A study, conducted by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and The University of Western Australia and published in Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, shows how useful drones could be used as a novel tool for monitoring intertidal reefs, which are typically difficult to reach and thus underrepresented in conventional monitoring programs.
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For the first time, new research has mapped the intertidal coral reefs of the Rowley Shoals off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia using drone technology and state-of-the-art analytical techniques.
Intertidal coral reefs are vital to many reef systems and contribute significantly to the general health of the reef. To exist in both above- and below-water environments, species in these habitats must adapt to the dynamic changes between low and high tides.
Co-author Dr. Sharyn Hickey of the Oceans Institute and Centre for Water and Spatial Science at the University of Western Australia noted that compared to coral in subtidal conditions, this type of reef has indicated temperature adaptation and greater resilience to coral bleaching.
In the few studies conducted on intertidal reefs, the main impacts on them were found to be marine heatwaves driven by climate change and sea level rise, so they are an important element of coral reef systems to get to know better.
Dr Sharyn Hickey, Study Co-author, Oceans Institute and Center for Water and Spatial Science, University of Western Australia
Amy Stone, a UWA graduate research assistant, was the lead author. She evaluated machine learning and AI approaches to analyzing drone-captured images of 3D reef structures and discovered that the most basic approaches were the most accurate in estimating coral cover.
The findings are important because we have lacked comparative studies to know how to best optimize drones as a tool to map coral reefs.
Amy Stone, Study Lead Author and Research Assistant, University of Western Australia
Dr Ben Radford of AIMS, a senior researcher on the study, stated that the findings will facilitate more thorough and efficient monitoring of these sensitive intertidal ecosystems.
This will aid in conservation efforts and further our understanding of their role within broader reef systems. By harnessing drone technology, we can enhance our understanding of these critical ecosystems and inform targeted management strategies.
Dr Ben Radford, Study Senior Researcher, Australian Institute of Marine Science
The study was conducted as part of AIMS@UWA, the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre ICoAST collaboration project, and the AIMS NorthWest Shoals to Shore research program, which Santos funded.
Journal Reference:
Stone, A., et al. (2024) Mapping emergent coral reefs: a comparison of pixel- and object-based methods. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation. doi.org/10.1002/rse2.401