Ningaloo Reef: Shallow Marine Habitats Mapped Using a Hyperspectral Sensor

Hyperspectral remote sensing emerges as a powerful tool for mapping and monitoring shallow marine habitats, particularly in large, remote, and inaccessible areas like the Ningaloo Marine Park in north-western Australia. This study demonstrates that hyperspectral imagery can efficiently classify benthic cover with high accuracy (70% for the most detailed maps), revealing that macro-algal communities dominate the seabed while hard and soft corals constitute only about 7%. Dense tabulate coral was identified as the largest coral mosaic type, accounting for 37% of all corals. The research utilized HyMap airborne hyperspectral imagery corrected for atmospheric and water column influences, combined with field-validated spectra and fuzzy logic techniques to generate five thematic classification levels. This approach offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods, enabling detailed habitat mapping crucial for conservation and management efforts.

Kobryn, H. T., Wouters, K., Beckley, L. E., & Heege, T. (2013). Ningaloo Reef: Shallow Marine Habitats Mapped Using a Hyperspectral Sensor. PLoS ONE, 8(7), e70105. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0070105