
Overview
Background
Research interest: Monitoring ecosystem health of coral reefs and seagrass habitats, integrating field and remote sensing image datasets, and the developing applied cost-effective mapping and monitoring approaches. Developed approaches have been adopted as standard practice globally, making a difference in conservation of these valuable habitats. The long term monitoring studies at Heron and Moreton Bay formed the basis for the development of mapping and monitoring over time and space at local to global scale. See here major research impact
Major projects:
- Long term monitoring of benthic composition at Heron Reef (2002-ongoing).
- Long term monitoring of seagrass composition and abundance in Moreton bay Marine Park (2000-ongoing).
- Smart Sat CRC Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Seagrass and Coral Reefs 2023-2027.
- Developement of Underwater Field Spectrometry and Benthic Photo Collection and Analysis
- 3D GBR Habitat Mapping Project 2015 - ongoing:
- Global habitat mapping project 2019-2023 Allen Coral Atlas .
Current position: Associate Professior in Marine Remote Sensing leading the Marine Ecosystem Monitoring Lab. . Academic Director Heron Island Research Station and affiliated researchers with Centre for Marine Science and Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science
Capacity Building and Citizen Science: Capacity: under/post graduate courses; Msc/PhD supervision, workshops/courses; Remote Sensing Educational Toolkit, and online courses (e.g. TNC).Strong supporter of citizen science based projects, as trainer, organiser and advisor for Reef Check Australia, CoralWatch, Great Reef Census and UniDive.
Availability
- Associate Professor Chris Roelfsema is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, Institution to be confirmed
- Masters (Coursework) of Engineering, Delft University of Technology
- Postgraduate Diploma of Marine Science, The University of Queensland
- Postgraduate Diploma in Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
- Volunteer, Australian Coral Reef Society, Australian Coral Reef Society
- Member, Australian Marine Science Association, Australian Marine Science Association
- Volunteer, Coral Watch, Coral Watch
- Volunteer, Great Reef Census, Great Reef Census
- Member, International Coral Reef Society, International Coral Reef Society
- Member, Professional Assosciation of Diving Instructors, Professional Assosciation of Diving Instructors
- Volunteer, Reef Check Australia, Reef Check Australia
Research interests
-
Monitoring Marine Ecosystems - Integrating Field and Earth Observation
Research interest: Monitoring ecosystem health of coral reefs and seagrass habitats, integrating field and remote sensing image datasets, and the developing applied cost-effective mapping and monitoring approaches. Developed approaches have been adopted as standard practice globally, making a difference in conservation of these valuable habitats. The long term monitoring studies at Heron and Moreton Bay formed the basis for the development of mapping and monitoring over time and space at local to global scale. See here major research impact Major projects: Long term monitoring of benthic composition at Heron Reef (2002-ongoing). Long term monitoring of seagrass composition and abundance in Moreton bay Marine Park (2000-ongoing). Smart Sat CRC Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Seagrass and Coral Reefs 2023-2027. Developement of Underwater Field Spectrometry and Benthic Photo Collection and Analysis 3D GBR Habitat Mapping Project 2015 - ongoing: Global habitat mapping project 2019-2023 Allen Coral Atlas . Current position: Associate Professior in Marine Remote Sensing leading the Marine Ecosystem Monitoring Lab. . Academic Director Heron Island Research Station and affiliated researchers with Centre for Marine Science and Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science Capacity Building and Citizen Science: Capacity: under/post graduate courses; Msc/PhD supervision, workshops/courses; Remote Sensing Educational Toolkit, and online courses (e.g. TNC).Strong supporter of citizen science based projects, as trainer, organiser and advisor for Reef Check Australia, CoralWatch, Great Reef Census and UniDive.
Research impacts
See Research Impact on Mapping a better future for coral reefs
Works
Search Professor Chris Roelfsema’s works on UQ eSpace
2014
Other Outputs
Survey Methods Manual Unidive Point Lookout Ecological Assessment (PLEA)
Flower, Thurstan R., Beger, J., Dudgeon, C., Gomez, K., Ortiz, J., Kovacs, E., Saunders, M., Passenger, J., Kleine, D. and Roelfsema, C. (2014). Survey Methods Manual Unidive Point Lookout Ecological Assessment (PLEA). St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland Underwater Club.
2014
Journal Article
Interdependency of tropical marine ecosystems in response to climate change
Saunders, Megan I., Leon, Javier X., Callaghan, David P., Roelfsema, Chris M., Hamylton, Sarah, Brown, Christopher J., Baldock, Tom, Golshani, Aliasghar, Phinn, Stuart R., Lovelock, Catherine E., Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove, Woodroffe, Colin D. and Mumby, Peter J. (2014). Interdependency of tropical marine ecosystems in response to climate change. Nature Climate Change, 4 (8), 724-729. doi: 10.1038/nclimate2274
2014
Other Outputs
Habitat Map for Lizard Island reef, Australia derived from a photo-transect survey field data collected in December 2011 and September/October 2012
Roelfsema, Christiaan M., Saunders, Megan , Canto, Robert, Leon, Javier X. (Leon Patino, Javier), Phinn, Stuart R. and Hamylton, Sarah (2014). Habitat Map for Lizard Island reef, Australia derived from a photo-transect survey field data collected in December 2011 and September/October 2012. Pangaea. (Dataset)
2014
Other Outputs
Straddie: flora and fauna of North Stradbroke Island dive sites - Australia
Pollard, Lochlan, Roelfsema, Chris and Kleine, Diana (2014). Straddie: flora and fauna of North Stradbroke Island dive sites - Australia. St Lucia, Brisbane QLD: UniDive (University of Queensland Underwater Club).
2014
Other Outputs
Seafloor brightness map of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, derived from biodiversity data.
Reichstetter, Martina, McKinna, Lachlan, Fearns, Peter, Weeks, Scarla J., Roelfsema, Christiaan M. and Furnas, Miles (2014). Seafloor brightness map of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, derived from biodiversity data.. Pangaea. (Dataset) doi: 10.1594/PANGAEA.835979
2013
Journal Article
Live Coral Cover Index Testing and Application with Hyperspectral Airborne Image Data
Joyce, Karen E., Phinn, Stuart R. and Roelfsema, Chris M. (2013). Live Coral Cover Index Testing and Application with Hyperspectral Airborne Image Data. Remote Sensing, 5 (11), 6116-6137. doi: 10.3390/rs5116116
2013
Journal Article
Coastal retreat and improved water quality mitigate losses of seagrass from sea level rise
Saunders, Megan I., Leon, Javier, Phinn, Stuart R., Callaghan, David P., O'Brien, Katherine R., Roelfsema, Chris M., Lovelock, Catherine E., Lyons, Mitchell B. and Mumby, Peter J. (2013). Coastal retreat and improved water quality mitigate losses of seagrass from sea level rise. Global Change Biology, 19 (8), 2569-2583. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12218
2013
Journal Article
Incorporating uncertainty associated with habitat data in marine reserve design
Tulloch, Vivitskaia J., Possingham, Hugh P., Jupiter, Stacy D., Roelfsema, Chris, Tulloch, Ayesha I. T. and Klein, Carissa J. (2013). Incorporating uncertainty associated with habitat data in marine reserve design. Biological Conservation, 162, 41-51. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2013.03.003
2013
Other Outputs
Final CSIRO Report- Integration of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remote Satellite Sensing for Automated and Persistent Monitoring
Roelfsema, Christiaan M., Kovacs, Eva, Lyons, Mitchell, Phinn, Stuart R., Dunbabin, Matt and Grinham, Alistair (2013). Final CSIRO Report- Integration of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remote Satellite Sensing for Automated and Persistent Monitoring.
2013
Journal Article
Mapping coral reef resilience indicators using field and remotely sensed data
Knudby, Anders, Jupiter, Stacy, Roelfsema, Chris, Lyons, Mitchell and Phinn, Stuart (2013). Mapping coral reef resilience indicators using field and remotely sensed data. Remote Sensing, 5 (3), 1311-1334. doi: 10.3390/rs5031311
2013
Journal Article
Towards understanding temporal and spatial dynamics of seagrass landscapes using time-series remote sensing
Lyons, Mitchell B., Roelfsema, Chris M. and Phinn, Stuart R. (2013). Towards understanding temporal and spatial dynamics of seagrass landscapes using time-series remote sensing. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 120, 42-53. doi: 10.1016/j.ecss.2013.01.015
2013
Conference Publication
Mapping changes in seagrass properties from high spatial resolution satellite image data: 2004-2013
Roelfsema, Chris, Lyons, Mitchell, Kovacs, Eva, Phinn, Stuart and Dunbabin, Matthew (2013). Mapping changes in seagrass properties from high spatial resolution satellite image data: 2004-2013. IGARSS 2013: International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 21-26 July, 2013.
2013
Conference Publication
Direct and indirect impacts of predicted sea level rise on seagrass
Saunders, Megan I., Baldock, Tom, Brown, Christopher J., Callaghan, David P., Golshani, Aliastair, Hamylton, Sarah, Leon, Javier, Lovelock, Catherine E., Lyons, Mitchell B., O'Brien, Katherine R., Mumby, Peter J., Phinn, Stuart R. and Roelfsema, Christiaan M. (2013). Direct and indirect impacts of predicted sea level rise on seagrass. AMSA 2013: Australian Marine Science Golden Jubilee Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, 7-11 July 2013. Kilkivan, QLD, Australia: Australian Marine Science Association (AMSA).
2013
Book Chapter
Validation
Roelfsema, Christiaan M. and Phinn, Stuart R. (2013). Validation. Coral Reef Remote Sensing: A Guide for Multi-level Sensing Mapping and Assessment. (pp. 375-401) edited by James A. Goodman, Samuel J. Purkis and Stuart R. Phinn. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-9292-2_14
2013
Other Outputs
Coral reef habitat maps derived from a high-spatial-resolution multi-spectral satellite image using object based image analysis
Roelfsema, Christiaan M., Phinn, Stuart R., Jupiter, Stacy, Comley, James and Albert, Simon (2013). Coral reef habitat maps derived from a high-spatial-resolution multi-spectral satellite image using object based image analysis. Pangaea. (Dataset)
2013
Conference Publication
Integrating field and remote sensing approaches for mapping seagrass leaf area index
Adi, Novi Susetyo, Phinn, Stuart, Roelfsema, Chris and Samper-Villarreal, Jimena (2013). Integrating field and remote sensing approaches for mapping seagrass leaf area index. 34th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing 2013, ACRS 2013, Bali, Indonesia, 20-24 October 2013. Asian Association on Remote Sensing.
2013
Book Chapter
Visible and infrared overview
Phinn, Stuart R., Hochberg. Eric M. and Roelfsema, Chris M. (2013). Visible and infrared overview. Coral reef remote sensing: a guide for mapping, monitoring and management. (pp. 3-28) edited by James A. Goodman, Samuel J. Purkis and Stuart R. Phinn. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer - Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-9292-2_1
2013
Conference Publication
Mapping and modelling the spatial distribution of microphytobenthos abundance in Heron Reef, Australia
Borrego-Acevedo, Rodney, Roelfsema, Chris, Grinham, Alistair and Phinn, Stuart (2013). Mapping and modelling the spatial distribution of microphytobenthos abundance in Heron Reef, Australia. IGARSS 2013: International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 21-26 July, 2013.
2013
Other Outputs
Benthic and substrate cover data derived from photo-transect surveys in Lizard Island Reef conducted on December 10-15, 2011
Saunders, Megan, Roelfsema, Christiaan M., Phinn, Stuart R., Canto, Robert, Brown, Christopher and Leon, Javier X. (2013). Benthic and substrate cover data derived from photo-transect surveys in Lizard Island Reef conducted on December 10-15, 2011. Pangaea. (Dataset) doi: 10.1594/PANGAEA.807404
2013
Conference Publication
Improving seagrass mapping calibration and validation using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
Lyons, Mitchell, Roelfsema, Chris, Dunbabin, Matthew, Kovacs, Eva and Phinn, Stuart (2013). Improving seagrass mapping calibration and validation using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). IGARSS 2013: International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 21-26 July, 2013.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Chris Roelfsema is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
-
PhD, Masters or Honours Topics: Coral Reef Dynamics Integrating Geospatial/Earth Observation/Ecology
General
If you are interested in working as part of a collaborative, supportive, multi-disciplinary team that links different disciplines across academia, governments, industry and NGOs, on the topics below please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to it further.
Collaboration/Supervision possible with: Chris Roelfsema, Dylan Cowley, Nikki Brown, Stuart Phinn UQ, Julie Vercelloni QUT/AIMS, Emma Kennedy, Juan Carlos Ortiz AIMS and relevant others
Coral Reef research can focus on work on the Heron Reef but are not limited to that.
Funding
These project do not have funding or scholarships currently, but are supported by extensive pre-existing data archives of fully corrected satellite image archives and field data sets, a collective group of researchers working on the site, and ability to be supported in scholarship and funding applications.
Background
Since 2002 UQ Team have used Heron Reef as basis to develop integrated earth observation and field data monitoring, modelling and mapping approaches. Part of that work was establishing a detailed field-based baseline of the reef, which is completed annually and has produced a 20+ year annual data set. Since 2011, the Reef Check Australia Coral Watch Field teams have joined the surveys and collected their associated data sets. Iin 2023 we collected orthomosaics of 20-50 m for 10 sites around Heron Reef, this provide the possiblity to get more detail benthic information and higher spatial scale locally.
PhD Topics
The data sets themselves provide a wealth of information for interested students to work on, hence we aim to engage with those interested in building coral reef science and management related , knowledge, skills, network, experience and development opportunities to enhance existing, or develop new careers.
If you are interested, please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to discuss how to develop a research project for special topic, masters or PhD research that might suit you focussing on:
- Ecological assessment of the benthic field data reviewing not only coral cover but also coral morphologies, or algae cover or other
- Developing approaches in GEE for time series analysis to link field data to image date to get high resolution thematic maps of Heron reef.
- Ecological assessment over time of benthic components, but also impacts, fish, inverts and general coral healthy using coral health chart, reef check data and geolocated photos
- Any other topic that promotes the use of the existing field data and/or high resolution image data.
- Or any other related topic.
See related information in:
-
PhD, Masters or Honours Topics: Seagrass Dynamics Integrating Geospatial/Earth Observation/Ecology
General
If you are interested in working as part of a collaborative, supportive, multi-disciplinary team that links different disciplines across academia, governments, industry and NGOs, on the topics below please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to it further.
Collaboration/Supervision possible with: Chris Roelfsema, Dylan Cowley, Nikkie Brown, Carissa Klein, Stuart Phinn UQ, Julie Vercelloni QUT/AIMS, and relevant others
Seagrass research can focus on work in the Moreton Bay but are not limited to that.
Funding
These project do not have funding or scholarships currently, but are supported by extensive pre-existing data archives of fully corrected satellite image archives and field data sets, a collective group of researchers working on the site, and ability to be supported in scholarship and funding applications.
Background
Since 2000 the UQ Team have used Moreton Bay as basis to develop integrated earth observation and field data monitoring, modelling and mapping approaches. Part of that work was establishing a detailed field-based baseline of the seagrass in the Moreton Bay and specificly Eastern Banks. In the last 20+ years seagrass has been mapped regulary in this region.
PhD Topics
The data sets themselves provide a wealth of information for interested students to work on, hence we aim to engage with those interested in building seagrass science and management related , knowledge, skills, network, experience and development opportunities to enhance existing, or develop new careers.
If you are interested, please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to discuss how to develop a research project for special topic, masters or PhD research that might suit you focussing on:
- Ecological assessment of the benthic field data reviewing not only coral cover but also seagrass species, composition and biomass or other
- Developing approaches in GEE or other for time series analysis to link field data to image date to get high resolution thematic maps of Eastern Banks Moreton Bay.
- Ecological assessment over time of seagrass composition, but also impacts, fish, inverts and geolocated photos or other field data for the Eastern Banks or the Moreton Bay Marine Parks
- Any other topic that promotes the use of the existing field data and/or high resolution image data.
- Or any other related topic.
See related information in:
Title: Multi-Temporal Mapping of Seagrass Cover, Species and Biomass: A Semi-Automated Object Based Image Analysis Approach. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2014.05.001
Title: A Multi-date seagrass species and percentage cover field data set, derived from georeferenced photo transects for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2015.40
Title: Challenges of Remote Sensing for Quantifying Changes in Large Complex Seagrass Environments https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.01.015
-
PhD, Masters or Honours Topics: Coral community assamblage from 3D photogrammetry
General
If you are interested in working as part of a collaborative, supportive, multi-disciplinary team that links different disciplines across academia, governments, industry and NGOs, on the topics below please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to it further.
Collaboration/Supervision possible with: Chris Roelfsema(UQ), Dylan Cowley(UQ) Tiny Remmers (UQ/AIMS) Stuart Phinn(UQ), Nikkie Brown (UQ) Julie Vercelloni AIMS, Emma Kennedy AIMS, Juan Carlos Ortiz AIMS and relevant others
Coral Reef research can focus on work on the Heron Reef but are not limited to that.
Funding
These project do not have funding or scholarships currently, but are supported by extensive pre-existing data archives of fully corrected satellite image archives and field data sets, a collective group of researchers working on the site, and ability to be supported in scholarship and funding applications.
Background
In 2023 orthophotomosaics were collected around Heron Reef as basis to integrate with satellite imagery and to understand the site level changes in benthic composition. The work can be supported by detailed field-based baseline of the reef, which is completed annually and has produced a 20+ year annual data set. Since 2011, Iin 2023 we collected orthomosaics of 20-50 m for 10 sites around Heron Reef, this provide the possiblity to get more detail benthic information and higher spatial scale locally.
PhD Topics
The data sets themselves provide a wealth of information for interested students to work on, hence we aim to engage with those interested in building coral reef science and management related , knowledge, skills, network, experience and development opportunities to enhance existing, or develop new careers.
If you are interested, please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to discuss how to develop a research project for special topic, masters or PhD research that might suit you focussing on:
- Ecological assessment of the benthic field data reviewing not only coral cover but also coral morphologies, or algae cover or other at site level scale over time and space
- Developing approaches for time series analysis of the orthophoto mosacis.
- Any other topic that promotes the use of the existing field data and/or high resolution image data.
- Or any other related topic.
See related information in:
Title: Close-range underwater photogrammetry for coral reef ecology: a systematic literature review
-
PhD, Masters or Honours Topics: Coral community assamblage from 3D photogrammetry
General
If you are interested in working as part of a collaborative, supportive, multi-disciplinary team that links different disciplines across academia, governments, industry and NGOs, on the topics below please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to it further.
Collaboration/Supervision possible with: Chris Roelfsema(UQ), Dylan Cowley(UQ) Tiny Remmers (UQ/AIMS), Nikkie Brown (UQ) Julie Vercelloni AIMS, Emma Kennedy AIMS, Juan Carlos Ortiz AIMS and relevant others
Coral Reef research can focus on work on the Heron Reef but are not limited to that.
Funding
These project do not have funding or scholarships currently, but are supported by extensive pre-existing data archives of fully corrected satellite image archives and field data sets, a collective group of researchers working on the site, and ability to be supported in scholarship and funding applications.
Background
In 2023 orthophotomosaics were collected around Heron Reef as basis to integrate with satellite imagery and to understand the site level changes in benthic composition. The work can be supported by detailed field-based baseline of the reef, which is completed annually and has produced a 20+ year annual data set. Since 2011, Iin 2023 we collected orthomosaics of 20-50 m for 10 sites around Heron Reef, this provide the possiblity to get more detail benthic information and higher spatial scale locally.
PhD Topics
The data sets themselves provide a wealth of information for interested students to work on, hence we aim to engage with those interested in building coral reef science and management related , knowledge, skills, network, experience and development opportunities to enhance existing, or develop new careers.
If you are interested, please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to discuss how to develop a research project for special topic, masters or PhD research that might suit you focussing on:
- Ecological assessment of the benthic field data reviewing not only coral cover but also coral morphologies, or algae cover or other at site level scale over time and space
- Developing approaches for time series analysis of the orthophoto mosacis.
- Any other topic that promotes the use of the existing field data and/or high resolution image data.
- Or any other related topic.
See related information in:
Title: Close-range underwater photogrammetry for coral reef ecology: a systematic literature review
-
PhD, Masters or Honours Topics: Coral Reef Dynamics Integrating Geospatial/Earth Observation/Ecology
General
If you are interested in working as part of a collaborative, supportive, multi-disciplinary team that links different disciplines across academia, governments, industry and NGOs, on the topics below please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to it further.
Collaboration/Supervision possible with: Chris Roelfsema, Dylan Cowley, Nikki Brown, Julie Vercelloni QUT/AIMS, Emma Kennedy, Juan Carlos Ortiz AIMS and relevant others
Coral Reef research can focus on work on the Heron Reef but are not limited to that.
Funding
These project do not have funding or scholarships currently, but are supported by extensive pre-existing data archives of fully corrected satellite image archives and field data sets, a collective group of researchers working on the site, and ability to be supported in scholarship and funding applications.
Background
Since 2002 UQ Team have used Heron Reef as basis to develop integrated earth observation and field data monitoring, modelling and mapping approaches. Part of that work was establishing a detailed field-based baseline of the reef, which is completed annually and has produced a 20+ year annual data set. Since 2011, the Reef Check Australia Coral Watch Field teams have joined the surveys and collected their associated data sets. Iin 2023 we collected orthomosaics of 20-50 m for 10 sites around Heron Reef, this provide the possiblity to get more detail benthic information and higher spatial scale locally.
PhD Topics
The data sets themselves provide a wealth of information for interested students to work on, hence we aim to engage with those interested in building coral reef science and management related , knowledge, skills, network, experience and development opportunities to enhance existing, or develop new careers.
If you are interested, please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to discuss how to develop a research project for special topic, masters or PhD research that might suit you focussing on:
- Ecological assessment of the benthic field data reviewing not only coral cover but also coral morphologies, or algae cover or other
- Developing approaches in GEE for time series analysis to link field data to image date to get high resolution thematic maps of Heron reef.
- Ecological assessment over time of benthic components, but also impacts, fish, inverts and general coral healthy using coral health chart, reef check data and geolocated photos
- Any other topic that promotes the use of the existing field data and/or high resolution image data.
- Or any other related topic.
See related information in:
-
PhD, Masters or Honours Topics: Seagrass Dynamics Integrating Geospatial/Earth Observation/Ecology
General
If you are interested in working as part of a collaborative, supportive, multi-disciplinary team that links different disciplines across academia, governments, industry and NGOs, on the topics below please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to it further.
Collaboration/Supervision possible with: Chris Roelfsema, Dylan Cowley, Nikkie Brown, Carissa Klein, UQ, Julie Vercelloni QUT/AIMS, and relevant others
Seagrass research can focus on work in the Moreton Bay but are not limited to that.
Funding
These project do not have funding or scholarships currently, but are supported by extensive pre-existing data archives of fully corrected satellite image archives and field data sets, a collective group of researchers working on the site, and ability to be supported in scholarship and funding applications.
Background
Since 2000 the UQ Team have used Moreton Bay as basis to develop integrated earth observation and field data monitoring, modelling and mapping approaches. Part of that work was establishing a detailed field-based baseline of the seagrass in the Moreton Bay and specificly Eastern Banks. In the last 20+ years seagrass has been mapped regulary in this region.
PhD Topics
The data sets themselves provide a wealth of information for interested students to work on, hence we aim to engage with those interested in building seagrass science and management related , knowledge, skills, network, experience and development opportunities to enhance existing, or develop new careers.
If you are interested, please contact c.roelfsema@uq.edu.au to discuss how to develop a research project for special topic, masters or PhD research that might suit you focussing on:
- Ecological assessment of the benthic field data reviewing not only coral cover but also seagrass species, composition and biomass or other
- Developing approaches in GEE or other for time series analysis to link field data to image date to get high resolution thematic maps of Eastern Banks Moreton Bay.
- Ecological assessment over time of seagrass composition, but also impacts, fish, inverts and geolocated photos or other field data for the Eastern Banks or the Moreton Bay Marine Parks
- Any other topic that promotes the use of the existing field data and/or high resolution image data.
- Or any other related topic.
See related information in:
Title: Multi-Temporal Mapping of Seagrass Cover, Species and Biomass: A Semi-Automated Object Based Image Analysis Approach. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2014.05.001
Title: A Multi-date seagrass species and percentage cover field data set, derived from georeferenced photo transects for the Eastern Banks, Moreton Bay https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2015.40
Title: Challenges of Remote Sensing for Quantifying Changes in Large Complex Seagrass Environments https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.01.015
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Encounter Climate Change by Developing Method for Estimating Seagrass Carbon Stock and Sequestration Using Remote Sensing Technology in Indonesia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
Doctor Philosophy
Hyperspectral Earth Observation to monitor seagrass species and live coral
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
Doctor Philosophy
Sustaining life on Pacific atoll islands in the face of accelerating coastal change: insights from three-dimensional change detection analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris, Professor Stuart Phinn
-
Doctor Philosophy
A Global Initiative for Dynamic Pollution Mapping and Management in Coral Reef Ecosystems
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amelia Wenger, Associate Professor Carissa Klein
-
Doctor Philosophy
Using space based Earth Observation to map Australia's kelp forests for a stronger Blue Carbon economy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
Doctor Philosophy
Sustaining life on Pacific atoll islands in the face of accelerating coastal change: insights from three-dimensional change detection analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Daniel Harris, Professor Stuart Phinn
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding tsunami sources and frequency in northern Tonga
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Annie Lau
-
Doctor Philosophy
Tectonic Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef: the contribution of geological structures to reef growth and geomorphology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn, Professor Gregory Webb, Dr Daniel Harris
-
Doctor Philosophy
Identification of coral deposition, accretion, and erosional zones from detailed benthic and substrate mapping using hyperspectral image data
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn, Professor Gregory Webb, Dr Daniel Harris
Completed supervision
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEMATIC REEF HABITAT CLASSIFICATION SCHEME USING MULTI-SCALE REMOTELY SENSED DATA FOR INDONESIA'S COASTAL MANAGEMENT
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Microphytobenthos Abundance from Remote Sensing: Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alistair Grinham, Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Canopy Reflectance Modelling for Mapping Coastal Wetland Vegetation of South East Queensland, Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Drivers of coral reef composition, cryptic marine biodiversity, and coral health along the north coast of Timor-Leste
Associate Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Mapping Coral Reef Primary Production and Calcification from a Light-Use Efficiency Model with In-Situ and Remotely Sensed Data
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Examining the utility of Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) LiDAR on a low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) across environments of various composition and dynamic complexity
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Mapping forest dynamics in Bangladesh from satellite images: Implications for the global REDD+ program
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ammar Abdul Aziz, Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Cyclone disaster mapping, monitoring and management using satellite remote sensing and spatial analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Iraphne Childs, Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Parameterization of bottom spectral reflectance for shallow water ocean color inversion models
Associate Advisor
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of the Light Environment and Biophysical Parameters of Seagrass Using Remote Sensing
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn, Professor Catherine Lovelock
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Mapping and monitoring the long term spatial dynamics of land cover and seagrass distribution in South East Queensland, Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2012
Master Philosophy
The use of remote sensing and field validation for mapping coral communities of Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait and implications for coastal planning policy.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
-
2011
Master Philosophy
Mapping and Monitoring Coral Reefs in Vietnam's Coastal Waters from High-Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing and Field Survey Data
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Chris Roelfsema directly for media enquiries about:
- Algae
- Coral reefs
- Field methods
- global
- Habitat mapping and monitoring
- Remote sensing
- Seagrass
- Water quality
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: