Spatial imagery for management of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) in the River Derwent estuary

This project is designed to collect spatially referenced remote sensing imagery to identify practical and feasible methods of supporting the environmental surveillance, inventory and monitoring of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), in particular, targeting seagrass in the upper and mid Derwent estuary. The imagery is intended to produce inventory and monitoring information products that are ecologically relevant to the management of the SAV in the Derwent estuary. Initial variables of interest were; changes in location of deep edges, seagrass density (percent cover) and patchiness (spatial metrics), though other variables are to be extracted where the imagery permits. The following additional assessments will be undertaken, if resources allow: „h microphytobenthos (MPB) in the upper estuary „h MPB throughout sandflats within greater Ralphs Bay „h seagrass at South Arm (notably Halfmoon Bay), and „h Macrocystis (giant kelp) along the eastern Tinderbox Peninsula and Iron Pot areas. This work was initiated and guided by the Derwent Estuary Program and undertaken by the School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania.