Some of the most important changes happening in our oceans occur beneath the surface, where they can be difficult for scientists to see and measure. At USC’s Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability, researchers and students are using new technology to create detailed maps of underwater environments and better understand how marine ecosystems are changing.
At USC’s Catalina Island facilities, researchers have used remotely operated vehicles, underwater cameras, and spatial mapping technology to study rocky reefs and other marine habitats. One project at Blue Cavern, a protected area off Catalina Island, used an underwater robot equipped with a camera to collect hundreds of images of the seafloor. Those images could then be stitched together to create a three-dimensional model of the reef.
These models provide more than an impressive picture of what lies underwater. By repeatedly mapping the same location, researchers can monitor changes in algae and other marine vegetation and examine how factors such as ocean temperature and pH may affect the ecosystem over time. This gives scientists a way to document environmental changes that might otherwise be difficult to detect.
Technology can also make marine monitoring more accessible. Traditional underwater surveys often require trained scientific divers and can only cover limited areas. Remotely operated vehicles and underwater imaging systems can collect information efficiently while creating a permanent visual record that researchers can compare over time.
This work represents what makes the Wrigley Institute’s approach to environmental research so valuable. The institute brings together scientists and students from multiple disciplines to study environmental problems and develop practical solutions.
As climate change continues to alter ocean conditions, understanding exactly what is happening beneath the surface becomes increasingly important. Three-dimensional mapping gives scientists another tool for turning environmental change into measurable data—and that data can ultimately help guide conservation efforts and policies designed to protect our oceans.
Diya Comar