Integrating structure-from-motion photogrammetry with geospatial software as a novel technique for quantifying 3D ecological characteristics of coral reefs

Jhr Burns; D Delparte; R D Gates; M Takabayashi

doi:10.7717/peerj.1077

Integrating structure-from-motion photogrammetry with geospatial software as a novel technique for quantifying 3D ecological characteristics of coral reefs

PeerJ. 2015 Jul 7:3:e1077. doi: 10.7717/peerj.1077. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Jhr Burns¹, D Delparte², R D Gates³, M Takabayashi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa , McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, HI , USA.
² Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University , Pocatello, ID , USA.
³ Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa , Kaneohe, HI , USA.
⁴ Marine Science Department, University of Hawai'i at Hilo , Hilo, HI , USA.

Abstract

The structural complexity of coral reefs plays a major role in the biodiversity, productivity, and overall functionality of reef ecosystems. Conventional metrics with 2-dimensional properties are inadequate for characterization of reef structural complexity. A 3-dimensional (3D) approach can better quantify topography, rugosity and other structural characteristics that play an important role in the ecology of coral reef communities. Structure-from-Motion (SfM) is an emerging low-cost photogrammetric method for high-resolution 3D topographic reconstruction. This study utilized SfM 3D reconstruction software tools to create textured mesh models of a reef at French Frigate Shoals, an atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The reconstructed orthophoto and digital elevation model were then integrated with geospatial software in order to quantify metrics pertaining to 3D complexity. The resulting data provided high-resolution physical properties of coral colonies that were then combined with live cover to accurately characterize the reef as a living structure. The 3D reconstruction of reef structure and complexity can be integrated with other physiological and ecological parameters in future research to develop reliable ecosystem models and improve capacity to monitor changes in the health and function of coral reef ecosystems.

Keywords: 3D topographic reconstruction; Coral; Coral ecology; Coral reef; Habitat; Photogrammetry; Reef structural complexity; Structure-from-motion.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology Grant No. 0833211 to MT for the Center in Tropical Ecology and Evolution in Marine and Terrestrial Environments. This publication was developed under STAR Fellowship Assistance Agreement no. FP-91768001-0 awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It has not been formally reviewed by the EPA. The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication. Funding was also provided by both ESPCoR Hawaiʻi (EPS-0903833) and Idaho (EPS-0814387) Track-I research grants, and the UH Manoa Edmonson Grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.