Status : Verified
Personal Name Cruz, Margaux Angelica A.
Resource Title Coral Mortality Discrimination and Habitat Phase Shift Analysis Using Landsat TM and ETM+ Imageries of Balabac, Palawan
Date Issued 01 August 2007
Abstract This study aimed to address the problem of discriminating not only among general
benthic cover classes but also between coral mortality states using image
classification. More importantly patterns in phase shifts of coral reef environments
were studied using post-classification change detection and spatial analysis to
determine which directions of change were most prevalent in the study areas, at
what exact locations they occurred, and what factors may have contributed to the
change.

Maximum likelihood classification was used to classify the 1988-1989 and 1999-1999
image mosaics into live coral, dead coral, rubble, sand, seagrass, and short
seagrass, yielding overall accuracies of 71.61% and 78.59%, respectively. It was
evident from the results of the post-classification change detection that corals and
mangroves have undergone significant degradation and about 18% of the entire
area underwent negative phase shift. Overall, the islands of Tangkahan, Pulao Bato,
and Unok have been determined to be change hotspots, based on the comparison of
percentages of negative and positive changes. All islands except the southern tip of
Palawan mainland have been identified as mangrove hotspots, and Bancalaan,
Malinsono, Pandanan, Patonggong, Pulao Bato, Tangkahan, and Unok were
identified as coral hotspots. Among the correlations performed, the analysis
between the type of threat and type of negative change yielded the most realistic
and informative results.

With the outputs from this study, concerned parties or individuals would know
where immediate action is needed. Furthermore, if there is a time series of this
type of information, the rate and trend of degradation may be analyzed to come up
with more effective solutions to the problem and timely mitigation measures. With
the availability of more detailed, accurate, and complete data, a better correlation
between the identified hotspots in this study and possible change factors may be
possible.
Degree Course MS Remote Sensing
Language English
Keyword benthic classification; maximum likelihood; change detection; landsat; coral
Material Type Thesis/Dissertation
Preliminary Pages
531.12 Kb
Category : F - Regular work, i.e., it has no patentable invention or creation, the author does not wish for personal publication, there is no confidential information.
 
Access Permission : Open Access