Interlinking backscatter, grain size and benthic community structure

Evaluation of seabed mapping methods for fine-scale classification of extremely shallow benthic habitats – Application to the Venice Lagoon, Italy

“…pixel-, field and object-based image analyses) (e.g. Brown and Blondel, 2009;Brown et al, 2011, Ierodiaconou et al, 2011Lucieer and Lamarche, 2011;Micallef et al, 2012;Diesing et al, 2014;McGonigle and Collier, 2014).…”

Recommendations for improved and coherent acquisition and processing of backscatter data from seafloor-mapping sonars

“…The pictorial quality of MBES images has tremendously improved in resolution, stability and dynamics, and now compare very well with sidescan sonar images and satellite-borne scatterometer data (Elachi 1988). Likewise, in optimal conditions, the best data are able to provide objective measurements of the absolute reflective power of underwater targets, hence opening new ways to the interpretation of seafloor scenes (Kloser et al 2010;McGonigle and Collier 2014).…”

“…2, 3). Substantial efforts have been made in trying to obtain seafloor type or physical characteristics from the measurement of the backscatter level (e.g., Brown and Blondel 2009;De Moustier and Matsumoto 1993;Kloser et al 2010;Lamarche et al 2011;McGonigle and Collier 2014;Preston et al 2001), in many cases according to its angle dependence (Haniotis et al 2015). Some original applications include recognition and mapping algae (McGonigle et al 2011), oil spills (Medialdea et al 2008), or hydrothermal vents and seeps (Durand et al 2006;Klaucke et al 2008).…”

Combining observations with acoustic swath bathymetry and backscatter to map seabed sediment texture classes: The empirical best linear unbiased predictor

“…However, they only account for a very limited 36 area of seabed, which is typically dominated by sediment over large parts of the con-37 tinental shelves. Mapping the distribution of seabed sediment classes can therefore 38 serve as a proxy for regional benthic habitats (e.g., Kostylev et al, 2001;Howell, 39 2010; McGonigle and Collier, 2014). The distribution of seabed sediments is also 40 of immediate interest to any industry (e.g., offshore wind, oil and gas) which seeks 41 to install seabed infrastructure, where specific considerations may include sediment…”