
%0 Journal Article
%A Hakvoort, J. H. M. 
%A Heineke, M. 
%A Heymann, K. 
%A Kühl, H. 
%A Riethmüller, R. 
%A Witte, G. 
%T A basis for mapping the erodibility of tidal flats by optical remote sensing
%J Marine and Freshwater Research
%D 1999/01/29
%V 49
%N 8
%P 867-873
%K reflectance spectra, optics, diatoms, sediment particle size, critical shear stress, erosion shear stress, chlorophyll a, microphytobenthos.
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/MF97090
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MF97090 
%X A means of monitoring surface sediment stability of tidal flats with optical remote sensing has been developed. Erosion shear stress and corresponding bio-geo-chemical parameters of tidal flats were measured over five years in the Sylt/R&oslash;m&oslash; Bight, Germany. Ground-based optical reflectance spectra were measured during one year. A significant dependence of erosion shear stress on the benthic diatom chlorophyll a concentration in the uppermost 1-mm layer was found for muddy areas but decreased with decreasing proportion of fine particles (&#60; 63 &#181;m). With a low phytobenthic coverage there was a weak dependence of erosion shear stress on the proportion of fine particles. There were two main classes of the reflectance spectra: containing information on sediment type i.e. proportion of fine particles, and containing information on benthic diatoms and other phytobenthic species. There was a significant correlation between the reflectance spectra and proportion of fine particles and also between reflectance spectra and benthic diatom chlorophyll &#945; concentration. Hence, the erodibility of tidal flats can be mapped by optical remote sensing when benthic chlorophyll a concentration and proportion of fine particles are used for estimation of the erosion shear stress. 
