Examining UAV-based LiDAR, Multispectral, Hyperspectral and Precision Photogrammetry Approaches for Tidal Salt Marsh Environments
type: CreativeWork
description: Tidal salt marshes are one of the most productive and valuable ecosystems on Earth, providing multiple ecosystem services such as blue carbon trapping and coastal flood mitigation. However, this ecosystem is under serious threat due to human activities and rising sea levels. The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to adapt and evaluate various UAV-based methodologies for studying tidal marshes in the Bay of Cádiz, with the aim of optimizing these methods and enhancing the assessment, monitoring, and understanding of tidal marshes. This will enable the conservation and protection of these areas from current and future threats, with the intention of applying the results to other similar systems. The research focuses on fine-tuning remote sensing sensors for low-altitude applications in tidal marshes, developing a comprehensive methodology to optimize data collection and analysis, minimizing fieldwork while providing reliable and detailed spatial data. Several suitable approaches are generated and validated to enable the study of these valuable ecosystems, with the goal of offering new understandings and practical solutions for enhancing marine conservation. The achievements of this PhD Thesis aim to provide knowledge that both managers and researchers can use in decision-making for the protection, preservation, and management of the marine environment. The main characteristic that differentiates tidal salt marshes from other tidal environments is the dominance of a few species of vascular plants tolerant to marine influence. Understanding the environmental drivers controlling the distribution of this vegetation and improving tools to monitor changes in time and space, are urgent for successfully managing the survival of this threatened environment under scenarios of sea level rise (SLR). Surface elevation relative to mean sea level is critical for the performance of salt marsh plants, as differences of a couple of tens of centimetres can lead to a shift in dominant spe…
abstract: Tidal salt marshes are one of the most productive and valuable ecosystems on Earth, providing multiple ecosystem services such as blue carbon trapping and coastal flood mitigation. However, this ecosystem is under serious threat due to human activities and rising sea levels. The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to adapt and evaluate various UAV-based methodologies for studying tidal marshes in the Bay of Cádiz, with the aim of optimizing these methods and enhancing the assessment, monitoring, and understanding of tidal marshes. This will enable the conservation and protection of these areas from current and future threats, with the intention of applying the results to other similar systems. The research focuses on fine-tuning remote sensing sensors for low-altitude applications in tidal marshes, developing a comprehensive methodology to optimize data collection and analysis, minimizing fieldwork while providing reliable and detailed spatial data. Several suitable approaches are generated and validated to enable the study of these valuable ecosystems, with the goal of offering new understandings and practical solutions for enhancing marine conservation. The achievements of this PhD Thesis aim to provide knowledge that both managers and researchers can use in decision-making for the protection, preservation, and management of the marine environment. The main characteristic that differentiates tidal salt marshes from other tidal environments is the dominance of a few species of vascular plants tolerant to marine influence. Understanding the environmental drivers controlling the distribution of this vegetation and improving tools to monitor changes in time and space, are urgent for successfully managing the survival of this threatened environment under scenarios of sea level rise (SLR). Surface elevation relative to mean sea level is critical for the performance of salt marsh plants, as differences of a couple of tens of centimetres can lead to a shift in dominant spe…
author: Curcio, Andrea Celeste
language: eng
keywords: coastal salt marshes, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), photogrammetry, multispectral, high resolution, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), digital models, continuum removal, hyperspectral, spectral signatures, vegetation species discrimination, second derivative transformation, Aboveground biomass (AGB), Vegetation indices (VIs), Blue carbon
date published: 2024-05-24
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:29:27Z
provider: Universidad de Cadiz
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Universidad de Cadiz

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32880