2004 UC Proceedings Abstract
 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 |
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