Integrating bathymetry data and high-resolution satellite imagery for benthic habitat mapping in a marine-protected area in Brazil

Autor(es)

Andrade Galvao de Medeiros, Thais ; Botha, Elizabeth J. ; Cardoso Duarte, Fernando ; Macedo De Mello Baptista, Gustavo ; Sabino de Brito Pereira, Beatriz ; Kampel, Milton ; Seoane, Jose Carlos Sicoli

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: International Journal of Remote Sensing; v. N/A, p. 31-pg., 2024-11-28.

Resumo

Global warming, natural disasters, and increasing human pressure are threatening coral reefs worldwide. It is vital to document their distribution and spatial extent in order to quantify the threats they are subject to. Technological advances in satellite remote sensing have been instrumental in mapping the benthic habitats of coral reefs. In this study, we derived a benthic coral reef habitat map of the Coroa Alta Municipal Marine Park (Brazil) from a very high spatial resolution WorldView-2 (WV2) image, hydroacoustic bathymetry data and in situ substrate data using two machine learning classifiers: Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). An attempt was made to identify the most effective input data for benthic habitat mapping. The best overall classification accuracy for both RF and SVM was achieved using the sunglint-corrected reflectance bands and in situ measured bathymetry as input (97.29% and 95.19% respectively). However, spectral similarity between some benthic classes led to misclassification in areas affected by the S & atilde;o Jo & atilde;o de Tiba river plume and in highly glint-affected areas within the image. The results highlight the need to test different data sources and correction methods to obtain more accurate representations of the benthic habitats of an entire reef system. We expect this study to be useful for the conservation, protection, and environmental management of coral reef ecosystems. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 21/04128-8 - Caracterização da evolução da qualidade biogeoquímica das águas costeiras brasileiras nas últimas duas décadas a partir da observação de satélites: impacto de forçantes naturais e antrópicas
• Beneficiário: Milton Kampel
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 23/13544-0 - Dinâmica temporal dos habitats bentônicos do recife costeiro do Banco de Abrolhos, BA
• Beneficiário: Thais Andrade Galvao de Medeiros
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado