{ "culture": "en-US", "name": "Bay_Scale_Assessment_of_Eelgrass_Beds_Using_Sidescan_and_Video_Cocagne_2008_En", "guid": "0AB318CE-F939-4811-B9B6-444668F621DA", "catalogPath": "", "snippet": "Bay Scale Assessment of Eelgrass Using Sidescan and Video - Cocagne 2008", "description": "

Abstract<\/span><\/p>

The assessment of the status of eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds at the bay-scale in turbid, shallow estuaries is problematic. The bay-scale assessment (i.e., tens of km) of eelgrass beds usually involves remote sensing methods such as aerial photography or satellite imagery. These methods can fail if the water column is turbid, as is the case for many shallow estuaries on Canada\u2019s eastern seaboard. A novel towfish package was developed for the bay-scale assessment of eelgrass beds irrespective of water column turbidity. The towfish consisted of an underwater video camera with scaling lasers, sidescan sonar and a transponder-based positioning system. The towfish was deployed along predetermined transects in three northern New Brunswick estuaries. Maps were created of eelgrass cover and health (epiphyte load) and ancillary bottom features such as benthic algal growth, bacterial mats (Beggiatoa) and oysters. All three estuaries had accumulations of material reminiscent of the oomycete Leptomitus, although it was not positively identified in our study. Tabusintac held the most extensive eelgrass beds of the best health. Cocagne had the lowest scores for eelgrass health, while Bouctouche was slightly better. The towfish method proved to be cost effective and useful for the bay-scale assessment of eelgrass beds to sub-meter precision in real time.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>", "summary": "Bay Scale Assessment of Eelgrass Using Sidescan and Video - Cocagne 2008", "title": "Bay Scale Assessment of Eelgrass Using Sidescan and Video - Cocagne 2008", "tags": [ "Estuary", "Mapping", "Seagrass", "Sidescan", "Oceans" ], "type": "Map Service", "typeKeywords": [ "Data", "Service", "Map Service", "ArcGIS Server" ], "thumbnail": "thumbnail/thumbnail.png", "url": "", "extent": [ [ -64.635040528068, 46.3230210299849 ], [ -64.5626896428835, 46.3976284316636 ] ], "minScale": 0, "maxScale": 1.7976931348623157E308, "spatialReference": "GCS_WGS_1984", "accessInformation": "Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 1006, Dartmouth, NS, Canada B2Y 4A2", "licenseInfo": "