Development of innovative remote sensing techniques and tools for mapping marine bioindicators and their potential responses to specific anthropogenic pollutants

The coastal marine environment is a key area for humans with more than 40% of the European population concentrated on coastal regions. Coastal areas are densely populated and often host industrial activities which have the potential to generate pollution.

Anthropogenic impacts overlap with climate change that can amplify the effects of pollution on marine ecosystems.

A modern strategy of investigation of the coastal marine environment requires the development of remote sensing methods useful to acquire information on numerous characteristics of marine ecosystems. Particular attention is given to the mapping of benthic ecosystems which are capable to record the effects of pollution events and could respond with changes in their composition and community structure, but also in the spectral signature as already studied for some algal species. Importance is given to the selection of new bioindicators to assess the ecological quality of benthic biocenosis of coastal marine ecosystems through remote sensing observations, integrating platforms data at different spatial scales. Moreover, once the target species have been identified, it is possible to interpret variations in the spectral response that allow to identify and quantify the impacts of pollutants that are released into the sea directly or indirectly by human activities.

This work is part of the STOPP project (Strumenti e Tecniche di Osservazione della Terra in Prossimità e Persistenza), funded by ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana), and aims to (I) map seagrasses and macroalgae species applying remote sensing methodology (e.g., Leaf Area index – LAI); (II) select target species that can respond to certain pollutants through variations in the spectral signature; (III) develop an innovative methodology for the monitoring and mapping of marine bioindicators by detecting "target wavelengths" caused by the impact of chemical pollutants on seagrasses and macroalgae species.