Optical Remote Sensing of Microphytobenthic Primary Productivity

The relative contribution of microphytobenthic (MPB) primary productivity to the total primary productivity of intertidal ecosystems is largely unknown. The possibility to estimate MPB primary productivity would be a significant contribution to a better understanding of the role of intertidal mudflats for ecosystem functioning. Despite MPB primary productivity in intertidal sediment surfaces having an undisputable ecological role, methods of its quantification have proven to be difficult and cumbersome hence posing problems in monitoring and coming up with possible management strategies. Currently, the knowledge on MPB primary productivity in intertidal mudflats of the Dutch Wadden Sea is rudimentary. This limitation is attributed to a number of factors. Consequently, methods that will capture the spatial and temporal variations of MPB such remote sensing provide a platform for understanding MPB primary productivity. The inherent intertidal mudflats sediment characteristics and chl-a optical properties allow remote sensing of MPB primary productivity in these delicate areas. This research bridges the gap by coupling in-situ and with remote sensing data.