Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon
During recent years, several eutrophication processes and subsequent environmental crises have occurred in Mar Menor, the largest hypersaline coastal lagoon in the Western Mediterranean Sea. In this study, the Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 satellites are jointly used to examine the evolution of the main...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/12/2744 |
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| author | Isabel Caballero Mar Roca Juan Santos-Echeandía Patricia Bernárdez Gabriel Navarro |
| author_facet | Isabel Caballero Mar Roca Juan Santos-Echeandía Patricia Bernárdez Gabriel Navarro |
| author_sort | Isabel Caballero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | During recent years, several eutrophication processes and subsequent environmental crises have occurred in Mar Menor, the largest hypersaline coastal lagoon in the Western Mediterranean Sea. In this study, the Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 satellites are jointly used to examine the evolution of the main water quality descriptors during the latest ecological crisis in 2021, resulting in an important loss of benthic vegetation and unusual mortality events affecting different aquatic species. Several field campaigns were carried out in March, July, August, and November 2021 to measure water quality variables over 10 control points. The validation of satellite biogeochemical variables against on-site measurements indicates precise results of the water quality algorithms with median errors of 0.41 mg/m<sup>3</sup> and 2.04 FNU for chlorophyll-a and turbidity, respectively. The satellite preprocessing scheme shows consistent performance for both satellites; therefore, using them in tandem can improve mapping strategies. The findings demonstrate the suitability of the methodology to capture the spatiotemporal distribution of turbidity and chlorophyll-a concentration at 10–30 m spatial resolution on a systematic basis and in a cost-effective way. The multitemporal products allow the identification of the main critical areas close to the mouth of the Albujon watercourse and the beginning of the eutrophication process with chlorophyll-a concentration above 3 mg/m<sup>3</sup>. These innovative tools can support decision makers in improving current monitoring strategies as early warning systems for timely assistance during these ecological disasters, thus preventing detrimental conditions in the lagoon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:38:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5ba0c29085b4409abe9eb53256f7d8c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:38:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5ba0c29085b4409abe9eb53256f7d8c2023-11-23T18:46:08ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922022-06-011412274410.3390/rs14122744Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal LagoonIsabel Caballero0Mar Roca1Juan Santos-Echeandía2Patricia Bernárdez3Gabriel Navarro4Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (ICMAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida República Saharaui, 11519 Puerto Real, SpainInstituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (ICMAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida República Saharaui, 11519 Puerto Real, SpainInstituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida a Radio Faro 50–52, Vigo, 36390 Pontevedra, SpainInstituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida a Radio Faro 50–52, Vigo, 36390 Pontevedra, SpainInstituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (ICMAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida República Saharaui, 11519 Puerto Real, SpainDuring recent years, several eutrophication processes and subsequent environmental crises have occurred in Mar Menor, the largest hypersaline coastal lagoon in the Western Mediterranean Sea. In this study, the Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 satellites are jointly used to examine the evolution of the main water quality descriptors during the latest ecological crisis in 2021, resulting in an important loss of benthic vegetation and unusual mortality events affecting different aquatic species. Several field campaigns were carried out in March, July, August, and November 2021 to measure water quality variables over 10 control points. The validation of satellite biogeochemical variables against on-site measurements indicates precise results of the water quality algorithms with median errors of 0.41 mg/m<sup>3</sup> and 2.04 FNU for chlorophyll-a and turbidity, respectively. The satellite preprocessing scheme shows consistent performance for both satellites; therefore, using them in tandem can improve mapping strategies. The findings demonstrate the suitability of the methodology to capture the spatiotemporal distribution of turbidity and chlorophyll-a concentration at 10–30 m spatial resolution on a systematic basis and in a cost-effective way. The multitemporal products allow the identification of the main critical areas close to the mouth of the Albujon watercourse and the beginning of the eutrophication process with chlorophyll-a concentration above 3 mg/m<sup>3</sup>. These innovative tools can support decision makers in improving current monitoring strategies as early warning systems for timely assistance during these ecological disasters, thus preventing detrimental conditions in the lagoon.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/12/2744remote sensingCopernicus programmeeutrophicationturbiditychlorophyll-acoastal monitoring |
| spellingShingle | Isabel Caballero Mar Roca Juan Santos-Echeandía Patricia Bernárdez Gabriel Navarro Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon Remote Sensing remote sensing Copernicus programme eutrophication turbidity chlorophyll-a coastal monitoring |
| title | Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon |
| title_full | Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon |
| title_fullStr | Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon |
| title_short | Use of the Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Satellites for Water Quality Monitoring: An Early Warning Tool in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon |
| title_sort | use of the sentinel 2 and landsat 8 satellites for water quality monitoring an early warning tool in the mar menor coastal lagoon |
| topic | remote sensing Copernicus programme eutrophication turbidity chlorophyll-a coastal monitoring |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/12/2744 |
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