2004 UC Proceedings Abstract

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Classifying Deep Water Benthic Habitats Around Tutuila, American Samoa
Track: Ocean, Coastal, and Marine Resources
Author(s): Emily Lundblad, Dawn Wright, Emily Larkin, Ronald Rinehart, David Naar, Brian Donahue, Joyce Miller

Coral reef ecosystems are the most varied on Earth. These valuable ecosystems see danger worldwide, continually facing destruction from anthropogenic effects and natural disasters. Among efforts to understand coral reef ecosystems is the Coral Reef Task Force's objective to map all U.S. coral reefs and, more specifically, to characterize priority deep water (>30m) reef systems in the U.S. and Trust Territories by 2009. This project satisfies that objective for coral reef systems around Tutuila, American Samoa, by using 3D visualization and high-resolution multibeam bathymetry, bathymetric derivatives (bathymetric position index, rugosity, and slope), acoustic backscatter imagery, and in situ visual ground-truthing in an integrated GIS to classify benthic habitats in Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, on Taema Bank, and at Coconut Point. Resulting habitat maps establish a classification scheme for American Samoa, pinpoint "hot-spots" for biodiversity, and help NOAA's Coastal Services Center develop a deep water benthic habitat mapping tool.

Emily Lundblad
Oregon State University
Geosciences
104 Wilkinson Hall, Dept of Geosciences, Oregon State University
Corvallis , OR 97330
US
Phone: 541-737-8818
E-mail: lundblae@geo.oregonstate.edu

Dawn Wright
Oregon State University
Geosciences
104 Wilkinson Hall
Corvallis , OR 97330
US
Phone: 541-737-1229
E-mail: dawn@dusk.geo.orst.edu

Emily Larkin
Oregon State University
Geosciences
104 Wilkinson Hall
Corvallis , OR 97330
US
Phone: 541-737-8818
E-mail: larkine@geo.oregonstate.edu

Ronald Rinehart
Oregon State University
Geosciences
104 Wilkinson Hall
Corvallis , OR 97330
US
Phone: 541-737-8818
E-mail: rineharr@onid.oregonstate.edu

David Naar
University of South Florida
Center for Coastal Ocean Mapping
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg , FL 33701
US
Phone: 727-553-1637
E-mail: naar@usf.edu

Brian Donahue
University of South Florida
Center for Coastal Ocean Mapping
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg , FL 33701
US
Phone: 727-553-1121
E-mail: briand@seas.marine.usf.edu

Joyce Miller
Contrator to NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
Coral Reef Ecosystem Investigation
2570 Dole Street
Honolulu , HI 96822
US
Phone: 808-592-8303
E-mail: Joyce.Miller@noaa.gov