Journal
UNDERWATER 3D RECORDING AND MODELLING: A TOOL FOR MODERN APPLICATIONS AND CH RECORDING
Volume 42-2, Issue W10, Pages 61-67Publisher
COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
DOI: 10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-W10-61-2019
Keywords
Coral Reefs; Coral Ecology; Photogrammetry; Structure-from-Motion; 3D Reconstruction; Habitat Complexity; Benthic Community Structure
Funding
- NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship
- NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, through the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
- National Science Foundation under the CREST-PRF Award [1720706]
- National Science Foundation under the EPSCoR Program Award OIA [1557349]
- Division Of Human Resource Development
- Direct For Education and Human Resources [1720706] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Corals act as ecosystem engineers by secreting structurally complex calcium carbonate skeletons on the benthic substrate that provide habitat for a diverse array of associated reef organisms. Communities of living corals create large and dynamic benthic structures that directly affect ecological parameters such as habitat provisioning and light availability, thus influencing overall ecosystem function. Despite the important role 3D structural complexity plays in ecosystem biodiversity and productivity, the field of coral ecology has lacked accessibility to practical technology capable of quantifying 3D characteristics of underwater habitats. Advancements in the field of computer vision has led to Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, which provides a simple and cost-effective method for creating high-resolution and spatially accurate 3D reconstructions of natural environments. Integrating SfM approaches into coral reef research and monitoring has provided useful insight into the relationship between 3D habitat complexity and ecological processes. In this study, we examined the relationships among 2D estimates of live coral cover and several metrics of 3D habitat structural complexity among eleven long-term monitoring sites at French Frigate Shoals. Our findings show that coral assemblage structure acts as a significant driver of 3D structural complexity of coral reef habitats at this atoll. This study highlights the importance of diverse and abundant coral assemblages in supporting structurally complex coral reef habitats and provides a framework for future investigations into the ecological role of various coral morphotypes.
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