| Autor: |
Jones, Robyn E., Unsworth, Richard K.F., Hawes, Jon, Griffin, Ross A. |
| Předmět: |
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| Zdroj: |
Aquatic Conservation; Jun2021, Vol. 31 Issue 6, p1379-1391, 13p |
| Abstrakt: |
Biodiversity in turbid aquatic environments is commonly assessed using extractive sampling methods that damage the seabed. Underwater cameras equipped with clear liquid optical chambers (CLOCs) for the assessment of seabed habitats and species are a non‐extractive alternative and have been applied in turbid environments globally. A CLOC is a body of clear liquid positioned in front of a camera to reduce the scattering of light that would otherwise occur when passing through the turbid water it displaces. Here, we test and quantify the effectiveness of a CLOC for marine benthic biodiversity assessments over gradients of increasing turbidity.The addition of a CLOC to a conventional benthic camera system significantly enhanced the quality of information gathered. Images acquired using the CLOC system consistently recorded statistically higher values of image quality (49% increase, based on the clarity of the image), seabed visible within the drop‐down frame (34% increase), and European Nature Information System habitat level identification (49% increase). Furthermore, it was found that the 'annotation success' of taxa (classification of a specimen to family level or higher) was found to increase between individual experts in the presence of a CLOC. A reduced sampling effort was also identified when using a CLOC. Taxonomic richness increased by 27% when comparing the same number of image stills collected with and without the CLOC.By reducing the limitations of underwater visibility previously attributed to underwater cameras, this concept extends the potential for use of non‐destructive survey techniques and allows for future users to collect robust information of an area, making better informed management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
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