Application of color infrared aerial photography to assess macroalgal distribution in an eutrophic estuary,Upper Newport Bay,California |
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Authors: | Nikolay P Nezlin Krista Kamer Eric D Stein |
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Institution: | (1) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, High Plains Grasslands Research Station, 8408 Hildreth Road, Cheyenne, WY 82009, USA;(2) Great Bear Restoration Technologies, Hamilton Carriage House, 310 North 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA;(3) Department of Forestry Management, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA |
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Abstract: | Newport Bay is a large estuary in southern California that is subject to anthropogenic nutrient loading, eutrophication, and
hypoxia. Ground-based methods of assessing algal extent for monitoring and management are limited in that they cannot provide
a synoptic view of algal distribution over comparatively large areas. The goal of this study was to explore the application
of color infrared aerial photography as an alternative for analyzing the changes in the abundance of exposed macroalgae. Three
surveys combining remote sensing (color infrared aerial photography) and ground-based sampling to quantify macroalgal mat
coverage were carried out in Upper Newport Bay (UNB) between July and October 2005. Airborne photographs (scale 1:6000) collected
during daytime low tides, clear skies, and appropriate sun angle were digitized to 25-cm resolution, orthorectified, georegistered,
and combined into three mosaic composite digital images: one for each survey. During each aerial photography survey, macroalgal
percent cover was measured on the ground by the pointintercept method in a 6.25-m2 area at ca. 30 locations distributed along the water’s edge throughout the intertidal mudflat area. There were three main
types of cover:Ulva spp. (green algae),Ceranrium spp. (red algae), and bare surface (mud and mussel beds). To analyze similarities between spectral signatures in the images
and cover types, the pixels corresponding to the ground samples from each survey were grouped into clusters based on similarity
of their spectral signatures. To establish relationships between spectral signatures in the images and cover as determined
from ground data, pixels in each composite image corresponding to ground samples from the same day that were characterized
by > 90% of one cover type were attributed to that cover type. Ground samples comprised of a mixture of cover types were used
for accuracy assessment. Before classification, each digital image was transformed by the Minimum Noise Fraction Rotation
method to remove noise and enhance contrast between the classes. For classification of each composite image, the Spectral
Angle Mapper scheme was used: all pixels in each image were attributed to the identified classes and the areal extent of each
class was estimated. According to these assessments, the macroalgal coverage in UNB increased from 37% in July to 57% in September
to 80% in October, and during this timeUlva spp. replacedCeramium spp. as the dominant alga. This analysis showed that color infrared aerial photography is an effective tool for assessing
estuarine, intertidal macroalgal coverage. |
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