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New Technologies Are Mapping Marine EnvironmentsIn 2006, federal funding for coastal restoration projects in Rhode Island exceeded $10 million. The success or failure of these projects relies, in part, on good scientific data about the soils and geology of restoration sites. Currently, little data exist for shallow-water areas. The most recent map of sediment types occurring in Narragansett Bay was published in 1961—over 45 years ago, prior to the development of much our modern mapping technology. Resource inventory maps, such as the type that the MapCoast and BayMap projects are creating, form the basis for wise resource planning and stewardship. These information products support scientifically sound decision making. MapCoast uses a variety of procedures and technologies, some extremely technical, which together create a clear picture of our underwater environments. These include:
The data collected in a MapCoast inventory fully complement and build on each other, providing unique insights into shallow coastal ecosystems. For example, bathymetry and aerial photography are used to delineate shallow-water landscapes and determine sampling locations; sonar and SPI images are used to determine the surface composition and condition of benthic habitats; and core and auger samples provide subsurface data including grain size and organic matter content. In addition, lab samples are analyzed to determine the physical (color, grain size, percent gravel, percent shells, and magnetic potential) and chemical (salinity, pH, organic carbon, and metal content) properties of subaqueous soils. All the data are brought together in a comprehensive GIS database for analysis and map production. By collecting data at various scales (lab to landscape), the individual information products integrate to provide a resource inventory that is a complete and accurate description of shallow-water habitats. The Underwater GardenImagine you are looking to select the best location for your vegetable garden. You might want to examine the soil before you start digging. Is it rich, dark earth that would promote good rooting and productive beds? Or is it hard-crusted gravel, left over from construction that would challenge even the best gardener? This type of assessment is now under way by the scientists involved in the MapCoast and BayMap projects. They are using state-of-the-art science to examine the composition of the submerged soils and sediment that lie beneath Narragansett Bay and the south shore salt ponds. The soils that support verdant gardens and flower beds on terra firma also provide a rich foundation for underwater plants. These areas of submerged aquatic vegetation, such as eelgrass and macroalgae, are critical areas used by many species of fish and shellfish. By examining the underwater soils in our coastal ponds and estuaries, scientists can gauge the health of these ecosystems. By combining the methods used by soil scientists on land for the past century with state-ofthe- art remote sensing technologies developed by marine scientists, we are creating a new set of tools to map our underwater habitats. The need to increase scientific understanding of submerged (or subaqueous) soils is of vital importance in the management of coastal activities. Fishing, habitat protection, dredging, and eelgrass restoration depend on accurate information on submerged soils. These are the baseline data that guide the protection, conservation, and management of our near coastal waters. |
Rhode
Island Sea Grant |
Coastal Institute |