[Coral-List] Calls for Submission to Special Issue on “Coral Reef Dynamics and Processes”

[Chris Roelfsema]

Calls for Submission to  Special Issue on “Coral Reef Dynamics and Processes” in the journal “Remote Sensing”   www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing<http://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing>

Title:                     Remote Sensing For Understanding Coral Reef Dynamics and Processes:
Photo-Systems To Coral Reef Systems

Aim:                      To provide a global set of examples and critical assessment of how our understanding of coral reefs and their dynamics has been advanced by in integration of remote sensing, field measurements and image analysis and modelling techniques.

Editors:                Professor Stuart Phinn and Dr Chris Roelfsema
                                Biophysical Remote Sensing Group
                                School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management
The University of Queensland

Description:
Although numerous past and current special issues of remote sensing and coral reef journals, along with summary books,  have focussed on mapping of coral reefs and their composition, few if any have focussed on using remotely sensed data to estimate and understand the dynamics or processes occurring on coral reefs.  Measurements of how sun-light is absorbed, scattered and transmitted provides information fundamental to understanding the biophysical structures and processes of coral reefs from molecular (10-6m) and global (108km) scales.  “Remote sensing” covers a range of scales and disciplines from satellite image analysis to microscopy/micro-analysis, and the finer scale knowledge is essential for “scaling up” or mapping and monitoring over large areas. There is a need to improve interactions between coral/algal physiologists and scientists mapping and monitoring reefs, to link knowledge and applications to provide the same level of operational mapping and monitoring as terrestrial plant ecology.

We now invite submission for Papers in the special issue – the proposed schedule is below, a bit longer than we initially planned.

The papers can cover reef mapping and focus on the use of time series or specific image and field data  and processing models to estimate and understand biological and  physical (hydro-dynamic, geomorphic)  processes acting on reefs. This will include  applications from a range of sensors and scales:, in-situ spectrometry and fluorometry in laboratory and field; hydro-optical measurements; multi- and hyper-spectral imaging. These may cover  a range of environmental variables, including photosynthetic efficiency and  concentrations of pigments in corals and algae; bathymetry;  benthic community types; concentrations of organic in inorganic material in coral reef waters. Select papers will cover integration of variables across scales, as these are essential to enable larger scale measurement and monitoring of processes on coral reefs and their surrounding environments.

Proposed schedule:

-          Preliminary titles/abstracts received and evaluated – 30 April  2012

-          Full papers due for review July 29;

-          Reviews due back to authors  August  30;

-          Publications – as soon as  corrected version is accepted.

Please visit the journal home page to check the Author’s instructions (www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing<http://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing>) and let us know if you  have any questions.

If you are planning to submit a paper – please send  a proposed title and 300 word abstract by April 30 2012 to this email.

Regards,

Special Issue Co-Editors
Stuart Phinn
Chris Roelfsema


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Stuart Phinn

Professor of Geography
     Centre for Spatial Environmental Research
     School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management

Associate Science Director
     TERN - The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network

The University of Queensland
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4072

Office:  61-7-33656526,
Mobile: 0401 012 996
Email: s.phinn at uq.edu.au<mailto:s.phinn at uq.edu.au>

Web-pages: www.gpem.uq.edu.au/cser<http://www.gpem.uq.edu.au/cser> and www.tern.org.au<http://www.tern.org.au>

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Dr. Chris Roelfsema (Researcher / Lecturer)
Biophysical Remote Sensing Group
Centre for Spatial Environmental Research
School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management
The University of Queensland
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4072

Ph: 61-7-33656977,
Mobile: 0400 207 401
Email: c.roelfsema at uq.edu.au<mailto:s.phinn at uq.edu.au>
Web-page: http://www.gpem.uq.edu.au/cser
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