Chapter 1
REMOTE SENSING AND THE SCIENCE, MONITORING, AND
MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
LAURIE L. RICHARDSON
1 AND ELLSWORTH F. LEDREW
2
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
33199 USA
2 Department of Geography, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1,
Canada
1. Introduction
Many books and scientific journals address the use of remote sensing in the context
of its applicability to aquatic ecosystems. The most successful and widespread aquatic
remote sensing connection to date has been remote sensing of the open oceans. This
effort has been supported by many in-depth studies of the optics of “blue” or Case 1
waters. Tremendous strides in this field have led to global data bases in support of
scientific models now used to study our Earth as a whole, and have led to integration of
quantitative world-wide data sets into studies of such hemispheric and global scale
problems as climate change. This success has been matched by the design and
deployment of an ongoing series of space-borne remote sensors specific to the oceans.
It has also led to the existence of global data sets and data products that are easily
accessed and interpreted by managers.
A much less studied, but at least equally important, aquatic ecosystem that could
benefit greatly from remote sensing technologies is the aquatic coastal zone. Such
zones are of importance in terms of ecology and human populations. They are valuable
in terms of biodiversity, as resources, and for their role in connectivity between
terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Over 50% of human populations live in coastal zones.
The coastal zone has long been a target for science-based study, often in the
context of the biology and ecology of this complex and interacting system. Algal and
fish biologists, in particular, have intensively studied this zone. Scientific disciplines
specific to coastal zones include study of estuaries, coral reefs, and the coastal zone as a
nursery. Such studies are often interdisciplinary, relying on techniques in biology,
chemistry, physical processes, and more recently molecular markers. Many of these
studies involve coastal ecosystem dynamics and change.
Perturbations and long-term changes in coastal stability have ramifications at many
levels, including impacts on fisheries, flooding of human populations and
infrastructure, eutrophication, development of toxic algal blooms, etc. It is within the
realm of aquatic ecosystem managers to be aware of and prepared to counteract or
mitigate such perturbations. This task is daunting, largely as a result of the regional
scale and dynamic nature of aquatic coastal zones. It also often demands interactions
with aquatic scientists.
One of the most useful tools for both scientists and managers for the study of
coastal zones is remote sensing. The benefits or remote sensing include synoptic,
quantitative data sets that are regional (as well as local and global) in scale, and that can
offer repeat sampling. In many cases archival remote sensing data are available that are
invaluable in providing a history of the region. The disadvantages of remote sensing
1
L.L. Richardson and E.F. LeDrew (eds.), Remote Sensing of Aquatic Coastal Ecosystem Processes: Science
and Management Applications, 1-7.
© 2006 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands.
REMOTE SENSING AND THE SCIENCE, MONITORING, AND
MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
LAURIE L. RICHARDSON
1 AND ELLSWORTH F. LEDREW
2
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
33199 USA
2 Department of Geography, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1,
Canada
1. Introduction
Many books and scientific journals address the use of remote sensing in the context
of its applicability to aquatic ecosystems. The most successful and widespread aquatic
remote sensing connection to date has been remote sensing of the open oceans. This
effort has been supported by many in-depth studies of the optics of “blue” or Case 1
waters. Tremendous strides in this field have led to global data bases in support of
scientific models now used to study our Earth as a whole, and have led to integration of
quantitative world-wide data sets into studies of such hemispheric and global scale
problems as climate change. This success has been matched by the design and
deployment of an ongoing series of space-borne remote sensors specific to the oceans.
It has also led to the existence of global data sets and data products that are easily
accessed and interpreted by managers.
A much less studied, but at least equally important, aquatic ecosystem that could
benefit greatly from remote sensing technologies is the aquatic coastal zone. Such
zones are of importance in terms of ecology and human populations. They are valuable
in terms of biodiversity, as resources, and for their role in connectivity between
terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Over 50% of human populations live in coastal zones.
The coastal zone has long been a target for science-based study, often in the
context of the biology and ecology of this complex and interacting system. Algal and
fish biologists, in particular, have intensively studied this zone. Scientific disciplines
specific to coastal zones include study of estuaries, coral reefs, and the coastal zone as a
nursery. Such studies are often interdisciplinary, relying on techniques in biology,
chemistry, physical processes, and more recently molecular markers. Many of these
studies involve coastal ecosystem dynamics and change.
Perturbations and long-term changes in coastal stability have ramifications at many
levels, including impacts on fisheries, flooding of human populations and
infrastructure, eutrophication, development of toxic algal blooms, etc. It is within the
realm of aquatic ecosystem managers to be aware of and prepared to counteract or
mitigate such perturbations. This task is daunting, largely as a result of the regional
scale and dynamic nature of aquatic coastal zones. It also often demands interactions
with aquatic scientists.
One of the most useful tools for both scientists and managers for the study of
coastal zones is remote sensing. The benefits or remote sensing include synoptic,
quantitative data sets that are regional (as well as local and global) in scale, and that can
offer repeat sampling. In many cases archival remote sensing data are available that are
invaluable in providing a history of the region. The disadvantages of remote sensing
1
L.L. Richardson and E.F. LeDrew (eds.), Remote Sensing of Aquatic Coastal Ecosystem Processes: Science
and Management Applications, 1-7.
© 2006 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands.