Remote Sensing Solutions to Monitor Biotic and Abiotic Dynamics in Coastal Ecosystems

Land- and seascapes are complex systems and scientists have tried to apply general systems theory to them. Land- and seascapes can be described as Complex Nonlinear Dynamic systems, characterized by attributes and exchanges of energy and mass between these attributes. Under such conditions the most realistic interpretation of nearshore land- and seascapes is as open systems, with multiple interactions between attributes and environment. Spatial trends of vegetation cover/typology, sediment/soil distribution and seabed classification could be implemented to obtain detailed classification from both optical and radar satellite data. These are obtained by means of sub-pixel processing techniques (e.g. Spectral Mixing Analysis). Then, classifications are analyzed in terms of spatial (Power law) and temporal (Empirical Orthogonal Function) patterns. The specific added value of the remote sensing mapping methodology can provide an integrated assessment of coastal dynamics, as it allows both environmental and anthropogenic change analysis giving new insight to the management policy for coastal ecosystems.