- Research Work Description:
-
I aim to acquire a greater understanding of coral reef processes across space and time, through the use and development of
powerful spectral remote sensing, geographic information system (GIS), and spatial modeling techniques. Though my association
with the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KBSLOF), work is primarily focused on the Saudi Arabian Red Sea.
Initially, I am focusing on the Farasan Islands region, but will move on to a number of other critical areas comprising the
majority of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coastline.
Utilizing a variety of hyperspectral (Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager
(CASI)) and multispectral (Quickbird, Ikonos, Landsat) imagery, I work to characterize the benthic environment, using and
improving upon existing processing techniques and methodologies. The resultant habitat maps provide a necessary foundation
facilitating the expansion of my studies into advanced spatial modeling and the development of prediction indices delineating
probable trajectories within stressed coral ecosystems.
I have a particular interest in developing the capacity of remote
sensing derived databases to answer important ecological and management considerations at the landscape scale. As a
semi-enclosed system, the Red Sea is ideally suited to studies of ecological dynamics and processes at such scales.
- Title of thesis/dissertation research project:
- Pending
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Samuel Purkis
- Academic areas of interest:
- Benthic habitat mapping, spectral remote sensing, GIS, spatial analyses and modeling, landscape and coral reef ecology.
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