Download or read book Characterizing Benthic Habitats Using Multibeam Sonar and Towed Underwater Video in Two Marine Protected Areas on the West Florida Shelf USA written by Jennifer Lynne Brizzolara and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study investigates a way to characterize the geology and biology of the seafloor in two Marine Protected Areas on the West Florida Shelf. Characterization of benthic habitats needs to include sufficient detail to represent the complex and heterogeneous bottom types. Characterizations can be interpreted from multiple data sets and displayed as benthic habitat maps. Multibeam sonar bathymetry and backscatter provide full spatial data coverage, but interpretation of such data requires some form of ground truth (to characterize the habitat). Imagery from towed underwater video provides continuous transects of seafloor data, which provide a more efficient method than data from sediment grabs, stationary cameras, or video from slow-moving remotely-operated vehicles while a ship is on station.

Download or read book Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat written by Peter Harris and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2019-11-05 with total page 1078 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat: GeoHab Atlas of Seafloor Geomorphic Features and Benthic Habitats, Second Edition, provides an updated synthesis of seabed geomorphology and benthic habitats. This new edition includes new case studies from all geographic areas and habitats that were not included in the previous edition, including the Arctic, Asia, Africa and South America. Using multibeam sonar, the benthic ecology of submarine features, such as fjords, sand banks, coral reefs, seamounts, canyons, mud volcanoes and spreading ridges is revealed in unprecedented detail. This timely release offers new understanding for researchers in Marine Biodiversity, environmental managers, ecologists, and more. - Explores the relationships between seabed geomorphology, oceanography and biology - Provides global case studies which directly focus on habitats, including both biological and physical data - Describes ways to detect change in the marine environment (change in the condition of benthic habitats), a critical aspect for judging the performance of policies and legislation

Download or read book Use of a Towed Camera System Along the West Florida Shelf written by Katie Su Davis and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 87 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As technologies advance the study of ocean dynamics, new approaches to vexing problems of scale and process are becoming more widely available. Originally conceived as a tool primarily for indexing the abundance of near-bottom fishes, the Camera-based Assessment and Survey System (C-BASS) may also be an effective tool for monitoring benthic invertebrate resources vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic perturbations, and for characterizing the composition of benthic communities to inform spatial management. Using still images derived from the C-BASS video of benthic transects within the Florida Middle Grounds, I documented the abundance of benthic habitat-forming functional groupssponges, algae, and coralsand noted taxa that were present in a SCUBA and ROV study conducted a decade earlier. Images were pre-processed using MATLAB computer programming language to correct for light attenuation and scattering in seawater at depth, and examined using ImageJ software and Coral Point Count software or rapid visual assessment methodology to assess image quality and percent cover, respectively. Exploratory data analysis (dissimilarity profile) delineated five habitat types in the northern Florida Middle Grounds, and discriminating benthic cover was identified using similarity percentage analysis: soft corals, fleshy macroalgae, low-relief algae, encrusted rubble, and sand. Hard corals and sponges represented relatively low area cover. A canonical analysis of principle components of in situ environmental measurements, chlorophyll a, turbidity, salinity, slope, and depth highlighted the association of the sand habitat type with greater depths and least amount of slope. Fleshy macroalgae were associated with greater slope, which reflected its presence in transitional areas between sand and reef. Soft coral habitat type was correlated with shallower depths, but also to lower temperature and lower salinity, highlighting the limitations of one-time environmental measurements to the condition of that time and space. A distance-based redundancy analysis of fish species abundance revealed that sponges, soft corals, and hard corals explained some of the variation of Holocentridae spp., angelfishes, and porgy, and that gray snapper appeared to associate with higher measurements of chlorophyll a. A comparison of C-BASS measurements with a coincidental stationary camera survey revealed that a slight shift in view, either from the seafloor to the water column, or from two slightly different positions in the water column, can obscure or reveal benthic cover to varying degrees, suggesting that more imaging could provide more complete representations of the benthic cover. Continued surveys of the benthic composition of the west Florida shelf could elucidate the range of environmental conditions and facilitate further investigations into the fish species associations with biotic cover in these benthic communities.

Download or read book Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat written by Peter Harris and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2011-11-28 with total page 947 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation This book provides a synthesis of seabed geomorphology and benthic habitats based on the most recent, up-to-date information. Case studies from around the world are presented.

Download or read book Mapping Benthic Habitats for Representation in Marine Protected Areas written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Virtually all marine conservation planning and management models in place or proposed have in common the need for improved scientific rigour in identifying and characterising the marine habitats encompassed. An emerging central theme in the last few years has been the concept of representativeness, or representative systems of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The habitat classification and mapping needed to incorporate considerations of representativeness into MPA planning must logically be carried out at the same scale at which management occurs. Management of highly protected areas occurs almost exclusively at local scales or finer, independent of the reservation model or philosophy employed. -- Moreton Bay, on Australia's east coast, was selected for studies at the local scale to map and classify macrobenthic habitats. In a site scale (1 km) trial for the major habitat classification study, remote underwater videography was used to map and characterise an unusual assemblage of epibenthic invertebrates on soft sediments. The assemblage included congregations of the comatulid crinoid Zygometra cf. Z. microdiscus (Bell) at densities up to 0.88 individuals.m-2, comparable to those found in coral reef habitats. There was no correlation between the distribution of this species and commonly used abiotic surrogates depth (6 - 18 m), sediment composition and residual current. This site scale trial is the first quantitative assessment of crinoid density and distribution in shallow water soft-sediment environments. The high densities found are significant in terms of the generally accepted picture of shallow-water crinoids as essentially reefal fauna. The findings highlight the conservation benefits of an inclusive approach to marine habitat survey and mapping. Assemblages such as the one described, although they may be of scientific and ecological significance, would have been overlooked by common approaches to marine conservation planning which emphasise highly productive or aesthetically appealing habitats. -- Most habitat mapping studies rely solely or in part on abiotic surrogates for patterns of biodiversity. The utility of abiotic variables in predicting biological distributions at the local scale (10 km) was tested. Habitat classifications of the same set of 41 sites based on 6 abiotic variables and abundances of 89 taxa and bioturbation indicators were compared using correlation, regression and ordination analyses. The concepts of false homogeneity and false heterogeneity were defined to describe types of errors associated with using abiotic surrogates to construct habitat maps. The best prediction by abiotic surrogates explained less than 30% of the pattern of biological similarity. Errors of false homogeneity were between 20 and 62%, depending on the methods of estimation. Predictive capability of abiotic surrogates at the taxon level was poor, with only 6% of taxon / surrogate correlations significant. These results have implications for the widespread use of abiotic surrogates in marine habitat mapping to plan for, or assess, representation in Marine Protected Areas. Abiotic factors did not discriminate sufficiently between different soft bottom communities to be a reliable basis for mapping. -- Habitat mapping for the design of Marine Protected Areas is critically affected by the scale of the source information. The relationship between biological similarity of macrobenthos and the distance between sites was investigated at both site and local scales, and for separate biotic groups. There was a significant negative correlation between similarity and distance, in that sites further apart were less similar than sites close together. The relationship, although significant, was quite weak at the site scale. Rank correlograms showed that similarity was high at scales of 10 km or less, and declined markedly with increasing distance. There was evidence of patchiness in the distributions of some biotic groups, especially seagrass and anthozoans, at scales less than 16 km. In other biotic groups there was an essentially monotonic decline in similarity with distance. The spatial agglomeration approach to habitat mapping was valid in the study area. Site spacing of less than 10 km was necessary to capture important components of biological similarity. Site spacing of less than 2.5 km did not appear to be warranted. -- Macrobenthic habitat types were classified and mapped at 78 sites spaced 5 km apart. The area mapped was about 2,400 km2 and extended from estuarine shallow subtidal waters to offshore areas to the 50 m isobath. Nine habitat types were recognised, with only one on hard substrate. The habitat mapping characterised several habitat types not previously described in the area and located deepwater algal and soft coral reefs not previously reported. Seagrass beds were encountered in several locations where their occurrence was either unknown or had not previously been quantified. The representation of the derived habitat types within an existing marine protected area was assessed. Only two habitat types were represented in highly protected zones, with less than 3% of each included The study represents the most spatially comprehensive survey of epibenthos undertaken in Moreton Bay, with over 40,000 m2 surveyed. Derived habitat maps provide a robust basis for inclusion of representative examples of all habitat types in marine protected area planning in and adjacent to Moreton Bay. The utility of video data to conduct a low-cost habitat survey over a comparatively large area was also demonstrated. The method used has potentially wide application for the survey and design of marine protected areas.

Download or read book Mediterranean Cold Water Corals Past Present and Future written by Covadonga Orejas and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-07-10 with total page 582 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What do we know about Mediterranean Cold (Deep)-Water coral ecosystems? In this book, specialists offer answers and insights with a series of chapters and short papers about the paleoecology, biology, physiology and ecology of the corals and other organisms that comprise these ecosystems. Structured on a temporal axis—Past, Present and Future—the reviews and selected study cases cover the cold and deep coral habitats known to date in the Mediterranean Basin. This book illustrates and explains the deep Mediterranean coral habitats that might have originated similar thriving ecosystems in today’s Atlantic Ocean.

Download or read book Mapping and Predicting Benthic Habitats in Estuaries Using Towed Underwater Video written by Maggie Tran and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Coral Reef Remote Sensing written by James A. Goodman and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-18 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Remote sensing stands as the defining technology in our ability to monitor coral reefs, as well as their biophysical properties and associated processes, at regional to global scales. With overwhelming evidence that much of Earth’s reefs are in decline, our need for large-scale, repeatable assessments of reefs has never been so great. Fortunately, the last two decades have seen a rapid expansion in the ability for remote sensing to map and monitor the coral reef ecosystem, its overlying water column, and surrounding environment. Remote sensing is now a fundamental tool for the mapping, monitoring and management of coral reef ecosystems. Remote sensing offers repeatable, quantitative assessments of habitat and environmental characteristics over spatially extensive areas. As the multi-disciplinary field of coral reef remote sensing continues to mature, results demonstrate that the techniques and capabilities continue to improve. New developments allow reef assessments and mapping to be performed with higher accuracy, across greater spatial areas, and with greater temporal frequency. The increased level of information that remote sensing now makes available also allows more complex scientific questions to be addressed. As defined for this book, remote sensing includes the vast array of geospatial data collected from land, water, ship, airborne and satellite platforms. The book is organized by technology, including: visible and infrared sensing using photographic, multispectral and hyperspectral instruments; active sensing using light detection and ranging (LiDAR); acoustic sensing using ship, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and in-water platforms; and thermal and radar instruments. Emphasis and Audience This book serves multiple roles. It offers an overview of the current state-of-the-art technologies for reef mapping, provides detailed technical information for coral reef remote sensing specialists, imparts insight on the scientific questions that can be tackled using this technology, and also includes a foundation for those new to reef remote sensing. The individual sections of the book include introductory overviews of four main types of remotely sensed data used to study coral reefs, followed by specific examples demonstrating practical applications of the different technologies being discussed. Guidelines for selecting the most appropriate sensor for particular applications are provided, including an overview of how to utilize remote sensing data as an effective tool in science and management. The text is richly illustrated with examples of each sensing technology applied to a range of scientific, monitoring and management questions in reefs around the world. As such, the book is broadly accessible to a general audience, as well as students, managers, remote sensing specialists and anyone else working with coral reef ecosystems.

Download or read book Biological Sampling in the Deep Sea written by Malcolm R. Clark and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-03-16 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The deep sea covers over 60% of the surface of the earth, yet less than 1% has been scientifically investigated. There is growing pressure on deep-sea resources and on researchers to deliver information on biodiversity and the effects of human impacts on deep-sea ecosystems. Although scientific knowledge has increased rapidly in recent decades, there exist large gaps in global sampling coverage of the deep sea, and major efforts continue to be directed into offshore research. Biological Sampling in the Deep Sea represents the first comprehensive compilation of deep-sea sampling methodologies for a range of habitats. It reviews the real life applications of current, and in some instances developing, deep-sea sampling tools and techniques. In creating this book the authors have been able to draw upon the experiences of those at the coal face of deep-sea sampling, expanding on the existing methodological texts whilst encompassing a level of technical detail often omitted from journal publications. Ultimately the book will promote international consistency in sampling approaches and data collection, advance the integration of information into global databases, and facilitate improved data analyses and consequently uptake of science results for the management and conservation of the deep-sea environment. The book will appeal to a range of readers, including students, early-career through to seasoned researchers, as well as environmental managers and policy makers wishing to understand how the deep-sea is sampled, the challenges associated with deep survey work, and the type of information that can be obtained.

Download or read book Benthic Habitat Mapping with Multibeam Sonar in Newman Sound Terra Nova National Park Newfoundland written by Alison Copeland and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The objective of this thesis is to characterise and map the benthic habitats of Newman Sound, a fjord in Terra Nova National Park, eastern Newfoundland. A multibeam sonar system was used to collect bathymetric and acoustic backscatter data. As backscatter is a function of seafloor substrate, interpretations were made about the distribution of substrates, and these were tested by groundtruthing. Benthic sediments were collected using a Peterson grab and video images were collected with a tethered drop camera, SCUBA divers, and a remotely operated vehicle. A seismic sub-bottom profiler was also used. Nine substrates were identified, and each supported a distinct assemblage of invertebrates and algae, which were classified into eleven habitats. The distribution of substrates and habitats were mapped in a Geographic Information System (GIS). The results indicate that this methodology can effectively map fjord habitats and successfully identifies areas of conservation value.

Download or read book Evaluating the Efficacy of Using Geomorphology as a Surrogate to Benthic Habitat on the Miami Terrace written by Kim D. Smith and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The deep-sea is a vast and relatively sparsely characterized domain. As little as 0.01% of deep-sea benthic habitats have been characterized in detail. Characterizing the distribution of organisms and environmental components of the deep-sea is pivotal to the creation and implementation of successful resource management. Benthic habitat maps are a good method to inventory and characterize deep-sea habitats. Recent advances in technology, such as multibeam sonar and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), have allowed for greater understanding of these ecosystems. As it is difficult and expensive to collect data deep-sea benthic community composition, environmental surrogates of biological data would be economically beneficial. Ideally, a surrogate is an easily-measured abiotic indicator that greatly influences benthic community composition. The quality of a surrogate can be extrapolated to represent the quality of benthic habitat. The Miami Terrace is a deep-sea ecosystem that has begun to be explored and characterized. Previous studies noted that community compositions vary with broad-scale geomorphology on the Miami Terrace. This study addresses a swath of data collected from the Miami Terrace to determine if geomorphology in high resolution bathymetry could serve as a viable surrogate to biological data for the initial characterization of benthic habitats on the Miami Terrace. Data from cable impact assessment surveys for the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility (SFOMF) and the Department of Energy were utilized in this study. Images from these surveys were analyzed to generate and detail twelve transects across a section of the Miami Terrace. This cross section of the terrace had previously been sectioned into distinct geomorphologic zones (Messing et al., 2012). The geomorphologic zones assessed in this study were High Slope Inner Terrace (HSIT), Low Slope Inner Terrace (LSIT), High Slope Outer Terrace Platform (HSOTP), Low Slope Outer Terrace Platform (LSOTP), High Slope Outer Terrace Ridge (HSOTR), and Low Slope Outer Terrace Ridge (LSOTR). Images from these transects were analyzed to generate percent cover and community data. This data includes overall organism density, species richness, and an inventory of all organisms greater than 4 cm identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. This data was taken in concert with previously collected environmental data (e.g. depth, slope, and geomorphology) and subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. Patterns in organism density across the transects align with the progression of the transects by slope and geomorphologic region. Depth was seen to increase from Inner Terrace to Outer Terrace Platform. The Outer Terrace Ridge exhibited an increase in the percent cover of hardbottom habitat; which is preferential for many organisms. This corresponded to a shift in the organism density of multiple Cnidarians and Poriferans. In particular, the density of stylasterids and several sponges increased towards the Outer Terrace Ridge. One High Slope Inner Terrace transect juts into the Outer Terrace Platform, and it was more similar to Outer Terrace Platform transects than those of the Inner Terrace. This suggests that area of Inner Terrace jutting into the Outer Terrace Platform may need to be reassigned as Outer Terrace Platform. Analysis of variance by region and slope yielded that the density of multiple species varies with geomorphology across the study area, and high slope areas had significantly higher species richness than areas of low slope. These results support that geomorphology could serve as a surrogate for the Miami Terrace; however, it is likely a combination of geomorphology and another environmental factor (e.g., percent cover substrate or depth) would better serve to predict distribution of species on the Miami Terrace. The results of this study support that geomorphologic region, slope, depth, and percent cover of substrate can be used to determine different deep-sea habitats on the Miami Terrace. The influence of geomorphology on organism densities was varied, and thus its predictive capacity and efficacy as a surrogate remains limited. Nevertheless, the necessity for ecological baselines to guide management decisions is greater than the uncertainty associated with the use of geomorphology as a surrogate on the Miami Terrace.

Download or read book Characterizing Benthic Habitat Utilization by Recreational and Commercial Users in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary written by Benjamin Danforth Haskell and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Benthic Habitat Classification in Lignumvitae Key Basin Florida Bay Using the U S Geological Survey Along Track Reef Imaging System ATRIS written by Christopher D. Reich and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 12 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Comparison of Benthic Habitats and Faunas Between the Miami Terrace Proposed Calypso Pipeline Site and the Pourtales Terrace Coral Habitat of Particular Concern written by Laura Dell and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Quantitative photographs of benthic communities at two northern Miami Terrace sites, originally investigated as part of an environmental impact survey in advance of the proposed Calypso pipeline, and two Pourtalès Terrace sites, investigated as part of an exploration of deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems (DSCEs) within the Pourtalès Terrace Deep-water Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern (CHAPC), were reanalyzed and compared for similarities and differences. Both terraces are part of an elongated lithified platform that parallels the southeastern Florida coast at depths averaging between 250 and 450 m. Although both sites have similar geological origins and lie under the Florida Current, previous work has suggested that the two terraces support different benthic faunas. Images from 28 phototransects from the two terraces were condensed into two depth bins of 250-300 m and 450-550 m. Distributions of taxa compared among individual sites were depth driven, whereas distributions of taxa between the northern Miami Terrace and Pourtalès Terrace appeared to be driven by geological features, as sites at similar depths had different communities and densities, with the only distinguishing variables being location and geologic features. Results indicate that location is the driving factor contributing to differences in deep-water benthic communities between the two terraces. Depth bin 450-550 m was dominated on the Miami Terrace by hard substrates supporting octocorals (Pseudodrifa nigra, Primnoidae, Keratoisis sp., and Anthomastus sp.), anemones, and sponges (mainly Phakellia sp.) and on the Pourtalès Terrace by hard substrates and coral rubble supporting Paramuricea unid sp. 3, Comatonia cristata, Plumarella sp. 2, and Astrophorina unid. sp. 4. Depth bin 250-300 m on the northern Miami Terrace was dominated by sediment substrates and supported anemones, soft corals and zoanthids, and on the Pourtalès by sediment-veneered hard bottom with Stylaster miniatus, Plumarella unid sp., Hydroida unid sp., and Isididae unid sp. 2. The relationships between depth, location and geomorphology may be useful in designing future benthic mapping projects. In addition, species densities and protection statuses can aid future community assessments between protected habitats and non-protected habitats to measure the effectiveness and management strategies of deep-water marine protected areas. The relationships revealed by this study can be used to support the management of the Miami Terrace, Pourtalès Terrace, and other sites to conserve deep-water coral environments.

Download or read book Benthic Habitats of the Florida Keys written by Florida Marine Research Institute and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Benthic Habitat Mapping and Assessment in the Wilmington East Wind Energy Call Area written by Christopher J. Taylor and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is responsible for oversight and management of the development of energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). In 2012, BOEM identified three Wind Energy Call Areas and later defined Wind Energy Areas on the OCS of North Carolina. Presently, sufficient uncertainty exists regarding cumulative impacts to ecosystem services such as essential fish habitat and maritime cultural resources as a result of the construction or operation of offshore energy facilities to merit preliminary studies. From rocky outcrops to shipwrecks, hardbottom habitats serve as essential fish habitat for reef fisheries off of North Carolina and along the southeast OCS. This project accomplished the primary objective of describing and delineating rocky outcrops, within the Wilmington-East Call Area. The delineation of rocky outcrops and artificial hardbottom habitats guided an intensive diver visual assessment characterizing the benthic and fish communities, the seasonal changes in communities, and influences of sand and sediment movement around hardbottom habitats. This report is the result of a collaborative effort between the University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences and NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management"--Executive summary. [doi:10.7289/V5VM499B (http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5VM499B)]

Download or read book Submarine Cables and the Oceans written by L. Carter and published by UNEP/Earthprint. This book was released on 2009 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are many things and services in our everyday life that we take for granted, and telecommunications is one of them. We surf the internet, send emails to friends and colleagues abroad, talk to family members in foreign countries over the phone, book airline seats and make banking transactions without actually realizing and appreciating the sophisticated technology that enables us to do so. This report covers the history and nature of cables, their special status in international law, their interaction with the environment and other ocean users and, finally, the challenges of the future. It is an evidence-based synopsis that aims to improve the quality and availability of information to enhance understanding and cooperation between all stakeholders. UNEP-WCMC in collaboration with the International Cable Protection Committee and UNEP has prepared this new report to provide an objective, factual description of the sub-marine cable industry and the interaction of submarine telecommunications (which route 95% of all international communications traffic) with the marine environment. This important report seeks to focus and guide deliberations and decision making on the wise conservation and protection of the oceans in concert with their sustainable management and use.