Abstract

Experimental Approach to Improve Canopy Area Estimation of Submerged Vegetation
Track: Ocean, Coastal, and Marine Resources
Author(s): Hyun Jung Cho, James Kelley, Lloyd McGregor, Duanjun Lu

Remote detection of submerged plants is often limited due to the water absorption of Near Infrared (NIR) and the light scattering from suspended particles. Spectral variations along depth gradients were collected using a GER spectroradiometer over outdoor tanks that contain submerged plants. Field transect-surveys were also conducted in Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississppi, to collect information on water depth and vegetation cover along depth gradients. The transect data were overlaid with aerial photographs in ArcGIS 9.2. Experimental study results indicated that the NIR region appears to have two peaks at approximately 710-720 nm and 810-820 nm in the submerged plants. Incorporation of these unique NIR reflectance peaks did not improve detection of seagrass beds in turbid, high energy coastal waters, but, it appears to improve the use of hyperspectral aerial photographs in locating canopy-forming oligohaline aquatic vegetation beds.

Hyun Jung Cho
Jackson State University
Department of Biology
1400 Lynch St.
Jackson , Mississippi 39217
United States
Phone: 601-979-3912
Fax: 601-979-5853
E-mail: hyun.j.cho@jsums.edu

James Kelley
Jackson State University
1400 Lynch St.
Jackson , Mississippi 39217
United States
Phone: 602-979-3912
E-mail: jkelley@jsums.edu

Lloyd McGregor
Jackson State University
1400 Lynch St.
Jackson , Mississippi 39217
United States
Phone: 602-979-3912
E-mail: lmcgrego@charter.net

Duanjun Lu
Jackson State University
1400 Lynch St.
Jackson , Mississippi 39217
United States
Phone: 601-979-3617
E-mail: duanjun.lu@jsums.edu