Spatial extent of surface canopy kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) derived from fixed-wing surveys (2023), Denman Island to south Quadra Island, British Columbia, Canada

This dataset consists of a spatial dataset of digitized surface canopy extent for bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) for the North Salish Sea on the Coast of British Columbia, Canada. This data was collected in partnership with Brian Timmer, a PhD student at the University of Victoria (Victoria, BC) as part of his doctoral research project examining historical changes in algal communities in the northern Strait of Georgia and as part of the Hakai Institute Habitat Mapping Program which includes long-term observations in canopy kelp extent.
Spatial datasets of kelp canopy were derived from high resolution aerial imagery (10 cm) collected from fixed-wing aerial surveys flown 2023. Imagery was collected July 3rd, 2023 at a tide height between 0.6 and 2.4 m with flight paths conducted from north to south in the area of interest. The survey window was based on obtaining imagery during maximum kelp extent and during a low tide cycle.
Imagery Capture: Four-band imagery (RGB-NIR) was collected using two high resolution cameras aboard the Aerial Coastal Observatory (a fixed-wing aircraft). Imagery collection and orthomosaic processing is described in associated reports linked in this record.
Kelp delineation: Surface kelp canopy is represented by polygons which were digitized using the Kelp-O-Matic machine learning tool. This tool automates the detection of surface canopy kelp from 4 band imagery and was developed by Hakai to segment remotely sensed imagery specifically for kelp presence. Spatial outputs from the Kelp-O-Matic were reviewed and manually edited by a trained analyst where necessary.
People involved with dataset processing, analysis and/or submission: Luba Reshitnyk, Alex Guyn, Brian Timmer.

Recommended citation: Reshitnyk, L., Timmer, B., Guyn, A., & Baum, J. (2024). Spatial extent of surface canopy kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) derived from fixed-wing surveys (2023), Denman Island to south Quadra Island, British Columbia, Canada (v1.0). https://doi.org/10.21966/fmw1-8w35

本数据集为加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省沿岸北萨利什海海域的牛海带（bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana）表层冠层覆盖范围数字化空间数据集。
本数据由维多利亚大学（不列颠哥伦比亚省维多利亚市）博士生Brian Timmer合作采集，相关工作既是其博士研究项目的一部分——该项目聚焦乔治亚海峡北部藻类群落的历史变化，同时也隶属于Hakai研究所栖息地制图项目，该项目包含海带冠层覆盖范围的长期观测工作。
海带冠层空间数据集源自2023年固定翼航空测绘获取的10厘米高分辨率航空影像。影像采集于2023年7月3日，其时潮高介于0.6至2.4米之间，飞行航线沿研究区域由北向南布设。航摄窗口期选取在海带冠层覆盖度达到峰值且处于低潮周期的时段。
影像采集：通过搭载于海岸航空观测平台（固定翼飞机）的两台高分辨率相机，采集了RGB-NIR四波段影像。本数据集的影像采集与正射影像镶嵌处理流程详见本记录中附带的相关报告。
海带勾绘：表层海带冠层以多边形矢量要素表示，通过Kelp-O-Matic机器学习工具完成数字化勾绘。该工具由Hakai研究所开发，专为海带识别任务设计，可自动从四波段遥感影像中提取表层海带冠层。Kelp-O-Matic生成的空间结果需经训练有素的分析师人工复核并按需修正。
参与本数据集处理、分析及提交的人员包括：Luba Reshitnyk、Alex Guyn与Brian Timmer。
推荐引用格式：Reshitnyk, L., Timmer, B., Guyn, A. & Baum, J. (2024). 加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省丹曼岛至夸德拉岛南部2023年固定翼航测获取的表层牛海带（Nereocystis luetkeana）冠层覆盖空间范围（v1.0）. https://doi.org/10.21966/fmw1-8w35