Remote sensing application and spatial database design for sustainable management of coral reefs in Banda Island, South Maluku, Indonesia

• Main Author: Gonzales, Jose Mari B.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2002
• Subjects: Aquatic germplasm resources—Remote sensing; Coral reefs and islands—Indonesia—Banda Island—Remote sensing; Geographic information systems; Geodatabases; Databases and Information Systems; Environmental Monitoring
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/7075
• Institution: De La Salle University

Spatial databases are essential tools for preserving potential marine genetic resources. Banda Island, the study area fir this project, is rich with marine biodiversity that can easily be exploited. A spatial database was designed for Banda Island I order to locate existing selected marine species among its rich coral reefs. Two LANDSAT-7 ETM satellite images of the study area were processed to apply the Bottom Feature Index and perform ISO class unsupervised classification. The images were then mosaicked to create a classified image showing the entire archipelago of Banda Island. The result was a raster image with classified features deviating relatively less from actual measurements of area in Banda Island. A vector data of the study area was created from a topographic map and was used to create a geographic information system (GIS). The GIS was capable of helping users locate existing coral, algae and seagrass species on Banda Island’s coral reefs and specifying area measurements. Using a software extension, the Banda Islands GIS was made available through local network. A web site was also created containing pertinent information on the marine ecosystem, socio-economic, climatic conditions and geography of Banda Island.