How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages?
Underwater cultural heritage sites (UCH), such as shipwrecks and sunken aircrafts, can provide physical structures to support coral recruitment and habitats for marine organisms. Conversely, these archaeological artifacts can also be detrimental to live coral and release pollutants into the environm...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/8/2130 |
| _version_ | 1797603566090715136 |
|---|---|
| author | John H. R. Burns Kailey H. Pascoe Sofia B. Ferreira Haunani Kane Clifford Kapono Toni L. Carrell Andres Reyes Atsuko Fukunaga |
| author_facet | John H. R. Burns Kailey H. Pascoe Sofia B. Ferreira Haunani Kane Clifford Kapono Toni L. Carrell Andres Reyes Atsuko Fukunaga |
| author_sort | John H. R. Burns |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Underwater cultural heritage sites (UCH), such as shipwrecks and sunken aircrafts, can provide physical structures to support coral recruitment and habitats for marine organisms. Conversely, these archaeological artifacts can also be detrimental to live coral and release pollutants into the environment. The military history of Guam has resulted in a high abundance of UCH sites on shallow coral reef habitats, and little is known about how these artifacts may affect the ecology of these natural systems. In this study, we used photogrammetry techniques to survey coral assemblages on both natural and artificial reef substrata. We statistically examined patterns in coral cover, diversity, richness, and 3D habitat complexity. Our results found significant differences in live coral cover and assemblage structure between natural and artificial reef substrata. The results from univariate modeling and multivariate analyses indicate that coral assemblage structure plays an important role in supporting 3D habitat complexity, and the archaeological artifacts themselves can be a significant source of habitat structure. There is still a lack of clarity as to the overall implications of archaeological artifacts on underwater habitats, and the approach described here can be applied elsewhere to better understand the ecological impacts of UCH sites on coral reefs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:33:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44dbf498260645659f385ed048097d2f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:33:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-44dbf498260645659f385ed048097d2f2023-11-17T21:12:28ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922023-04-01158213010.3390/rs15082130How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages?John H. R. Burns0Kailey H. Pascoe1Sofia B. Ferreira2Haunani Kane3Clifford Kapono4Toni L. Carrell5Andres Reyes6Atsuko Fukunaga7MEGA Lab, College of Natural and Health Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USAMEGA Lab, College of Natural and Health Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USAMEGA Lab, College of Natural and Health Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USAMEGA Lab, College of Natural and Health Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USAMEGA Lab, College of Natural and Health Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USAShips of Discovery, Santa Fe, NM 87508, USAMarine Scientist, NAVFAC Systems Command Marianas, Joint Region Marianas, Santa Rita, GU 96915, USAMEGA Lab, College of Natural and Health Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USAUnderwater cultural heritage sites (UCH), such as shipwrecks and sunken aircrafts, can provide physical structures to support coral recruitment and habitats for marine organisms. Conversely, these archaeological artifacts can also be detrimental to live coral and release pollutants into the environment. The military history of Guam has resulted in a high abundance of UCH sites on shallow coral reef habitats, and little is known about how these artifacts may affect the ecology of these natural systems. In this study, we used photogrammetry techniques to survey coral assemblages on both natural and artificial reef substrata. We statistically examined patterns in coral cover, diversity, richness, and 3D habitat complexity. Our results found significant differences in live coral cover and assemblage structure between natural and artificial reef substrata. The results from univariate modeling and multivariate analyses indicate that coral assemblage structure plays an important role in supporting 3D habitat complexity, and the archaeological artifacts themselves can be a significant source of habitat structure. There is still a lack of clarity as to the overall implications of archaeological artifacts on underwater habitats, and the approach described here can be applied elsewhere to better understand the ecological impacts of UCH sites on coral reefs.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/8/2130coral reefsunderwater cultural heritagephotogrammetryhabitat complexity3D digitizationgeospatial analysis |
| spellingShingle | John H. R. Burns Kailey H. Pascoe Sofia B. Ferreira Haunani Kane Clifford Kapono Toni L. Carrell Andres Reyes Atsuko Fukunaga How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages? Remote Sensing coral reefs underwater cultural heritage photogrammetry habitat complexity 3D digitization geospatial analysis |
| title | How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages? |
| title_full | How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages? |
| title_fullStr | How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages? |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages? |
| title_short | How Do Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites Affect Coral Assemblages? |
| title_sort | how do underwater cultural heritage sites affect coral assemblages |
| topic | coral reefs underwater cultural heritage photogrammetry habitat complexity 3D digitization geospatial analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/8/2130 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnhrburns howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages AT kaileyhpascoe howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages AT sofiabferreira howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages AT haunanikane howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages AT cliffordkapono howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages AT tonilcarrell howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages AT andresreyes howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages AT atsukofukunaga howdounderwaterculturalheritagesitesaffectcoralassemblages |