Chapter 16
Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs and Their
Environments in the Red Sea and Western
Indian Ocean: Research and Management
Serge Andréfouët
Abstract The Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean regions offer a wide variety
of coastal configurations, including large areas of coral reefs. In regions that include
both developed and developing countries, coral reefs and the services they provide
are critical for the livelihoods, economies and well being of local communities, while
they are at risk due to both anthropogenic and natural threats. Coral reefs also offer
to scientific research a unique array of ecological and geological processes specific
to these regions. Both applied and fundamental aspects motivate conservation and
management projects. Satellite and airborne remote sensing has contributed to scientific and management projects with a variety of sensors and products, including some
of the earliest coral reef applications worldwide 30 years ago. High spatial resolution geomorphology, bathymetry and habitat maps provide a biophysical description
of the reefs themselves. Oceanic fields, such as sea surface temperature regime and
their anomalies, quantify how coral reefs are exposed to weather and climate forcing.
The combined local and large scale spatial information help understand how coral
reefs status and processes vary across space and time. In particular, data products
are increasingly combined to map the resilience of coral reef and associated habitats,
and to design conservation plans at different spatial scales. However, both high-tech
state-of-the-art and user-friendly remote sensing are still not used as systematically
as it could be, while most countries still need basic spatial information consistent at
national and international scales, such as habitat maps. Future applied developments
will need to address these gaps in priority products. At the same time, on-going
research will continue to refine local and regional products relevant for the science
and the management of the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean coral reefs and
their environments.
S. Andréfouët ()
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Nouméa,
New Caledonia, France
e-mail: serge.andrefouet@ird.fr
V. Barale, M. Gade (eds.), Remote Sensing of the African Seas,
317
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-8008-7_16,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs and Their
Environments in the Red Sea and Western
Indian Ocean: Research and Management
Serge Andréfouët
Abstract The Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean regions offer a wide variety
of coastal configurations, including large areas of coral reefs. In regions that include
both developed and developing countries, coral reefs and the services they provide
are critical for the livelihoods, economies and well being of local communities, while
they are at risk due to both anthropogenic and natural threats. Coral reefs also offer
to scientific research a unique array of ecological and geological processes specific
to these regions. Both applied and fundamental aspects motivate conservation and
management projects. Satellite and airborne remote sensing has contributed to scientific and management projects with a variety of sensors and products, including some
of the earliest coral reef applications worldwide 30 years ago. High spatial resolution geomorphology, bathymetry and habitat maps provide a biophysical description
of the reefs themselves. Oceanic fields, such as sea surface temperature regime and
their anomalies, quantify how coral reefs are exposed to weather and climate forcing.
The combined local and large scale spatial information help understand how coral
reefs status and processes vary across space and time. In particular, data products
are increasingly combined to map the resilience of coral reef and associated habitats,
and to design conservation plans at different spatial scales. However, both high-tech
state-of-the-art and user-friendly remote sensing are still not used as systematically
as it could be, while most countries still need basic spatial information consistent at
national and international scales, such as habitat maps. Future applied developments
will need to address these gaps in priority products. At the same time, on-going
research will continue to refine local and regional products relevant for the science
and the management of the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean coral reefs and
their environments.
S. Andréfouët ()
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Nouméa,
New Caledonia, France
e-mail: serge.andrefouet@ird.fr
V. Barale, M. Gade (eds.), Remote Sensing of the African Seas,
317
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-8008-7_16,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014