and may vary in specific areas and at a given time. To MPA managers, the challenge is to balance these criteria with the aid of tools such a reserve-sitting model and seafloor habitat maps.

Jordan, A., Lawler, M., Halley, V. and Barrett, N. ( 2005). Seabed habitat mapping in the Kent Group of islands and its role in marine protected area planning. Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 15(1): 51-70.

The authors of this article, from the University of Tasmania, Australia, conducted seabed habitat mapping around the 3nmi limit of the Kent Group of islands to identify the distribution and structure of marine ecosystems.  This information was used as surrogate measures of biodiversity for marine protected area (MPA) planning. Extensive acoustic and video transects were used to estimate broad-scale spatial distribution of seabed habitats and provided information on the cover of the dominant benthic species or assemblages. Their seabed map has facilitated defining marine protected area (MPA) boundaries and size of potential zones essential in improving the planning process. They strongly support habitat mapping as an essential component in the planning and designing a MPAs network to assist with the process of ensuring that reserve areas meet comprehensive, adequate and representative (CAR) objectives.

Dartnel and Gardner have developed an empirical technique to predict seafloor facies from multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data collected in central Santa Monica Bay, California. An acoustic-backscatter image, together with three variance images derived from the bathymetry and backscatter data were used classify the area into zones of rock, gravelly-muddy sand, muddy sand. A process of classifying seafloor facies were discussed by the authors in detail. Classification accuracy was assessed by comparing sediment samples, underwater photography, and seismic-reflection profiles. This seafloor-classification technique provides a method to transform high resolution multibeam bathymetry and calibrated acoustic backscatter data into meaningful geological information which can be utilized in various applications such as model sediment processes, pollution transport, and defining benthic habitats.

Wedding, L. M. and  Friedlander, A. M. (2008). Determining the Influence of Seascape Structure on Coral Reef Fishes in Hawaii Using a Geospatial Approach. Marine Geodesy 31: 246 - 266.

The author utilized a GIS analysis of airborne LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)-derived seascape metrics (e.g. depth, rugosity, slope, variance in depth) to demonstrate (LIDAR’s potential or just the potential in general??) potential for predictive mapping and modeling of fish assemblages. Moreover, to examine the degree that physical protection (e.g., structurally complex habitat) and protection from fishing influenced fish assemblages. The study was conducted off a Hawaiian coral reef ecosystem, characterized by a wide range of habitat types, representative wave exposures, varying levels of resource protection, and human use. Results showed that variance in depth (within a 75 m radius) were the seascape metric that had the strongest relationship with most fish assemblage metrics.  Absolute depth and (%) slope also showed relationships with fish assemblages. Statistical association suggests that protection from fishing had a stronger influence on fish biomass compared to physical protection provided by habitat complexity in all their study locations.

Erdey-Heydorn, M. D. (2008). An ArcGIS Seabed Characterization Toolbox Developed for Investigating Benthic Habitats. Marine Geodesy 31: 318 - 358.

The author of this article developed a toolbox using statistical attributes and derived images used for describing seafloor geology and morphology and applied it as habitat characterization of the seafloor. The seabed characterization toolset was developed by using Spatial Analyst tools of ArcGIS. In developing the toolset, the author used a data set collected from north of San Francisco Bay (CA) using supervised image classification tools. Details on how the toolset was developed were explicitly described in the article. ArcGIS Habitat Classification Toolbox was also summarized in the article including its habitat classification scheme and different algorithms using Python scripts applied in the toolbox. The toolset was then tested in various study area. This article would be helpful for seafloor habitat mapping using ArcGIS, and can be replicated in their respective areas of interest.

Iampietro, P. J., Young, M. A., and Kvitek, R. G. (2008). Multivariate Prediction of Rockfish Habitat Suitability in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Del Monte Shalebeds, California, USA. Marine Geodesy 31: 359 - 371.

The authors used species-specific habitat suitability model based on remotely sensed seafloor geomorphology and texture data to predict patterns of distribution of fish species. The model was tested to predict distribution and abundance of two species of rockfish distribution in Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuary. The model utilizes rugosity, slope, aspect, depth, and topographic position index (derived from bathymetric digital elevation models (DEMs))  along with presence/absence data of the species of rockfish. Predictions have varying success in the two species. Habitat predicting model in its early development may pose some shortcomings, but they show promising potential tool for predicting distribution and assessing fishery stock necessary in the design of marine protected areas.

Kracker, L., Kendall, M. McFall, G. (2008). Benthic features as a determinant for fish biomass in Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. Marine Geodesy 31: 267 - 280.

This study integrates fisheries acoustic surveys and bathymetric mapping, along with spatial techniques and regression analysis to relate bottom features and distribution of fish biomass. Their findings identify bottom feature variables for estimating fish biomass in different water depth. Distance to rock ledges was the best predictor of fish biomass in near bottom region whereas, the combined area of habitat types was a reliable predictor in the mid water column. The author suggested that applying this approach to other ecosystems and protected areas will test the potential for integrating biological and physical data for resource characterization and can be used as a strategy in managing marine resources.

Todd, B. J. and H. G. eds. 2007. Mapping the seafloor for habitat characterization. Geological Association of Canada. 519p.

This book provides a report of marine seabed mapping papers presented during the GeoHab conferences held from 2002 to 2006. It contains thirty-five papers from more than 90 authors all of whom comprehensively discussed 5 major topics and case studies on seafloor mapping imaging, mapping technologies and techniques, habitat classification schemes, seafloor disturbances, and utilization of habitat mapping in marine policy. The reference is highly suggested for seafloor mapping practitioners and marine resources managers.

Link to the GAC volume (Ctrl + click to follow)

Caress, D. W., and D. N. Chayes, MB-System: Mapping the Seafloor, http://www.mbari.org/data/mbsystem  and  http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/MB-System, 2006.

MB system is an open source software to process and display bathymetry and backscatter imagery data derived from multibeam, interferometry, and sidescan sonars. Their website content detailed instructions for users, presented in their version 5.0 cookbook. The software includes a variety of function and program from navigation data processing, patch test analysis, bathymetry data processing, sidescan and amplitude data processing, survey planning, exporting data products to GIS and visualization packages, subbottom profiler data processing and more. It operates using MAC OS X or Poseidon Linux operating system. Download MB system through its ftp website: ftp://ftp.ldeo.columbia.edu/pub/MB-System/ .

Wright, D.J., Donahue, B.T., and Naar, D.F., 2002. Seafloor mapping and GIS coordination at America's remotest national marine sanctuary (American Samoa), in Wright, D.J. (ed.), Undersea with GIS, ESRI Press, Redlands, California, 33-63.

Fagatele Bay Marine Sanctuary (FBNMS) is among the thirteen (13) marine sanctuary of the United State National Marine Sanctuary Program. Mapping the seafloor topographic coverage in this remote location with diverse coral reef ecosystem is valuable to researcher as well as to resource managers. This study obtains bathymetry data by multibeam sounding using Kongsberg Simrad EM-3000 system and data were processed using MB system. Data were then used to guide underwater survey of coral reef organism and habitat using SCUBA to depths upto 113m. The study showed details of the reefs unique biological habitat essential in future management efforts such as research activities, baseline habitat survey, monitoring, and other management protocols. Copy of this paper is available in http://dusk.geo.orst.edu/djl/samoa/FBNMS_GISreprint.pdf .

Lots of relevant publications, GIS tools and data on FBNMS and the American Samoa are available in http://dusk.geo.orst.edu/djl/samoa/ .

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This annotated bibliography was created by Rizaller C. Amolo as requirement for GEO 565, Winter 2009.

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