Chapter 6
LiDAR Applications
Simon J. Pittman, Bryan Costa and Lisa M. Wedding
Abstract Coral reef ecosystems exhibit biotic complexity and spatial heterogeneity in physical structure at multiple spatial scales. The recent application of
LiDAR technology to coral reef ecosystems has vastly improved the mapping and
quantification of these physically complex ecological systems. Understanding the
geomorphology of coral reefs, from a three-dimensional perspective, using
LiDAR, offers great potential to advance our knowledge of the functional linkages
between geomorphic structure and ecological processes in the marine environment. The recent application of LiDAR in coral reef ecosystems also demonstrates
the depth and breadth of the potential for this technology to support research and
mapping efforts in the coastal zone. This chapter builds upon the previous one,
which covered the background and principles of LiDAR altimetry, by reviewing
coral reef LiDAR applications and providing several case studies that highlight the
S. J. Pittman (&) Á B. Costa Á L. M. Wedding
NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA, Biogeography Branch,
1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, MD 20910, USA
e-mail: simon.pittman@noaa.gov
B. Costa
e-mail: bryan.costa@noaa.gov
L. M. Wedding
e-mail: lisa.wedding@noaa.gov
S. J. Pittman
Marine Science Center, University of the Virgin Islands, 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas
VI, Virgin Islands 00802, USA
L. M. Wedding
Institute of Marine Science, University of California at Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Rd, Santa
Cruz, CA 95060, USA
L. M. Wedding
NOAA/SWFSC, Fisheries Ecology Division, 110 Shaffer Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
J. A. Goodman et al. (eds.), Coral Reef Remote Sensing,
DOI: 10.1007/978-90-481-9292-2_6,
Ó Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
145
LiDAR Applications
Simon J. Pittman, Bryan Costa and Lisa M. Wedding
Abstract Coral reef ecosystems exhibit biotic complexity and spatial heterogeneity in physical structure at multiple spatial scales. The recent application of
LiDAR technology to coral reef ecosystems has vastly improved the mapping and
quantification of these physically complex ecological systems. Understanding the
geomorphology of coral reefs, from a three-dimensional perspective, using
LiDAR, offers great potential to advance our knowledge of the functional linkages
between geomorphic structure and ecological processes in the marine environment. The recent application of LiDAR in coral reef ecosystems also demonstrates
the depth and breadth of the potential for this technology to support research and
mapping efforts in the coastal zone. This chapter builds upon the previous one,
which covered the background and principles of LiDAR altimetry, by reviewing
coral reef LiDAR applications and providing several case studies that highlight the
S. J. Pittman (&) Á B. Costa Á L. M. Wedding
NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA, Biogeography Branch,
1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, MD 20910, USA
e-mail: simon.pittman@noaa.gov
B. Costa
e-mail: bryan.costa@noaa.gov
L. M. Wedding
e-mail: lisa.wedding@noaa.gov
S. J. Pittman
Marine Science Center, University of the Virgin Islands, 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas
VI, Virgin Islands 00802, USA
L. M. Wedding
Institute of Marine Science, University of California at Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Rd, Santa
Cruz, CA 95060, USA
L. M. Wedding
NOAA/SWFSC, Fisheries Ecology Division, 110 Shaffer Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
J. A. Goodman et al. (eds.), Coral Reef Remote Sensing,
DOI: 10.1007/978-90-481-9292-2_6,
Ó Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
145