You are here:
AN INTERACTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF 3D COMPUTER-AIDED TOMOGRAPHY IMAGERY FOR INTERPRETING AND QUANTIFYING ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS TO MARINE BENTHIC COMMUNITIES
Citation:
Davey, E W., K T. Perez, J A. Cardin, R Johnson, AND K J. Rocha. AN INTERACTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF 3D COMPUTER-AIDED TOMOGRAPHY IMAGERY FOR INTERPRETING AND QUANTIFYING ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS TO MARINE BENTHIC COMMUNITIES. Presented at EPA OW/OWOW Technology Transfer Conference: Emerging Technologies, Tools, and Techniques to Manage Our Coasts in the 21st Century, Cocoa Beach, FL, January 28-31, 2003.
Description:
Two dimensional CT analysis has allowed the quantification of biologically derived structures (tubes and tunnels) within benthic sediments. The percent tube and tunnel area (PTTA) and the sediment bulk density (SXA) resulting from these activities have been shown be to highly correlated to anthropogenic loading. By advancing this depiction to three dimensions (3D) and analyzing at discrete CT energy ranges; rock, shell, gas, aquatic vegetation, and terrestrially derived plant material can also be clearly visualized and defined. Because the density of some of these objects overlaps the density distribution of biological structures, they can significantly affect the quantification of tube and tunnel volume (PTTV) and SXA. By producing highly resolved images, 3D visualization provides easy identification of these items and allows for their removal prior to analysis. This permits a more accurate evaluation of anthropogenic influence on benthic activity.