Radiative Transfer in Seagrass Canopies
Abstract
The overall objective of this study is to develop models of radiative transfer for optically shallow waters with benthic substrates colonized by submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Such models will enable the quantitative prediction of upward spectral radiation from vegetated seabeds, thereby permitting the use of optical remote sensing to retrieve bathymetry, to search for submerged objects of anthropogenic origin and to map submarine resource distribution and abundance in coastal waters. These models will also have important applications for predicting irradiance levels within SAV canopies, a task necessary for accurate determination of light requirements and photosynthetic productivity of these ecologically important, but increasingly vulnerable coastal resources. The objectives of this study are to develop radiative transfer models of seagrass canopies in situ that include (i) canopy architecture (e.g., layers created by multi-species communities), (ii) height above the bottom, (iii) impacts of water motion and (iv) bottom reflectance from the canopy/substrate complex back into the water column.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA538957
Entities
People
- Richard C. Zimmerman