The world's largest nonprofit private oceanographic institution, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has long been a leader in exploring and studying the ocean. Some of the newest, most exciting projects WHOI has going are habitat camera mapping systems called "HabCam." Using towable cameras encased in protective cages, the institute is working to classify habitats, calculate biodiversity, increase learning about invasive species, and promote greater interest in the ocean and ecosystem science in general. HabCam is also used to provide scientists and fisheries with species-specific data, aiding them in making better informed decisions regarding the use of ocean resources. The program is also capturing some exquisite images of marine life in action. Let's take a peek.
HabCam Basics
HabCam is a fantastic tool that provides an unequalled window into sea life, through cutting-edge optical imaging. The process is completely non-invasive, and the HabCam is equipped with a number of tools, including sensors and an altimeter, side scan sonar, four strobes, and a top of the line color camera by UNIQ Vision. Once dropped into the ocean, the HabCam vehicles fly over the seabed, taking six photos per second to create a ribbon of continuous images which are sent to the surface via an Ethernet connection. Researchers topside are then able to view the images and other data via a windows-based program developed specifically for the project.
Currently, the HabCam is being used in some major projects, with additional camera systems being developed for future use. Of particular interest is the NEBO (Northestern Bentho-Pelagic Observatory) project, which is making repeated surveys over a group of "sentinel sites" which have been selected for their biotic and physical characteristics, as well as for their importance to fisheries. The NEBO project is helping scientists to gain detailed information about ecosystem functioning which would be virtually impossible without HabCam. These sites currently include Stellwagen Bank, Elephant Trunk, the Western Great South Channel, and three others. Besides surveying endemic species, NEBO is following invasive sea squirt populations, which are having an adverse effect on marine life off the northeast coast of the United States. Viewing the same sites over time allows researchers to gain valuable insight while looking for new ways to promote ocean awareness.
In cooperation with NOAA, WHOI has developed another HabCam vehicle, called the HabCam IV. This vehicle is equipped with some special seafloor mapping features that allow researchers to obtain information over a wider area in order to better target close-up imaging.
If you need a quick underwater photo fix, visit the HabCam website. You can see photos from HabCam IV and the other HabCams in the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute HabCam photo gallery, which contains images which are both beautiful and compelling. If you dive around the northeastern US, then some of the species you see will be familiar to you! Skates and rays, crabs and lobsters, squid, cod and other fish, and loads of invertebrates and crustaceans are well represented in the gallery, along with photos of debris on the seabed - bottles, broken dishes, and nets are just some of the things you'll find in the gallery.