Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale
Abstract Larval settlement and recruitment of sessile organisms are key ecological processes for population recovery and maintenance that occur at scales invisible to the human eye. Accordingly, proxies of recruitment have commonly been quantified using artificial substrata such as settlement tiles...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14175 |
| _version_ | 1797692087227908096 |
|---|---|
| author | Marine Gouezo Christopher Doropoulos Dirk Slawinski Ben Cummings Peter Harrison |
| author_facet | Marine Gouezo Christopher Doropoulos Dirk Slawinski Ben Cummings Peter Harrison |
| author_sort | Marine Gouezo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Larval settlement and recruitment of sessile organisms are key ecological processes for population recovery and maintenance that occur at scales invisible to the human eye. Accordingly, proxies of recruitment have commonly been quantified using artificial substrata such as settlement tiles made of diverse materials and shapes, which are typically transported to the laboratory for examination. However, it is unknown how much bias is introduced with this sampling strategy and how recruitment quantified on tiles relates to recruitment on nearby natural substrata. Here, we applied techniques that combine macrophotography with photogrammetry (macrophotogrammetry) underwater to monitor benthic communities at submillimetre scale. This application allows the investigation of recruitment and community succession of the earliest life‐history stages in situ and on natural substrata. We tested the use of four different imaging systems, varying in costs from US$ 1400 to US$ 5440. While the most expensive SONY αRiv system provided the best visual output and ground resolution (up to 5 μm/pixel with a + 4 close‐up lens); regardless of systems, 3D models always had a ground resolution ≤23 μm/pixel and errors in planar measurements of submillimetre features were similar among systems. This level of resolution compares well with stereomicroscopy in the range of 5:1 to 10:1 magnification, while providing detailed 3D digital records through time. Using a coral reef example, we apply this approach to demonstrate how it can be used to monitor small reef areas (~300–600 cm2) through time, including the quantification of biophysical metrics such as cover of small facilitative and competitive organisms and microhabitat complexity. We further show that organisms as small 0.5 mm in size, such as 2‐month‐old coral settlers, can be located accurately within the 3D models and measured with a good level of confidence. This method can be readily applied to other benthic environments to elucidate drivers of early recruitment and recovery of benthic organisms following disturbance impacts at very fine scales, directly on natural substrata, to avoid biases inherent with laboratory‐based analyses of artificial surfaces. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:22:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed7d59d2850d425fb53500c18ade4f7c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-210X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:22:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed7d59d2850d425fb53500c18ade4f7c2023-09-06T04:43:41ZengWileyMethods in Ecology and Evolution2041-210X2023-09-011492494250910.1111/2041-210X.14175Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scaleMarine Gouezo0Christopher Doropoulos1Dirk Slawinski2Ben Cummings3Peter Harrison4Faculty of Science and Engineering Southern Cross University East Lismore New South Wales AustraliaCSIRO Environment St Lucia Queensland AustraliaCSIRO Environment St Lucia Queensland AustraliaFaculty of Science and Engineering Southern Cross University East Lismore New South Wales AustraliaFaculty of Science and Engineering Southern Cross University East Lismore New South Wales AustraliaAbstract Larval settlement and recruitment of sessile organisms are key ecological processes for population recovery and maintenance that occur at scales invisible to the human eye. Accordingly, proxies of recruitment have commonly been quantified using artificial substrata such as settlement tiles made of diverse materials and shapes, which are typically transported to the laboratory for examination. However, it is unknown how much bias is introduced with this sampling strategy and how recruitment quantified on tiles relates to recruitment on nearby natural substrata. Here, we applied techniques that combine macrophotography with photogrammetry (macrophotogrammetry) underwater to monitor benthic communities at submillimetre scale. This application allows the investigation of recruitment and community succession of the earliest life‐history stages in situ and on natural substrata. We tested the use of four different imaging systems, varying in costs from US$ 1400 to US$ 5440. While the most expensive SONY αRiv system provided the best visual output and ground resolution (up to 5 μm/pixel with a + 4 close‐up lens); regardless of systems, 3D models always had a ground resolution ≤23 μm/pixel and errors in planar measurements of submillimetre features were similar among systems. This level of resolution compares well with stereomicroscopy in the range of 5:1 to 10:1 magnification, while providing detailed 3D digital records through time. Using a coral reef example, we apply this approach to demonstrate how it can be used to monitor small reef areas (~300–600 cm2) through time, including the quantification of biophysical metrics such as cover of small facilitative and competitive organisms and microhabitat complexity. We further show that organisms as small 0.5 mm in size, such as 2‐month‐old coral settlers, can be located accurately within the 3D models and measured with a good level of confidence. This method can be readily applied to other benthic environments to elucidate drivers of early recruitment and recovery of benthic organisms following disturbance impacts at very fine scales, directly on natural substrata, to avoid biases inherent with laboratory‐based analyses of artificial surfaces.https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.141753DAgisoft Metashapecoral reefsmacrophotographymonitoringphotogrammetry |
| spellingShingle | Marine Gouezo Christopher Doropoulos Dirk Slawinski Ben Cummings Peter Harrison Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale Methods in Ecology and Evolution 3D Agisoft Metashape coral reefs macrophotography monitoring photogrammetry |
| title | Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale |
| title_full | Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale |
| title_fullStr | Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale |
| title_full_unstemmed | Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale |
| title_short | Underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale |
| title_sort | underwater macrophotogrammetry to monitor in situ benthic communities at submillimetre scale |
| topic | 3D Agisoft Metashape coral reefs macrophotography monitoring photogrammetry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14175 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marinegouezo underwatermacrophotogrammetrytomonitorinsitubenthiccommunitiesatsubmillimetrescale AT christopherdoropoulos underwatermacrophotogrammetrytomonitorinsitubenthiccommunitiesatsubmillimetrescale AT dirkslawinski underwatermacrophotogrammetrytomonitorinsitubenthiccommunitiesatsubmillimetrescale AT bencummings underwatermacrophotogrammetrytomonitorinsitubenthiccommunitiesatsubmillimetrescale AT peterharrison underwatermacrophotogrammetrytomonitorinsitubenthiccommunitiesatsubmillimetrescale |