Research Project
Full description Detailed habitat maps are critical for conservation planning, yet for many coastal habitats only coarse-resolution maps are available. As the logistic and technological constraints of habitat mapping become increasingly tractable, habitat map comparisons are warranted. Here we compare two mapping approaches: local environmental knowledge (LEK) obtained from interviews; and remote sensing analysis (RS) of high spatial resolution satellite imagery (2.0 m pixel) using object-based image analysis. For a coral reef ecosystem, we compare the accuracy of these two approaches for mapping shallow seafloor habitats and contrast their characterization of habitat area and seascape connectivity. We also explore several implications for conservation planning.