| Título: | Using Remote Sensing and Remotely Operated Vehicles to Improve Ground-Truthing efforts for Underwater Resources in a Developing Island Nation |
| Autores: |
Xavier Henry Madhumi Mitra Abhijit Nagchaudhuri |
| Fecha: | 2013-01-28 |
| Publicador: | Applied Remote Sensing |
| Fuente: |
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| Tipo: |
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| Tema: |
Remote Sensing, Remotely Operated Vehicle, VideoRay, Aerial Imaging, Coastal Resource Management |
| Descripción: | Like many other small and developing nations, Antigua and Barbuda has had to face the exploitation of its natural resources in the shadows of national progress. Activities linked to the growing of industries such as tourism and agriculture, and pressures from urbanization have resulted in reduced biodiversity, land degradation, hydrological changes, and reduced water quality. Balancing the protection of valuable resources against the need for national development has necessitated the implementation of the sustainable island resource management mechanism (SIRMM) project in the twin-island nation. The SIRMM, a project based largely upon remote sensing (RS) and geographical information systems (GIS), seeks to document the islands’ resources allowing for integrated ecosystems management in all ensuing major projects. The majority of the island’s terrestrial resources, initially observed from aerial imagery, have been investigated and confirmed through extensive surveys. Unfortunately, the aquatic resources have proven more difficult to quantify owing to time-consuming, infrequent, costly, and dangerous confirmatory efforts largely undertaken by local unpaid fishermen. This paper describes the use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the VideoRay, made available through collaboration with investigators from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). Also described is the initial explorative experience shared between UMES and the Government of Antigua & Barbuda Environment Division (ABED) in attempting to efficiently and safely build their data repository. The results of the 6 confirmatory dives are elucidated, corroborating that the use of such technologies can increase the efficacy of truthing RS aerial data. Additionally, the benefits of collaborative research between institutions of higher learning with access to technologies that may be beyond the reach (due to limited technological literacy or financial constraints) of agencies in developing countries is also highlighted. |
| Idioma: | Inglés |