Using airborne laser altimetry to estimate Sabellaria alveolata (Polychaeta: Sabellariidae) reefs volume in tidal flat environments

• Published in: Estuarine, coastal and shelf science Vol. 90; no. 2; pp. 93 - 102
• Main Authors: Noernberg, Mauricio Almeida, Fournier, Jérôme, Dubois, Stanislas, Populus, Jacques
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 10-12-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Altimetry; Alveolata; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Annelida; Annelida and closely related phyla: sipuncula. Echiura. Nemertinea; Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Brackish water ecosystems; Coastal; Cracks; Erosion; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Invertebrates; LiDAR; Life Sciences; Marine; Polychaeta; reef-building polychaete; Reefs; Sabellaria alveolata; Sabellariidae; Sand; Sciences of the Universe; Synecology; tidal flats; volume; ANE, France; volume; Sabellaria alveolata; reef-building polychaete; Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel; tidal flats; LiDAR; Protozoa; Brackish water environment; Polychaeta; Tidal flat; Tidal volume; Annelid reef; Altimetry; Annelida; Alveolata; Lidar; Environment; Bay; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0272-7714; 1096-0015
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2010.07.014

This study has exploited aerial photographs and LiDAR digital elevation model to quantify intertidal complex landforms volume. A first volume estimation of the main sabellariid polychaete reef complex of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel – France is presented. The
Sabellaria alveolata is an engineering species that heavily modifies its environment. This gregarious tube-building annelid forms dense and solid reefs of bioclastic coarse sand which can reach several km
2. Since 1970 a very strong decline of reefs has been observed. The authorities have curbed fishing activities without any noticeable changes in reef health status. The
S. alveolata reef volume is estimated to be 132 048 m
3 (96 301 m
3 for Sainte-Anne reef and 35 747 m
3 for Champeaux reef). Further LiDAR data surveys will be needed to be able to understand and quantify the accretion/erosion processes in play in the reef dynamic. Because of the internal variability of topographic complexity of the reef, characterized by crevices, cracks, and holes rather than whole blocks, further studies are needed to calculate more accurately the volume of the reef.