The maps created in this study (Coyne et al. 2003) were among the first to
quantitatively document the baseline status of the shallow coral reefs along the
coasts of the Main Eight Hawaiian Islands. They revealed a total of 171 km
2 of
submerged vegetation, 204 km
2 of unconsolidated sediment, and 415 km
2 of coral
reef and colonized hardbottom. The maps may be viewed digitally in a GIS system
or printed and used as stand-alone products to provide useful information to scientists, managers and other decision makers, and the general public.
2.4.2 Time Series Analysis
Today’s coral reefs are faced with challenges from pressures such as sedimentation, sea-level rise, increased storm frequency, ocean acidification, and temperature changes, many of which are long-term ([10 year) disturbances directly
resulting from global climate change (Wilkinson 2008). It is essential for managers
to be able to monitor changes from these pressures at the same temporal scales in
which they occur in order to fully understand the trends. Because of its extended
history of data acquisitions, aerial photography is ideally suited to detect change
through time on coral reefs.
Fig. 2.4 Benthic habitat map of the Kane‘ohe area of the island of O‘ahu; created using data
from Coyne et al. (2003); overlain on an IKONOS satellite image
40
S. A. Cochran
quantitatively document the baseline status of the shallow coral reefs along the
coasts of the Main Eight Hawaiian Islands. They revealed a total of 171 km
2 of
submerged vegetation, 204 km
2 of unconsolidated sediment, and 415 km
2 of coral
reef and colonized hardbottom. The maps may be viewed digitally in a GIS system
or printed and used as stand-alone products to provide useful information to scientists, managers and other decision makers, and the general public.
2.4.2 Time Series Analysis
Today’s coral reefs are faced with challenges from pressures such as sedimentation, sea-level rise, increased storm frequency, ocean acidification, and temperature changes, many of which are long-term ([10 year) disturbances directly
resulting from global climate change (Wilkinson 2008). It is essential for managers
to be able to monitor changes from these pressures at the same temporal scales in
which they occur in order to fully understand the trends. Because of its extended
history of data acquisitions, aerial photography is ideally suited to detect change
through time on coral reefs.
Fig. 2.4 Benthic habitat map of the Kane‘ohe area of the island of O‘ahu; created using data
from Coyne et al. (2003); overlain on an IKONOS satellite image
40
S. A. Cochran