BENTHIC HABITAT AND BATHYMETRY MAPPING OF SHALLOW WATERS IN PUERTO MORELOS REEFS USING REMOTE SENSING WITH A PHYSICS BASED DATA PROCESSING

We applied remote sensing techniques using WorldView-2 images with high spatial resolution and field verification to map the bathymetry and benthic habitats of the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park in the Mexican Caribbean. These images were processed using the standardized physics-based data processing of EOMAP's Modular Inversion and Processing System (MIP). To generate a detailed benthic habitat map we developed a two level-classification scheme based on biological and geomorphologic characteristics. These images showed high effectiveness for mapping benthic habitat. Further improvements will emphasize and focus on the selection of regional specific main spectral components and the automation of the radiometric fine tuning. The main contribution is the generation of a detailed benthic habitat map representing functional classification by combining both maps. These studies serve for the management of marine areas in Mexico and could be extended to the entire Mesoamerican Reef System.