West Florida Shelf Benthic Habitats

This project is a collaborative effort between NOVA Southeastern University (Principal Investigator Brian Walker) and FWC FWRI. The primary objectives of this cooperative project are 1) Map West Florida continental shelf colonized hard bottom features as well as the offshore extent of seagrass in optically shallow waters using satellite imagery, object based image analysis and photo-interpretation techniques; 2) Conduct qualitative benthic surveys to validate the map and associate community information to the classification; 3) Conduct and analyze quantitative benthic surveys to characterize the hard bottom communities throughout the mapped space; 4) Compare and integrate acoustic-based and satellite imagery based seafloor maps; and 5) Develop recommendations as to how habitat data collected through satellite imagery can best be utilized to improve overall survey efficiency and the utility of data collected.本项目为诺瓦东南大学（NOVA Southeastern University，首席研究员布莱恩·沃克）与FWC FWRI的合作研究项目。本合作项目的核心研究目标如下：1）借助卫星影像、面向对象的影像分析（object based image analysis）与目视解译（photo-interpretation）技术，绘制西佛罗里达大陆架上的生物定植硬质海底特征，以及光学浅水区海草的离岸分布范围；2）开展定性底栖生物调查以验证该制图成果，并将群落相关信息关联至分类结果；3）开展定量底栖生物调查并进行分析，以刻画整个制图区域内的硬质底栖群落特征；4）对比并整合基于声学探测与卫星影像的海底制图成果；5）针对如何最优利用卫星影像获取的生境数据，以提升整体调查效率与数据应用价值提出建议。