SEAM

Seascape Ecology & Mapping Lab

Dalhousie University

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Lab Overview

The Seascape Ecology and Mapping (SEAM) laboratory, led by Dr Craig Brown, is based in the Oceanography Department at Dalhousie University.

Human pressures on the ocean continue to increase, and improved understanding of the spatial distribution of seabed organisms and habitats is of paramount importance for implementing effective marine spatial planning, marine conservation, and sustainable resource management. The research of the SEAM lab is focussed in the emerging field of seascape ecology, the ocean-centric equivalent of landscape ecology, which offer a solution to this problem by providing a way to study marine systems within a spatial framework.

Our research aims to describe, understand, and quantify the spatial patterns of benthic fauna and habitats at the ocean floor. This is closely linked to our ability to map seafloor ecosystems at appropriate resolutions to understand species-environment relationships, and drivers of spatiotemporal change in these systems (both natural and anthropogenic). Our research is therefore closely tied to developments in seafloor mapping technologies, primarily acoustic remote sensing methods (e.g. multibeam sonar), and the application of novel and new data integration approaches (i.e. Geographic Information Systems and geospatial statistical techniques).

Our research is grounded in the applied sciences, and we collaborate with government, private sector, and other academic institution on a wide range of projects within this field.

Lab Overview

People

The SEAM Team

Dr. Craig Brown

Associate Professor and Prinicpal Investigator

My research focuses on studying benthic ecosystems from a geospatial perspective utilizing the latest seafloor habitat mapping methodologies and technologies (marine acoustic remote sensing techniques). My main areas of research interest include the study of biophysical interactions in seafloor ecosystems to facilitate the development of effective fisheries and conservation management strategies. This interdisciplinary research involves spatial analysis of ecological, geological, geophysical, and oceanographic data sets to:

a) Understand spatial and temporal patterns in benthic biodiversity and habitat characteristics.
b) Produce robust and accurate thematic maps of the seafloor environment.
c) Develop effective benthic ecosystem monitoring techniques and methods.
d) Ultimately facilitate management decisions through the use of GIS.

Esther Bushuev

MSc student

Esther completed her B.Sc. in Physical Geography at the University of Toronto, where she also worked as a Research Assistant and undergraduate researcher in the Geomorphology Laboratory focusing on Holocene fluvial and glacial processes in Southern Ontario and British Columbia. Her interest in oceanography has led her to the East Coast where she will be researching geomorphic and benthic habitat mapping and the use of habitat classification schemes at various spatial scales in the NW Atlantic

Vicki Gazzola

GIS Specialist / Data Manager

Vicki joined the Seascape Ecology & Mapping lab in 2020. She has gained more than a decade of experience producing & managing geospatial data & map products using a variety of GIS software. She often combines GIS packages with graphics packages to produce high quality cartographic results. Her years of involvement in off shore exploration & research have given her experience with a variety of ground truthing methods. Her familiarity & understanding of these methods has proven useful to her role in the SEAM lab where she combines that knowledge & her GIS expertise to build MBES surface grids that are used for environmental analysis, assessing habitat suitability, & benthic interpretation.

Claire Haar

MSc student

I graduated from the University of Guelph with a BSc. in Environmental Geoscience and Geomatics, where I also worked as a volunteer research assistant in the Geomorphetry and Hydrogeomatics research group. As an undergraduate student, I was particularly interested in the field of remote sensing because of its vast possibilities and applications. Due to how broad the field is, I was keen on pursuing research that could combine my skills and academic interests with my childhood passion - ocean life. It was this interest in ocean life that led me to the coast, where I discovered the SEAM lab. I worked in the lab as an undergraduate research assistant for a year, focussing on harmonizing multi-source MBES data sets for future habitat mapping applications in the Bay of Fundy. Currently, as a Masters student in the SEAM lab I will be researching benthic recovery post-dredging, focussing on both the physical characteristics of the sea floor and population dynamics in various popular commercial fishing areas offshore of Nova Scotia.

Dr. Ethan Lawler

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

I completed my Ph.D. in Statistics at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Joanna Mills Flemming and Chris Field. I have a strong background in mathematics and have been applying that knowledge to statistical models for marine ecology. My two main areas of research involve developing statistical models and software for analyzing animal movement and species distribution data. Statistical analyses in these areas are challenging due to the noisy and relatively uninformative data typical of the marine environment, as well as computational problems that arise when accounting for correlation across space and time.

Zachary MacMillan-Kenny

Research Assistant

After completing my BSc in marine biology at Dalhousie University in 2021, I pursued a MSc in physical geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland and led a benthic habitat mapping project to support Indigenous research priorities in Nain, Nunatsiavut. My research interests are centered around fostering meaningful community collaboration while delving into the ecology and distribution of organisms and habitats in benthic and deep-sea environments. In addition to my academic pursuits, I am also deeply passionate about photography and videography. Joining the SEAM Lab as a research assistant, I will be assisting in mapping the benthic habitats within scallop buffer zones in the Northumberland Strait and popular commercial fishing areas in Banquereau Bank. I aim to intertwine my skillsets and passions to effectively communicate science and convey the importance and beauty of the benthos to a broader audience.

Dr. Ben Misiuk

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

My PhD work focused on benthic habitat mapping in the Canadian Arctic, and my interests now includeemerging sonar backscatter techniques and technologies, geomorphometry and multiscale terrain analysis, and machine and deep learning approaches to benthic habitat mapping. My Ocean Frontiers Institute post-doctoral fellowship aims to map benthic habitats in the Northwest Atlantic region to provide information for ecosystem-based management, including single species distributions and also broader “benthoscapes” – akin to terrestrial landscapes. Such data-driven mapping over broad areas is technically and logistically challenging; I am also working to develop novel and efficient approaches for handling diverse multisource datasets, which has only recently become feasible given advances in statistical computing and geospatial modelling techniques.

Daniel Ng

Research Assistant

Growing up in Richmond, British Columbia, Daniel moved to Halifax in 2020 to pursue a Combined Honours in Marine Biology and Oceanography at Dalhousie University. In Summer 2022, Daniel was a USRA research assistant in the Marine Nitrogen Biogeochemistry Lab, where he gained lab and field experience in nutrient analysis. In Winter 2023, Daniel was an EcoTaxa research assistant in the Marine Microbial Macroecology Lab where he examined and identified zooplankton images. When Daniel discovered how GIS is integrated into marine and oceanographic research, he was keen on learning more about the program. This summer, Daniel will be working alongside with Ocean Tracking Network. He will be supporting baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVs) and drop camera deployment at the Bras d’Or Lakes and will be analyzing seafloor footage. He hopes to gain proficiency in ArcGIS as well as analysis in benthic communities.

Dr. Peter Porskamp

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

I completed my PhD at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia. My work focused on creating benthic habitat maps of near shore marine environments using machine learning approaches for Parks Victoria to aid in their management decisions. During my studies I had the opportunity to acquire extensive experience in collecting and processing multibeam echosounder data, as well as collecting ground truthing data required for predictive habitat maps. My post-doctoral fellowship aims to create species distribution models for scallops along Georges Bank through the use bathymetric derivatives, harmonized backscatter and down scaled oceanographic models.

Jessica Sajtovich

MSc student

In 2018 I moved to Halifax to pursue a Bachelor of Science majoring in Oceanography at Dalhousie University. Through my education and summer research opportunities, I have been able to cultivate my passion for biological and geological oceanography. In 2020 I obtained a summer research position in which I studied coastal cliff retreat rates and the forcing mechanisms of cliff erosion within the Bay of Fundy. Additionally, this research allowed for the development of a semi-quantitative risk assessment of coastal erosion forcing mechanisms. I joined the SEAM lab in 2021 as a summer research student to study marine habitats using baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVs). Within the SEAM lab, I will also be working towards the completion of my Undergraduate Honours project which utilizes BRUVs and environmental DNA (eDNA) to map and survey marine ecosystems along the Scotian Shelf.

Emily Sklar

PhD student

Originally from Montreal, I moved to Halifax in 2016 to attend Dalhousie University, where I earned a BSc with Honours in Marine Biology and a minor in Statistics. My research interests are primarily conservation-driven and focus on community ecology and critical habitat use. My honours project focused on shifts in the seasonal distribution of juvenile female blue sharks on the Scotian Shelf in response to increasing ocean temperature. I initially joined the SEAM Lab in 2021 as a Master’s student to study sources and sinks of ghost fishing gear in the Gulf of St Lawrence, but as the project evolved and the scope expanded I decided to transfer into the PhD program. I am now a PhD candidate in Oceanography and my research focuses on broadscale patterns in species distributions in the Gulf of St Lawrence with nested fine scale modelling of community compositions at sponge conservation sites around Anticosti Island.

Jake Tan

PhD student

Over the course of my decade-long career in the IT sector, I've seen how rapidly evolving machine learning techniques, combined with improved data collection capabilities, can bring about meaningful improvements to various fields. I am therefore keen to combine my experience in data science and cybersecurity with my love of the ocean to advance the use of machine learning in progressing the ocean sciences.

Prior to joining the SEAM lab in 2021, I earned an MSc in GIS from the University of Aberdeen, where I applied deep learning algorithms to multispectral and SAR satellite data to quantify saltmarsh extents on the west coast of Scotland.

My PhD research will examine artificial intelligence techniques applied to ocean mapping using remote sensing data such as Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) or Multi-beam Echo Sounder (MBES). In particular, I seek to optimise the application of deep learning methods to enhance ocean floor characterization and classification capabilities. I hope to apply my research to improving fisheries management, MPAs management, and other efforts that contribute to ecosystem conservation.

Lab Alumni

Catherine Brenan

Honours Student

I am currently pursuing a Combined Honours in Environmental Science and Chemistry with a certificate in GIS at Dalhousie University. I first became fascinated with the ocean when I did a co-op with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in oil spill research. In this position, I analyzed the interaction of refined fuels and sediment particles in marine environments. Within the SEAM lab, I will model spatial patterns of the seafloor Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) in the Eastern Shore. I am excited by the project since I hope to construct a baseline map for POC, assess spatial linkages with microfauna and bioturbation potential, which helps anticipate future changes in POC stocks.

Sam Cutcliffe

Honours Student

Sam is pursuing an honours in Oceanography at Dalhousie University. Growing up on Prince Edward Island, studying the ocean seemed like a natural choice. For his honours project, he will be analyzing the spacial distribution of benthic communities in the Sambro Bank region.

Ben DiTrolio

MSc student

I grew up in New England where I developed a fondness for exploring the curious seafloor through diving, snorkeling and spearfishing. Experiencing the diversity of this coastal seascape, with eel grass beds and stretches of sand that give way to random boulders, each supporting different communities of marine life, fixed my interests to the study of seafloor properties and their role in creating and supporting benthic habitats. Following my undergraduate studies in Chemistry and Civil Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, I found the SEAM Lab at Dalhousie preparing to launch the ambitious Benthic Ecosystem Mapping and Engagement (BEcoME) Project, an international, multi-university, and industry research partnership. I am excited to be part of the BEcoME Project and for my niche within it, which is focused on resolving the acoustic backscatter response for different seabed substrate types using multibeam echo sounding (MBES). Identifying the acoustic backscatter response for a particular seafloor composition is complex and dependent on many factors such as frequency, angle, and range to name a few. Our work seeks to evaluate the contribution of these dominant factors by designing controlled experimental MBES surveys coupled with seafloor sampling to ground truth the backscatter response. Being able to identify seafloor composition by backscatter response will allow for more efficient and extensive assessment of benthic habitats in a largely unknown and changing ocean.

Leah Fulton

MMM Student

Leah completed a Bachelor of Community Design (hon.) and a certificate in GIS at Dalhousie University. Throughout her studies, she worked as a Research Assistant at the GIS Centre, and worked on various projects such as investigating structural connectivity and land fragmentation using electric circuit theory and various patch metrics in PEI. Leah has a strong interest in how communities are affected by processes stemmed from environmental degradation, which led her to expanding her knowledge to the marine environment. Leah will be working as a Ghost Gear Mapping Research Assistant with Coastal Action on the Collaborative Remediation Project of Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) in Southwest Nova Scotia (https://www.coastalaction.org/ghost-gear.html). She is looking forward to exploring the relationship between bottom type and type of ALDFG as well as mapping benthic habitats using sidescan sonar data.

Aaron Judah

Research Assistant

Originally from Toronto, Ontario, I came to Dalhousie University in 2018 to pursue an Honours in Marine Biology. My research interests primarily fall under the study of functional ecology, which seeks to understand the roles played by different organisms in an ecosystem and how they support ecosystem functions and services. Through this lens, most of my research work at Dalhousie University has focused on the application of functional traits, which are characteristics of an organisms used to understand how they function in an ecosystem. At the SEAM Lab, I will be assessing the functional structure of benthic assemblages in the Bay of Fundy with a focus on providing conservation priority maps. I aim to support management from a trait-based approach to secure the functional integrity of the Bay of Fundy’s benthic habitats, as well as testing the applicability of machine learning and Bayesian modelling to predict biodiversity patterns across space.

Pedro Menandro

Ph.D. candidate

I am a Ph.D. candidate in Oceanography at Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Brazil), and currently, I am a Visiting Graduate Research Student at Dalhousie University (SEAM Lab). Since my Oceanography B.Sc. (in Brazil), I have been working on different fields related to ocean mapping. I currently work on habitat mapping using different datasets with different spatial scales, exploring different approaches and classification tools. My Ph.D. research focuses on thoroughly analyzing and developing the use of MBES multispectral backscatter data for seabed classification, as well as determining the benefits and limitations of backscatter multifrequency data.

Caelin Murray

MSc student

Caelin completed her B.S.c. in Biology at Cape Breton University and later completed an Advanced diploma in GIS and Remote sensing at the Center of Geographic Sciences in 2018. She worked as a LiDAR and remote sensing analyst before returning to school for a master’s degree. Her interest in biology and mapping has led to combining these topics in her thesis which uses acoustic telemetry to examine eels spatial and temporal movements and habitat use.

Emilio Rosero Mosquera

OTAD Intern

As a third-generation naval officer [retired], I learned very early on that our present and future lies in our oceans. From coordinating and managing Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the province of Esmeraldas (Ecuador), to using sensors and radars, coordinating operations in marine protected areas in the province of Manabi (Ecuador), and sailing around South America, Cape Horn, and the Galapagos Islands, my experience has provided me a strong foundation covering International and Jurisdictional concerns.
As an Ocean Technologist I have developed a strong passion for underwater imaging systems, which has led me to get into the electronics and imaging sensors field.

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Julia Smyth

Undergraduate Student

I’m currently completing a BSc Biology at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. Originally from Halifax, I have always liked the ocean and developed an interest in marine biology during my degree. In the SEAM lab, I will be analyzing Atlantic seafloor imagery to identify and classify benthic biota. The data will be used to study the relationship between seafloor environmental conditions and the spatial patterns in biological communities.

Jack Tsao

Ocean Technologist

Prior to relocating to Nova Scotia, Canada, Jack enjoyed a 16-year career in the software engineering field specializing in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and system development. While searching for new challenges and opportunities, he changed fields and focus by retraining in mechanical engineering technology and subsequently ocean technology. During the past 7 years, he has primarily focused his work within the ocean sector and applied research. Jack joined the Seascape Ecology & Mapping (SEAM) team in late 2020 to share his varied experience and expertise and to continue leading the development of a Stereo Baited Remote Underwater Video system (Stereo BRUV).

Molly Wells

Marine Biology Student & Scientific Illustrator

As a marine biology student and as a scientific illustrator, Molly has a special interest in the value of visuals in ocean research, both as a tool for observation and for communication. During her undergraduate studies at Dalhousie University (BSc Marine Biology and Statistics), she completed an internship with the SEAM lab focused on scientific illustration and benthic imagery analysis. Her current work is a continuation of her internship, where she will annotate a benthic imagery dataset from Georges Bank for subsequent use in a deep learning project.

Projects

Ongoing Projects

Projects

Past projects include research done at the Nova Scotia Community College, through the Applied Oceans Research Group (AORG), which Dr. Craig Brown led before moving to Dalhousie in 2019.

Ongoing Projects

Big BRUVver Watches the Bedford Basin

Benthic ecosystems contribute to global ocean health through biogeochemical functions & provisions of ecosystem services. Benthic ecosystems are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures such as climate change & therefore, effective marine monitoring strategies are needed to evaluate ecosystem health.
Traditional marine monitoring methods can be extractive, destructive, costly, and labour intensive, limiting scope & repeatability. Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) represent an innovative monitoring technology, with many advantages compared to traditional survey methods. The majority of BRUVS studies have been conducted in the photic zone within the southern hemisphere, with 61% of studies attributed to Australia alone. Significant knowledge gaps surround the use of BRUVS with integrated lights in poor visibility waters of the North Atlantic.

Watch Video

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Mapping the Ocean Floor

Ocean floor mapping was a key area of research for the AORG. The goal is to make detailed thematic maps of the seabed using data obtained from a combination of techniques and innovative data analytics. The AORG focused on investigating the latest innovations in ocean survey instruments, including subsea camera systems, multibeam echo sounders and autonomous platforms.

Past Projects