Description: 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.
Service Item Id: 377fa3070f6546abab05cf24d3cdfc17
Copyright Text: Brian Walker, NOVA Southeastern University & Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Fish & Wildlife Research Institute