Preprint / Version 1

A West Coast Estuarine Case Study: A Predictive Approach to Monitor Estuarine Eutrophication

##article.authors##

  • Vedant Janapaty Silver Creek High School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31224/2511

Keywords:

Estuaries, Machine Learning, Discrete Fourier Transform

Abstract

Estuaries are wetlands where freshwater from streams mixes with salt water from sea. Also known as “kidneys of our planet”- they are extremely productive environments that filter pollutants, absorb floods from sea level rise, and shelter unique ecosystems. However, eutrophication and loss of native species are ailing California wetlands. There is a lack of uniform data collection and sparse research on correlations between satellite data and in situ measurements. Remote sensing (RS) has shown great promise in environmental monitoring. This study proposes using satellite data by correlating metrics with in situ observations, collected at
five West Coast estuaries. Images for satellite data were processed to calculate 7 bands (SIs) using Python. Average SI values were calculated per month for 23 years. Publicly available data, from sites at each estuary, was used to obtain 10 parameters (OPs). Average OP values were calculated per month for 23 years. Linear correlations between the 7 SIs and 10 OPs were made and found to be inadequate (correlation = 1 to 64%). Fourier transform analysis on 7 SIs was performed. Dominant frequencies and amplitudes were extracted for 7 SIs and a machine learning (ML) model was trained, validated, and tested for 10 OPs. Better correlations were observed between SIs and OPs, with certain time delays (0, 3, 4, 6 month delay) and ML was again performed. The OPs saw improved R2 values in the range of 0.2 to 0.93. This approach can be used to obtain the periodic analysis of an overall wetland health with satellite indices. The research proposes that remote sensing can be used to develop correlations with critical parameters that measure eutrophication in situ data and can be used by practitioners to easily monitor wetland health.

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Posted

2022-08-17