Seagrass: A Struggling Ecosystem in a Unique Perspective
Utilizing drone technology to support the research and recovery of vital seagrass along the United States Pacific Coast
Seagrass beds support a variety of wildlife and marine life while also functioning as a carbon sequester helping to mitigate climate change and moderate ocean acidification.
Marker for a transect location in an Oregon fieldsite
The beds of this species promote a diverse habitat in which marine mammals, bird species, and microorganisms forage, thrive, and directly and indirectly rely on eelgrass as a diverse ecosystem for habitat and foraging.
Data collection at an Oregon fieldsite
Eelgrass acts as a filter and carbon sequester by improving water quality, preventing algal blooms, trapping and retaining sediment, protecting the coastline, and ultimately, strengthening the coastal economy.
Seagrass bed at low tide with epiphytes
This critical ecosystem is undergoing a persistent decline in density and health as a result of Labyrinthula zosterae, commonly known as wasting disease.
Changes in density, patchiness, and health of seagrass from 2019 to 2021 in Alaska
The restoration of our oceans is reliant upon a global collaboration of environmentally-minded passionate groups, organizations and individuals that share a collective spirit -- sustainability for the people and for the planet.
Dr. Bo Yang and Dr. Timothy Hawthorne with the University of Central Florida prepare for data collection of drone imagery and spectrometer readings with members of the research team
Led by MarineGeo at the Smithsonian Institution in conjunction with multiple universities including Cornell University, University of California-Davis, San Diego State University, Oregon State University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Central Florida, and Hakai Institute, researchers are seeking to understand the rapid reduction of seagrass evident from wasting disease and perpetuated by a warming climate.
Utilizing small Unoccupied Aerial Vehicles (sUAS), commonly referred to as drones, study sites along the U.S. pacific coast entail a greatly beneficial component to the research -- high-resolution temporally-based survey imagery.
Washington fieldsite team heading to one of the island shores for data collection
With implemented sensors on the drones, mission plans are developed in which the systems can autonomously fly a programmed route capturing images along the entirety of the flight route.
These images are then stitched together using specialized programs including ESRI's Drone2Map to produce the orthomosaic.
Results of processing in ESRI Drone2Map for an Oregon site
A complex but fluid process:
Planning
Field site observation and flight information
Data Collection
Flying and capturing imagery
Analysis
Post-processing to create orthomosaics with further analyses such as georeferencing, atmospheric correction, and color alignment
Working along 23 degrees of latitude, data from study sites are collected across California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska with multiple sites in each state.
San Diego Site, California
Campbell Cove Site, California
Fossil Point Site, Oregon
Sally Bend Site, Oregon
July 4th Site, Washington
Beach Haven Site, Washington
Fish Egg Site, Alaska
Nossuk Site, Alaska
A Temporal Analysis:
View the changes in seagrass patchiness and density at an Alaska field site from 2019 to 2021:
2019
2020
2021
The collaborative efforts of restoring our oceans is not limited to those with a specific title but rather those with the desire to influence a change -- capable in each of us. Change is evoked through influence and influence is inspired through storytelling.
Dr. Drew Harvell, professor emeritus at Cornell University collects seagrass samples at a Friday Harbor field site with her research team
The unique perspective of drones provides a means of storytelling previously limited to high budgets and technical knowledge. The technological evolution of small UASs has provided the capabilities of individuals to create and share valuable imagery of the environment surrounding them documenting the ever-changing aspects of this human-influenced world.
Help influence and inspire restorative efforts of our lands and oceans through the use of drone technologies.
To learn more about this project and to learn how you can contribute, visit our website below.
This research is funded by the National Science Foundation in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institute. Data created and provided by Dr. Bo Yang and Dr. Timothy Hawthorne at the University of Central Florida.
Photos of Oregon and Washington field sites from graduate researcher, Tyler Copeland
