Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

LIDAR optical rugosity of coral reefs in Biscayne National Park, Florida

  • Report
  • Published:
Coral Reefs Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The NASA Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), a temporal waveform-resolving, airborne, green wavelength LIDAR (light detection and ranging), is designed to measure the submeter-scale topography of shallow reef substrates. Topographic variability is a prime component of habitat complexity, an ecological factor that both expresses and controls the abundance and distribution of many reef organisms. Following the acquisition of EAARL coverage over both mid-platform patch reefs and shelf-margin bank reefs within Biscayne National Park in August 2002, EAARL-based optical indices of topographic variability were evaluated at 15 patch reef and bank reef sites. Several sites were selected to match reefs previously evaluated in situ along underwater video and belt transects. The analysis used large populations of submarine topographic transects derived from the examination of closely spaced laser spot reflections along LIDAR raster scans. At all 15 sites, each LIDAR transect was evaluated separately to determine optical rugosity (Ro tran ), and the average elevation difference between adjacent points (Av(δE ap )). Further, the whole-site mean and maximum values of Ro tran and Av(δE ap ) for the entire population of transects at each analysis site, along with their standard deviations, were calculated. This study revealed that the greater habitat complexity of inshore patch reefs versus outer bank reefs results in relative differences in topographic complexity that can be discerned in the laser returns. Accordingly, LIDAR sensing of optical rugosity is proposed as a complementary new technique for the rapid assessment of shallow coral reefs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4a–d
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8a, b
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ackermann F (1999) Airborne laser scanning—present status and future expectations. J Photogram Rem Sens 54:64–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aronson RB, Edmunds PJ, Precht WF, Swanson DW, Levitan DR (1994) Large scale, long-term monitoring of Caribbean coral reefs: simple, quick, inexpensive techniques. Atoll Res Bull 421:1–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Blair JB, Hofton MA (1999) Modeling laser altimeter return waveforms over complex vegetation using high resolution elevation data. Geophys Res Lett 26(16):2509–2512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns TP (1985) Hard-coral distribution and cold-water disturbances in South Florida: variation with depth and location. Coral Reefs 4:117–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman MR, Kramer DL (1999) Gradients in coral reef fish density and size across the Barbados Marine Reserve boundary: effects of reserve protection and habitat characteristics. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 181:81–96

    Google Scholar 

  • DigitalGlobe (2002) QuickBird Imagery Products—product guide. DigitalGlobe Inc, Longmont

  • Dustan P (1999) Coral reefs under stress: sources of mortality in the Florida Keys. Nat Resources Forum 23:147–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Edinger EN, Risk MJ (2000) Reef classification by coral morphology predicts coral reef conservation value. Biol Conserv 92:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler R (2001) Topographic lidar. In: Maune DF (ed) Digital elevation model technologies and applications: the DEM users manual. Soc Photogram Rem Sens, Bethesda, pp 207–236

  • Friedlander AM, Parrish JD (1998) Habitat characteristics affecting fish assemblages on a Hawaiian coral reef. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 224:1–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Ginsburg RN, Shinn EA (1994) Preferential distribution of reefs in the Florida reef tract: the past is the key to the present. In: Ginsburg RN (ed) Global aspects of coral reefs, health, hazards, and history. University of Miami, Coral Gables, pp H21–H26

  • Guenther GC (2001) Airborne lidar bathymetry. In: Maune DF (ed) Digital elevation model technologies and applications: the DEM users manual. Soc Photogram Rem Sens, Bethesda, pp 236–306

  • Harding DJ, Lefskey MA, Parker GG, Blair JB (2001) Laser altimetry canopy height profiles—methods and validation for closed-canopy, broadleaf forests. Rem Sens Environ 76:283–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hixon MA, Beets JP (1993) Predation, prey-refuges, and the structure of coral-reef fish assemblages. Ecol Monogr 63(1):77–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudson JH, Hanson KJ, Halley RB, Kindinger JL (1994) Environmental implications of growth rate changes in montastrea annularis: Biscayne National Park. Bull Mar Sci 54(3):647–669

    Google Scholar 

  • Japp WC (1984) The ecology of the south Florida coral reefs: a community profile. US Fish Wildlife Service Rep FWS/OBS-82/08

    Google Scholar 

  • Johannes RE, Wiebe WJ, Crossland CJ, Rimmer DW, Smith SV (1983) Latitudinal limits of coral reef growth. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 11:105–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones JA (1977) Morphology and development of southeastern Florida patch reefs. In: Proc 3rd Int Coral Reef Symp, University of Miami, Miami, pp 232–235

  • Krabill WB, Martin CF (1987) Aircraft positioning using global positioning system carrier phase data. Navigation 34:1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Krabill WB, Wright CW, Swift RN, Frederick EB, Manizade SS, Yungel JK, Martin CF, Sonntag JG, Duffy M, Hulslander W, Brock JC (2000) Airborne laser mapping of Assateague Island National Seashore beach. Photogram Rem Sens 66(1):65–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Lefsky MA, Harding D, Cohen WB, Parker G, Shugart HH (1999) Surface lidar remote sensing of basal area and biomass in deciduous forests of eastern Maryland, USA. Rem Sens Environ 67:83–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyzenga DR (1978) Passive remote sensing techniques for mapping water depth and bottom features. Appl Optics 17(3):379–383

    Google Scholar 

  • Marszalek DS, Babashoff G, Noel MR, Worley DR (1977) Reef distribution in south Florida. In: Proc 3rd Int Coral Reef Symp, University of Miami, Miami, pp 224–229

  • Mazel CH (1999) Technical issues related to coral reef remote sensing and workshop recommendations. Rep Worksh Center for Marine Conservation, 4–5 February 1999, St. Petersburg, Florida

  • McCormick MI (1994) Comparison of field methods for measuring surface topography and their association with a tropical reef fish assemblage. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 112:87–96

    Google Scholar 

  • McPherson BF, Halley RB (1996) The south Florida environment: a region under stress. US Geol Surv Circ 1134

    Google Scholar 

  • Means JE, Acker SA, Harding DJ, Blair JB, Lefsky MA, Cohen WB, Harmon ME, McKee WA (1999) Use of large-footprint scanning airborne lidar to estimate forest stand characteristics in the western Cascades of Oregon. Rem Sens Environ 67:298–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller SL, Weil E, Szmant AM (2000) Coral recruitment and juvenile mortality as structuring factors for reef benthic communities in Biscayne National Park, USA. Coral Reefs 19:115–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller SL, Chiappone M, Swanson DW, Vermeij M, Eaken D (2002) Rapid assessment and monitoring of coral reef habitats on the Florida Keys reef tract: quick look report: summer 2002. NOAA NURC

  • Moulding A, Patterson M (2002) Biscayne National Park coral reef inventory and monitoring project. Final Report. National Park Service, Homestead

  • Rogers CS, Miller J (2001) Coral bleaching, hurricane damage, and benthic cover on coral reefs in St. John, US Virgin Islands: a comparison of surveys with the chain transect method and videography. Bull Mar Sci 69(2):459–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers CS, Suchanek TH, Pecora FA (1982) Effects of Hurricances David and Frederic(1979) on shallow Acropora palmata reef communities: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Bull Mar Sci 32(2):532–548

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers CS, Garrison G, Grober R, Hillis ZM, Franke MA (1994) Coral reef monitoring manual for the Caribbean and western Atlantic. US Dept Interior, National Park Service, Virgin Islands National Park, St. John

  • Sale PF (1991) Habitat structure and recruitment in coral reef fishes. In: Bell SS, McCoy ED, Mushinsky HR (eds) Habitat structure, the physical arrangement of objects in space. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 197–210

  • Sandidge JC, Holyer RJ (1998) Coastal bathymetry from hyperspectral water radiance. Rem Sens Environ 65:341–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sebens KP (1991) Habitat structure and community dynamics in marine benthic systems. In: Bell SS, McCoy ED, Mushinsky HR (eds) Habitat structure, the physical arrangement of objects in space. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 211–234

  • Shinn EA, Lidz BH, Kindinger JL, Hudson JH, Halley RB (1989) Reefs of Florida and the Dry Tortugas: a guide to the modern carbonate environments of the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas. Int Geol Congr Field Trip Guideb T176, Am Geophys Union, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Szmant AM (1997) Nutrient effects on coral reefs: a hypothesis on the importance of topographic and trophic complexity to reef nutrient dynamics. In: Proc 8th Int Coral Reef Symp 2:1527–1532

  • Wehr A, Lohr U (1999) Airborne laser scanning—an introduction and overview. Photogram Rem Sens 54:68–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright CW, Brock JC (2002) EAARL: a lidar for mapping shallow coral reefs and other coastal environments. In: Proc 7th Int Conf Remote Sensing Marine Coastal Environment, 20–22 May 2002, Miami

Download references

Acknowledgements

The USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program funded this investigation as a component of the Geologic Studies of Coral Reefs Project. The authors greatly appreciate substantial contributions from R. Curry and S. Viehman to the field investigations within Biscayne National Park. The authors thank D. Hickey and B.J. Reynolds for their professionalism in handling the boat operations undertaken within this study. B. Boynton and M. Harris are gratefully acknowledged for assistance in the preparation of figures. V. Rabine is thanked for his dedication and skill as the Chief Pilot of the Cessna 310 aircraft used for the NASA EAARL LIDAR overflights of the northern Florida Keys reef tract.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USGS Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies, 600 4th Street South, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA

    John C. Brock, Tonya D. Clayton & Amar Nayegandhi

  2. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, 23337, USA

    C. Wayne Wright

Authors
  1. John C. Brock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Wayne Wright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tonya D. Clayton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Amar Nayegandhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John C. Brock.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brock, J.C., Wright, C.W., Clayton, T.D. et al. LIDAR optical rugosity of coral reefs in Biscayne National Park, Florida. Coral Reefs 23, 48–59 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-003-0365-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-003-0365-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation