Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs): Their past, present and future contributions to the advancement of marine geoscience

Wynn, Russell B.; Huvenne, Veerle A.I.; Bas, Tim Le; Murton, Bramley J.; Connelly, Douglas P.; Bett, Brian J.; Ruhl, Henry A.; Morris, Kirsty J.; Peakall, Jeff; Parsons, Daniel R.; Sumner, Esther J.; Darby, Stephen E.; Dorrell, R. M.; Hunt, James E.

doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2014.03.012

Cited by 724 publications

(343 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…The development of wet weight conversions from photographic dimensions for a wide range of taxa will facilitate the improved estimation of deep-sea megafaunal biomass from the large numbers of seabed photographs now being routinely captured in many studies (e.g. Morris et al 2014, Wynn et al 2014. The improved quantification of benthic megafaunal biomass using photographs (see e.g.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the estimation of deep-sea megabenthos biomass: dimension to wet weight conversions for abyssal invertebrates

Durden¹,

Bett²,

Horton³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Deep-sea megafaunal biomass has typically been assessed by sampling with benthic sledges and trawls, but non-destructive methods, particularly photography, are becoming increasingly common. Estimation of individual wet weight in seabed photographs has been achieved using equations obtained from measured trawl-caught specimens for a limited number of taxa. However, a lack of appropriate conversion factors has limited estimation across taxa encompassing whole communities. Here we compile relationships between measured body dimensions and preserved wet weights for a comprehensive catalogue of abyssal epibenthic megafauna, using 47 000 specimens from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (NE Atlantic) housed in the Discovery Collections (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK). The practical application of the method is demonstrated using an extremely large dataset of specimen measurements from seabed photographs taken in the same location. We also collate corresponding field data on fresh wet weight, to estimate the impact of fixation in formalin and preservation in industrial denatured alcohol on the apparent biomass. Taxa with substantial proportions of soft tissues lose 35 to 60% of their wet weight during preservation, while those with greater proportions of hard tissues lose 10 to 20%. Our total estimated fresh wet weight biomass of holothurians and cnidarians in the photo graphic survey was ~20 times the previous estimates of total invertebrate biomass based on trawl catches. This dramatic uplift in megabenthic biomass has significant implications for studies of standing stocks, community metabolism, and numerical modelling of benthic carbon flows.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the estimation of deep-sea megabenthos biomass: dimension to wet weight conversions for abyssal invertebrates

Durden¹,

Bett²,

Horton³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…However, the complete large tile set studied here is representative of the very extensive sets of photographs now becoming available (e.g. Morris et al 2014, Wynn et al 2014, particularly for ecological studies of the benthos, and thus there may be significant issues with bias and precision in annotation data.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of image annotation data generated by multiple investigators for benthic ecology

Durden¹,

Bett²,

Schoening³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Multiple investigators often generate data from seabed images within a single image set to reduce the time burden, particularly with the large photographic surveys now available to ecological studies. These data (annotations) are known to vary as a result of differences in investigator opinion on specimen classification and of human factors such as fatigue and cognition. These variations are rarely recorded or quantified, nor are their impacts on derived ecological metrics (density, diversity, composition). We compared the annotations of 3 investigators of 73 megafaunal morphotypes in ~28 000 images, including 650 common images. Successful annotation was defined as both detecting and correctly classifying a specimen. Estimated specimen detection success was 77%, and classification success was 95%, giving an annotation success rate of 73%. Specimen detection success varied substantially by morphotype (12−100%). Variation in the detection of common taxa resulted in significant differences in apparent faunal density and community composition among investigators. Such bias has the potential to produce spurious ecological interpretations if not appropriately controlled or accounted for. We recommend that photographic studies document the use of multiple annotators and quantify potential inter-investigator bias. Randomisation of the sampling unit (photograph or video clip) is clearly critical to the effective removal of human annotation bias in multiple annotator studies (and indeed single annotator works).

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“…The cabling supplies power and transfers data making intensive and detailed operations possible. They provide the opportunity to make observations in new and difficult environments and inspect and guide specific measurements or activities during the survey (see e.g., Huvenne et al, 2011Huvenne et al, , 2016aWynn et al, 2014). Powered, autonomous, underwater vehicles (AUVs) maintain many of the capabilities of ROV operation although under their own propulsion, thus extending the range and area covered relative to a control base.…”

Section: Remotely Operated and Autonomous Vehiclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Powered, autonomous, underwater vehicles (AUVs) maintain many of the capabilities of ROV operation although under their own propulsion, thus extending the range and area covered relative to a control base. Mission parameters are generally predefined or refined when remote communications are established and mission lengths generally vary from hours to days (Griffiths et al, 1998;Wynn et al, 2014). Advances in size and power of AUVs are enabling missions lasting weeks or months with ranges of 1,000s of km that can reach 1,000s of m deep (Furlong et al, 2012).…”

Section: Remotely Operated and Autonomous Vehiclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of the Tools Used for Marine Monitoring in the UK: Combining Historic and Contemporary Methods with Modeling and Socioeconomics to Fulfill Legislative Needs and Scientific Ambitions

et al. 2017

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Marine environmental monitoring is undertaken to provide evidence that environmental management targets are being met. Moreover, monitoring also provides context to marine science and over the last century has allowed development of a critical scientific understanding of the marine environment and the impacts that humans are having on it. The seas around the UK are currently monitored by targeted, impact-driven, programmes (e.g., fishery or pollution based monitoring) often using traditional techniques, many of which have not changed significantly since the early 1900s. The advent of a new wave of automated technology, in combination with changing political and economic circumstances, means that there is currently a strong drive to move toward a more refined, efficient, and effective way of monitoring. We describe the policy and scientific rationale for monitoring our seas, alongside a comprehensive description of the types of equipment and methodology currently used and the technologies that are likely to be used in the future. We contextualize the way new technologies and methodologies may impact monitoring and discuss how whole ecosystems models can give an integrated, comprehensive approach to impact assessment. Furthermore, we discuss how an understanding of the value of each data point is crucial to assess the true costs and benefits to society of a marine monitoring programme.

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Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs): Their past, present and future contributions to the advancement of marine geoscience

Cited by 724 publications

References 103 publications

Improving the estimation of deep-sea megabenthos biomass: dimension to wet weight conversions for abyssal invertebrates

Improving the estimation of deep-sea megabenthos biomass: dimension to wet weight conversions for abyssal invertebrates

Comparison of image annotation data generated by multiple investigators for benthic ecology

A Review of the Tools Used for Marine Monitoring in the UK: Combining Historic and Contemporary Methods with Modeling and Socioeconomics to Fulfill Legislative Needs and Scientific Ambitions

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