Remote sensing studies based on satellite and aerial imagery have improved our understanding of the morphology and distribution of several shallow reefs along the Red Sea Arabian coast and of the benthic assemblages associated to them (Bruckner et al., 2011; Bruckner et al., 2012; Rowlands et al., 2016). However, data concerning the deeper benthic assemblages' composition and spatial distribution in the central Red Sea are still missing. Using high-resolution acoustic technology and an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV), we aim to map, describe, and classify the reefs found in Thuwal's coastal area, filling the information gap by producing the first benthic habitat map of this area and making progress towards the evaluation of shallow and upper mesophotic benthic resources in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. High-resolution acoustic data was collected using a multibeam echosounder system, which generated a bathymetric model. Based on this, the seafloor features were classified into 12 morphotypes following a visual assessment. Based on the morphotypes classification, 28 sites were visually selected for ground-truthing data acquisition and characterization of the substrate and benthic assemblages using a remotely operated vehicle equipped with an ultra-short baseline (USBL) positioning system. With the information obtained from the bathymetry data and the ROV video transects, a Top-Down approach in which we analyzed, categorized, and classified the data was used to create Thuwal's reefs benthic habitat map in which 23 different benthic habitat types were identified. This research uncovered previously poorly studied reef morphologies in the Red Sea and their associated benthic assemblages. Moreover, this work will help improve the understanding of the spatial distribution of benthic communities located on Thuwal's reefs, giving a baseline with the potential to provide fundamental information that can be used for mapping, management, conservation, and future research at other Red Sea reef sites in Saudi Arabia.

COLARES, Maria Cecília da Silva. Áreas de pesca de lagosta: uma caracterização utilizando geoprocessamento e veículo de operação remota (R.O.V.). 2009. 60 f. : Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Centro de Ciências Agrária, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Fortaleza-CE, 2009 / Submitted by Nádja Goes (nmoraissoares@gmail.com) on 2016-07-20T12:14:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dis_mcscolares.pdf: 7543614 bytes, checksum: 1fb114e9296c6db79c0055a6218ee800 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Nádja Goes (nmoraissoares@gmail.com) on 2016-07-20T12:14:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dis_mcscolares.pdf: 7543614 bytes, checksum: 1fb114e9296c6db79c0055a6218ee800 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-20T12:14:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_dis_mcscolares.pdf: 7543614 bytes, checksum: 1fb114e9296c6db79c0055a6218ee800 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / The Continental Shelf is a dynamic constantly studied by different areas, from the Marine Geology, Engineering, Fisheries, Oceanography, Biology etc passing by, including the first submerged region, extending from the coast toward the ocean basin, with an average slope 1: 1000, and an average width of about 40 nautical miles (70 km). The fishing resources available on the continental shelf are many, so that fishing is an extremely profitable activity for some countries. In Brazil there could be different since the country has in its geography over 8000 km of coastline and 200 miles are available for fishing. The Northeast, especially the state of Ceará had since the 70s until the 90s, a great weight on the scales of fish export business, powered by the main appeal and high commercial value abroad: the lobster. This work was carried out on the Continental Shelf eastern state of Ceara, aiming to characterize points of lobster fishing, using a methodology that combines digital image processing, point sampling of sediments, diving and shooting through a ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). The results are shown in the form of thematic maps all data and field processed in the laboratory, integrated, showing a perfect applicability of R. O. V. this crossover design and its efficiency in capturing images of the sampled points, thus proving the feasibility and safety of this methodology for future work. We conclude that the application of methodologies cross was effective and achieved its objectives, demonstrating that the use of ROV was essential and definitely better than scuba diving, leading us to adopt it in future in new projects, together with the sampling point or not, depending on the environment to be characterized and defined parameters. / A Plataforma Continental é um ambiente dinâmico constantemente estudado por diversas áreas, desde a Geologia Marinha, Engenharia de Pesca, Oceanografia, passando pela Biologia etc, compreendendo a primeira região submersa, estendendo-se da costa em direção à bacia oceânica, com uma declividade média de 1: 1000, e uma largura média de aproximadamente 40 milhas náuticas (70 km). Os recursos pesqueiros disponibilizados na plataforma continental são muitos, fazendo com que a pesca seja uma atividade extremamente lucrativa para alguns países. No Brasil não poderia ser diferente já que o país apresenta em sua geografia mais de 8000 Km de costa e as 200 milhas náuticas disponíveis para a pesca. O Nordeste, principalmente o Estado do Ceará teve desde a década de 70 até os anos 90, um grande peso na balança comercial de exportação de pescados, alavancados pelo principal recurso e de maior valor comercial no exterior: a lagosta. Esse trabalho foi realizado na Plataforma Continental Leste do Estado do Ceará, visando a caracterização de pontos de pesca de lagosta, utilizando uma metodologia que reúne processamento digital de imagem, amostragem pontual de sedimentos, mergulho autônomo e filmagem através de um R.O.V. (Remotely Operated Vehicle). Os resultados são mostrados em forma de mapas temáticos com todos os dados obtidos em campo e processados em laboratório, integrados, mostrando a perfeita aplicabilidade do R. O. V. nessa metodologia cruzada e sua eficiência na captura das imagens dos pontos amostrados, comprovando assim a viabilidade e segurança dessa metodologia para futuros trabalhos. Concluimos que a aplicação das metodologias cruzadas foi eficaz e atingiu os objetivos propostos, demonstrando que a utilização do R.O.V. foi essencial e definitivamente melhor que o mergulho autônomo, levando-nos a adotá-lo, futuramente em novos projetos, em conjunto com a amostragem pontual ou não, dependendo do ambiente a ser caracterizado e dos parâmetros definidos.