Bethoney N David, Stokesbury Kevin D E
School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth;
School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
J Vis Exp. 2018 Jul 2(137):57493. doi: 10.3791/57493.
Underwater imaging has long been used in the field of marine ecology but decreasing costs of high-resolution cameras and data storage have made the approach more practical than in the past. Image-based surveys allow for initial samples to be revisited and are non-invasive compared to traditional survey methods that typically involve nets or dredges. Protocols for image-based surveys can vary greatly but should be driven by target species behavior and survey objectives. To demonstrate this, we describe our most recent methods for an Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) drop camera survey to provide a procedural example and representative results. The procedure is divided into three critical steps that include survey design, data collection, and data products. The influence of scallop behavior and the survey goal of providing an independent assessment of the U.S. sea scallop resource on the survey procedure are then discussed in the context of generalizing the method. Overall, the broad applicability and flexibility of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) drop camera survey demonstrates the method could be generalized and applied to a variety of sessile invertebrates or habitat focused research.
水下成像在海洋生态学领域早已得到应用，但高分辨率相机和数据存储成本的降低使这种方法比过去更具实用性。基于图像的调查允许重新审视初始样本，并且与传统调查方法相比是非侵入性的，传统调查方法通常涉及使用网或拖网。基于图像的调查方案可能有很大差异，但应以目标物种行为和调查目标为导向。为了说明这一点，我们描述了我们最近用于大西洋海扇贝（Placopecten magellanicus）投放式相机调查的方法，以提供一个程序示例和代表性结果。该程序分为三个关键步骤，包括调查设计、数据收集和数据产品。然后，在对该方法进行推广的背景下，讨论了扇贝行为以及对美国海扇贝资源进行独立评估的调查目标对调查程序的影响。总体而言，马萨诸塞大学达特茅斯分校海洋科学与技术学院（SMAST）投放式相机调查的广泛适用性和灵活性表明，该方法可以推广并应用于各种固着无脊椎动物或栖息地相关的研究。
