Data fusion for mapping coral reef geomorphic zones: Possibilities and limitations
RIS ID
131069
Abstract
Mapping the geomorphology of coral reefs provides key information to scientists and managers about the distribution, extent and structure of reef landforms. Geomorphological zones within a reef system are underpinned by geological and environmental gradients in physical and biological processes, usually resulting in well-defined and clearly recognisable landforms. Mapping of such zones has been traditionally undertaken by visual interpretation of remotely sensed imagery, with mapping performance constrained by the operator‟s contextual interpretation and/or imagery characteristics. However, mapping criteria are subjective and often not transferable to other sites. This study explores a semi-automatic, GEO-Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) approach to mapping intra-reef geomorphological zones based on fusing high-resolution satellite imagery and seamless elevation data. The method is applied to Quickbird and Worldview2 imagery of two coral reefs in Australia: Bet Reef, an intertidal lagoonal reef platform in the central Torres Strait; and Lizard Island, a fringing reef in northern Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Combining optical and bathymetric information considerably improved classification results from ~ 80% to ~ 90% overall accuracy. Rule sets developed based on this data fusion approach have the potential to be transferable between different reef types across geographic settings.
Publication Details
Leon, J., Phinn, S. R., Woodroffe, C. D., Hamylton, S., Roelfsema, C. & Saunders, M. (2012). Data fusion for mapping coral reef geomorphic zones: Possibilities and limitations. 4th International Conference on Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA 2012) (pp. 1-6).