Seagrass Long-Term Monitoring
Seagrass habitats of Moreton Bay and of the Eastern Banks in Moreton Bay have been monitored since 2004 on regular basis providing crucial understanding of changes in seagrass properties over time and space and providing better understanding of earth observation based monitoring methods.
Locations
Moreton Bay, and Eastern Banks Moreton Bay Queensland, Australia
People
Chris Roelfsema (PI), Eva Kovacs, Joanna Smart, Nick Hammerman, Kirsten Golding, Dylan Cowley, Mitchell Lyons, Kathryn Markey, Stuart Phinn, Robert Canto, and Megan Saunders
Funding
Coastal CRC, QPWS, Healthy Land and Water, Goodman Foundation, Coastal Carbon Cluster CSIRO, DISITI, Joint Remote Sensing Research Program, The Lott, Smart SAT CRC Hyperspectral Seagrass-Coral
Timeframe
2000 - ongoing
Summary
Our long term monitoring research of seagrass habitats focussed mostly on Eaststern Banks Moreton Bay and the Moreton Bay. Through our research we developed approaches to map and monitor seagrass species composition, biomass and percentage cover at various spatial scales under different water quality regimes. Initial work focussed on the Eastern Banks, which is the largest extent of seagrass habitat within Moreton Bay and its clear coastal water. The work forms the basis for mapping seagrass environments globally.
The research includes integrating high spatial resolution earth observation multi and hyper spectral image data from airborne sensors or satellites. Field data collection predominantly included photo quadrat collected by snorkelers and sometimes drones. Photo quadrat have been analysed via machine learning. Pixel and object-based image processing approaches were implemented to extract various seagrass properties.
We have field and high spatial resolution multi-spectral satellite image data from the following years: 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011 (x2), 2012 (x2), 2013 (x2), 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 (x2) and ongoing. Field data and some of the products are publically accessible.
Reliability of calculated horizontal projected seagrass cover in Moreton Bay, Australia for (A) 2004 and (B) 2011.
Species composition of seagrass meadows in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia
Publications
Scientific journals
Kovacs E., C.M. Roelfsema, Lyons M., and S. Phinn (2019) “Consideration of Seagrass Remote Sensing in Optical Shallow waters., WoldView 3, Landsat 8, ZY3 and Sentinel 2”, Remote Sensing Letters. https://doi.org/10.1080/2150704X.2018.1468101
Phinn, S.R., Kovacs, E.M., Roelfsema, C., Canto, R., Collier, C. and McKenzie, L. (2017) “Assessing the potential for satellite image monitoring of seagrass thermal dynamics: for inter- and shallow sub-tidal seagrasses in the inshore Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Australia.” Ecological Indicators. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2017.1359343
Roelfsema, C.M., E. Kovacs, and S. Phinn (2015) “A Multi-date seagrass species and percentage cover field data set, derived from georeferenced photo transects for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay, Australia, 2004-2014” Nature Scientific Data. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2015.40
Lyons, M., C. M. Roelfsema, E. Kovacs, J. Samper-Villarreal, M. I. Saunders, P. Maxwell and S. R. Phinn (2015). "Rapid Monitoring of Seagrass Biomass Using a Simple Linear Modelling Approach, in the Field and from Space." Marine Ecology Progress Series, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11321
Roelfsema, C, M. Lyons, M. Dunbabin, E. M. Kovacs & S. Phinn (2015) Integrating field survey data with satellite image data to improve shallow water seagrass maps: the role of AUV and snorkeller surveys?, Remote Sensing Letters, https://doi.org/10.1080/2150704X.2015.1013643
Roelfsema, C. M., M. Lyons, E. M. Kovacs, P. Maxwell, M. I. Saunders, J. Samper-Villarreal, and S.R. Phinn. (2014). "Multi-Temporal Mapping of Seagrass Cover, Species and Biomass: A Semi-Automated Object Based Image Analysis Approach." Remote Sensing of Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2014.05.001
Roelfsema, C.M., E. Kovacs, S.R. Phinn, M. Lyons, M. Saunders and P. Maxwell (2013) Challenges of Remote Sensing for Quantifying Changes in Large Complex Seagrass Environments. In Journal Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.01.015
Lyons MB, Roelfsema CM, Phinn SR (2013) Towards Understanding Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Seagrass Landscapes using Time-series Remote Sensing. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.01.015
Lyons, M.B., Phinn, S.R., Roelfsema, C.M., (2012). Long term land cover and seagrass mapping using Landsat and object-based image analysis from 1972 to 2010 in the coastal environment of South East Queensland, Australia. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. https://doi.org/j.isprsjprs.2012.05.002
Lyons, M. S.R. Phinn and C.M. Roelfsema, (2011), Integrating Quickbird multispectral satellite and field data: Mapping Bathymetry, Seagrass Cover, Seagrass Species and Change in Moreton Bay, Australia in 2004 and 2007. Remote Sensing, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs3010042
Roelfsema, C.M., S.R. Phinn, N. Udy and P. Maxwell (2009). An Integrated Field and Remote Sensing Approach for Mapping Seagrass Cover, Moreton Bay, Australia. Journal of Spatial Science
Phinn, S.R., C.M. Roelfsema, V.E. Brando, A.G. Dekker and J.M. Anstee (2008). Mapping Seagrass Species, Cover and Biomass in Shallow Waters: An Assessment of Satellite Multi-spectral and Airborne Hyper-Spectral Imaging Systems in Moreton Bay (Australia). Remote Sensing of Environment,
Roelfsema, C.M., S.R. Phinn, W.C. Dennison, A.G. Dekker and V.E. Brando (2006). Monitoring Toxic Cyano-bacteria Lyngbya majuscula in Moreton Bay, Australia by Integrating Satellite Image Data and Field Mapping’. Harmful Algae
Scientific Data
Kovacs, Eva M; Roelfsema, Christiaan M; Phinn, Stuart R; Lyons, Mitchell; Udy, James; Baltais, Simon (2021): Habitat map of seagrass cover, Moreton Bay, 2015 https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937501
Roelfsema, Chris M; Kovacs, Eva M; Moffatt, David; Phinn, Stuart R; Hoseck, Steve (2015): Habitat map of seagrass cover, Moreton Bay, 2011 https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846271
Roelfsema, Chris M; Phinn, Stuart R; Maxwell, Paul; Udy, Nicola (2015): Habitat map of seagrass cover, Moreton Bay, 2004,. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846271
Roelfsema, Chris M; Lyons, Mitchell B; Kovacs, Eva M; Maxwell, Paul; Saunders, Megan I; Samper-Villarreal, Jimena; Phinn, Stuart R (2014): Multi-temporal maps of seagrass cover, species and biomass of the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay, Australia, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.833767