Project properties

Title Cascading impacts from human settlements on tropical seagrass beds and coral reefs.
Group Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group
Project type thesis
Credits 24-36
Supervisor(s) S. Pino Cobacho, M. J. A. Christianen
Examiner(s) M.J.A. Christianen
Contact info sara.pinocobacho@wur.nl
Begin date 2020/09/01
End date 2021/12/31
Description Climate change is expected to cause the displacement of tens of millions by 2050 driven by changes in their local environmental conditions and the intensification of natural disasters. A large human exodus is foreseen and the first human relocations are already taking place across the world. Human relocation is expected to cause significant damage to coastal and marine ecosystems and the first signs of this threatening development have started to be seen (e.g. Fiji, Carteret Islands, Kiribati, etc.). Impacts to the natural environment driven by human relocation may originate from a point disturbance on land, and cascade across habitats. Tropical coastal ecosystem are highly linked by their various ecological interactions, which enhances their stability and resilience, but it might also make them prone to cascading impacts. Tropical seagrass beds and coral reefs are the focus of the study. In this project, Remote Sensing imagery will be retrieved and used for an assessment of cascading impacts that seagrass beds and coral reefs suffer as a consequence of point- anthropogenic disturbances. This project is the continuation of a similar project focused on cascading disturbances across mangrove and non-submerged coastal habitats. It will include several case studies worldwide. Start date is flexible. This thesis topic is part of a broader PhD project.
Used skills EO image processing software such as ERDAS IMAGINE, ENVI.
Requirements • Remote Sensing (GRS-20306) and/or Advanced Earth Observation (GRS-32306) course
• Good knowledge of tropical coastal ecology
• Interest in the application of remote sensing techniques on marine habitats