6. Conclusions
There is a great and ongoing need for synthesis of complimentary datasets to
answer fundamental questions in coastal ecosystem management. These questions
cannot be answered using a single data source or field-based study. In particular, those
seeking to link data from land to sea have a strong need to use a variety of data sources
to understand the processes of change.
Data synthesis is becoming more tractable due to the availability of GIS software
that can readily combine raster and vector data, and use newer approaches such as
object-oriented classification. Although there are numerous hurdles to acquiring and
adapting available global and regional datasets to synthesis studies, the number of
datasets and their accessibility is improving. Studies incorporating data synthesis
methods have the potential to transform our understanding of the function of coastal
and reef ecosystems, and the risks created by human activities. Synthesis of data types
is the mechanism for implementing analyses in support of an integrated coastal
management model (Cicin-Sain, 1993; Vallega, 1993). By providing analysis that is
more than the sum of the parts, it can lead to improved focus for management activities
and future research.
7. Acknowledgements
Support was provided by NASA through “Using Landsat 7 Data in a GIS-based
Revision of ReefBase (A Global Database on Coral Reefs and Their Resources):
Distributing Information on Land Cover and Shallow Reefs to Resource Managers,”
NASA Office of Earth Sciences, Earth Science Enterprise, Carbon Applications. 20012004. and “A Millennium Global Scale Coral Reef Ecosystem Assessment using High
Resolution Remote Sensing Data”. NASA Office of Earth Sciences, Earth Science
Enterprise, Interdisciplinary Science. 2001-2004. We thank all the partners and
collaborators on these projects, especially G. Feldman, N. Kuring, J. Maidens,
M. Noordeloos, and R. Stumpf. We appreciate information on NOAA Coral Reef
Taskforce activities provided by S. Rohmann, and background information on land
cover datasets shared by J. Gebelein. A. Spraggins, F. Muller-Karger, D. Torres, and
C. Kranenburg are all critical players in producing and sharing the Millenium Coral
Reef maps that are at the center of the collaborations that led to this review. Last, but
certainly not least, we thank Jennifer Rhatigan, Cindy Evans, and one anonymous
reviewer for comments that improved the work.
8. References
Andréfouët S., E.J. Hochberg,, C. Chevillon, F.E. Muller-Karger, J.C. Brock, and C. Hu. 2004. Multi-scale
integration of remote sensing tools to understand physical and biological processes in coastal
environments: examples on coral reefs. In: Remote Sensing of Coastal Aquatic Environments, R.L.Miller,
C.E. Del Castillo, and B.A. McKee (Editors). Kluwer Academic Publishers, in press.
Andréfouët, S., P. Kramer, D. Torres-Pulliza, K.E. Joyce, E.J. Hochberg, R. Garza-Perez, P.J. Mumby, B.
Riegl, H. Yamano, W.H. White, M. Zubia, J.C. Brock, S.R. Phinn, A. Naseer, B.G. Hatcher, and F.E.
Muller-Karger. 2003a. Multi-site evaluation of IKONOS data for classification of tropical coral reef
environments. Remote Sensing of Environment, 88:128-143.
Andréfouët, S., and B. Riegl. 2004. Remote sensing: a key-tool for interdisciplinary assessment of coral reef
processes. Coral Reefs, in press.
Andréfouët, S., J.A. Robinson, C. Hu, B. Salvat, C. Payri, and F.E. Muller-Karger. 2003b. Influence of the
spatial resolution of SeaWiFS, Landsat 7, SPOT and International Space Station data on landscape
parameters of Pacific Ocean atolls. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 29:210-218.
301
Data Synthesis for Management
There is a great and ongoing need for synthesis of complimentary datasets to
answer fundamental questions in coastal ecosystem management. These questions
cannot be answered using a single data source or field-based study. In particular, those
seeking to link data from land to sea have a strong need to use a variety of data sources
to understand the processes of change.
Data synthesis is becoming more tractable due to the availability of GIS software
that can readily combine raster and vector data, and use newer approaches such as
object-oriented classification. Although there are numerous hurdles to acquiring and
adapting available global and regional datasets to synthesis studies, the number of
datasets and their accessibility is improving. Studies incorporating data synthesis
methods have the potential to transform our understanding of the function of coastal
and reef ecosystems, and the risks created by human activities. Synthesis of data types
is the mechanism for implementing analyses in support of an integrated coastal
management model (Cicin-Sain, 1993; Vallega, 1993). By providing analysis that is
more than the sum of the parts, it can lead to improved focus for management activities
and future research.
7. Acknowledgements
Support was provided by NASA through “Using Landsat 7 Data in a GIS-based
Revision of ReefBase (A Global Database on Coral Reefs and Their Resources):
Distributing Information on Land Cover and Shallow Reefs to Resource Managers,”
NASA Office of Earth Sciences, Earth Science Enterprise, Carbon Applications. 20012004. and “A Millennium Global Scale Coral Reef Ecosystem Assessment using High
Resolution Remote Sensing Data”. NASA Office of Earth Sciences, Earth Science
Enterprise, Interdisciplinary Science. 2001-2004. We thank all the partners and
collaborators on these projects, especially G. Feldman, N. Kuring, J. Maidens,
M. Noordeloos, and R. Stumpf. We appreciate information on NOAA Coral Reef
Taskforce activities provided by S. Rohmann, and background information on land
cover datasets shared by J. Gebelein. A. Spraggins, F. Muller-Karger, D. Torres, and
C. Kranenburg are all critical players in producing and sharing the Millenium Coral
Reef maps that are at the center of the collaborations that led to this review. Last, but
certainly not least, we thank Jennifer Rhatigan, Cindy Evans, and one anonymous
reviewer for comments that improved the work.
8. References
Andréfouët S., E.J. Hochberg,, C. Chevillon, F.E. Muller-Karger, J.C. Brock, and C. Hu. 2004. Multi-scale
integration of remote sensing tools to understand physical and biological processes in coastal
environments: examples on coral reefs. In: Remote Sensing of Coastal Aquatic Environments, R.L.Miller,
C.E. Del Castillo, and B.A. McKee (Editors). Kluwer Academic Publishers, in press.
Andréfouët, S., P. Kramer, D. Torres-Pulliza, K.E. Joyce, E.J. Hochberg, R. Garza-Perez, P.J. Mumby, B.
Riegl, H. Yamano, W.H. White, M. Zubia, J.C. Brock, S.R. Phinn, A. Naseer, B.G. Hatcher, and F.E.
Muller-Karger. 2003a. Multi-site evaluation of IKONOS data for classification of tropical coral reef
environments. Remote Sensing of Environment, 88:128-143.
Andréfouët, S., and B. Riegl. 2004. Remote sensing: a key-tool for interdisciplinary assessment of coral reef
processes. Coral Reefs, in press.
Andréfouët, S., J.A. Robinson, C. Hu, B. Salvat, C. Payri, and F.E. Muller-Karger. 2003b. Influence of the
spatial resolution of SeaWiFS, Landsat 7, SPOT and International Space Station data on landscape
parameters of Pacific Ocean atolls. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 29:210-218.
301
Data Synthesis for Management