Deep Neural Network Analysis for Environmental Study of Coral Reefs in the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba)

Alina Raphael,Nathan S Netanyahu,David Iluz,Zvy Dubinsky

doi:10.3390/bdcc5020019

Abstract

Coral reefs are undergoing a severe decline due to ocean acidification, seawater warming and anthropogenic eutrophication. We demonstrate the applicability of Deep Learning (DL) for following these changes. We examined the distribution and frequency appearance of the eleven most common coral species at four sites in the Gulf of Eilat. We compared deep learning with conventional census methods. The methods used in this research were natural sampling units via photographing the coral reef, line transects for estimating the cover percentage at the four test sites and deep convolutional neural networks, which proved to be an efficient sparse classification for coral species using the supervised deep learning method. The main research goal was to identify the common coral species at four test sites in the Gulf of Eilat, using DL to detect differences in coral cover and species composition among the sites, and relate these to ecological characteristics, such as depth and anthropogenic disturbance. The use of this method will produce a vital database to follow changes over time in coral reefs, identify trend lines and recommend remediation measures accordingly. We outline future monitoring needs and the corresponding system developments required to meet these.

Highlights

Theusing common coral species were observed in eachand method on each site using point at each site
Results obtained using non Deep Learning (DL) methods: There is a significant differenceFiji among live coral cover and number ofapcoral colonies
High accuracy of 90% was attained in a preliminary test by applying the method of deep learning for classifying 400 images of four common coral species

Summary

Introduction

The acidification shifts the balance from skeletal carbonate deposition to its dissolution These stressors are further aggravated by anthropogenic eutrophication, shoreline development and, in some instances, diving pressure. The documentation and monitoring of many coral reefs in diverse and distant locations is of paramount importance for tracing trends and predicting their rates. Without such real-time, ongoing information no corrective, preventing and bioremediation measures can be planned, executed and evaluated. The highly diverse coral reefs of the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba) are of special interest and concern, as they are the main basis of the economy of surrounding communities in both Israel and Jordan. They are among the most diverse reefs [8], but have suffered from a rare low tide exposing them for a week [9] in 1970, heavy rain [10]

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Discussion

Conclusion