Benthic inventory of reefal areas in Moreton Bay, Australia

The study involved the collection of field data and acquisitioning of satellite imagery to create a map that presents a benthic inventory of reefal habitat areas within Moreton Bay. Mapping was guided by the most recent reef map (Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, 2004), the new field data, local knowledge and/or visual interpretation of high spatial resolution satellite imagery.The inventories for each reefal area were based on georeferenced spot check field data collected by volunteer teams in 2015 and 2016 (n=610). This field data was overlayed on high spatial resolution ZY-3 satellite imagery (5 m x 5 m pixels) captured in June 2014. Polygons were manually digitised around reefal areas by an expert from the Remote Sensing Research Centre using visual interpretation of the texture and colour of the pixels in the satellite imagery, as related to water depth, field data and local field knowledge. Polygons were subsequently assigned one of three categories (Coral on reef matrix, Soft Coral on Sand/Rubble, and, Algae on sand/rubble). The project was a collaborative citizen science project between Reef Check Australia, The University of Queensland Remote Sensing Research Centre and Healthy Waterways to collect benthic inventories for eight key subtropical reefal areas in Central Moreton Bay - Mud, Saint Helena, Green, King, Macleay, Goat, and Peel Islands, and, Myora Reef.

本研究通过收集实地数据与获取卫星影像，绘制出莫顿湾内礁栖生境（reefal habitat）区域的底栖生物清单（benthic inventory）地图。制图工作参考了最新的礁区地图（昆士兰环境保护局，2004）、新实地数据、本地知识及/或高空间分辨率（high spatial resolution）卫星影像的目视解译（visual interpretation）结果。各礁区的清单基于2015-2016年志愿者团队收集的带地理参考（georeferenced）的实地抽样检查数据（n=610），该数据叠加于2014年6月拍摄的高空间分辨率ZY-3卫星影像（5米×5米像素）之上。遥感研究中心的专家结合水深、实地数据及本地实地知识，通过目视解译卫星影像中像素的纹理与颜色特征，手动数字化礁区周边的多边形。这些多边形随后被划分为三类：礁基质上的珊瑚（Coral on reef matrix）、沙/碎石上的软珊瑚（Soft Coral on Sand/Rubble）、沙/碎石上的藻类（Algae on sand/rubble）。该项目是由澳大利亚礁检（Reef Check Australia）、昆士兰大学遥感研究中心（The University of Queensland Remote Sensing Research Centre）与健康水道组织（Healthy Waterways）合作开展的公民科学项目，旨在为莫顿湾中部八个关键亚热带礁区（泥岛、圣赫勒拿岛、绿岛、国王岛、麦克利岛、山羊岛、皮尔岛及迈奥拉礁）采集底栖生物清单数据。