Assessing Coastal Sustainability using Remote Sensing in the Northern Gulf of Mexico with Implications for the American Horseshoe Crab

445 million years ago Horseshoe Crabs inhabited the earth, and to this day the species remains an ancient example of resiliency, with anatomy conducive to a range of habitats. The species embodies coastal sustainability which makes this organism both intriguing to study and essential to better understanding and promoting coastal ecosystem sustainability. The project’s objectives are twofold, the first being to determine if particular variables derived from remote sensing could potentially replace in situ data collection along the coastline. Secondly, the project aimed to determine the relationship between human development and sustainability, examining both population data and land cover changes. To accomplish the first objective, the project took the years 2012 and 2013 in situ ocean data collected near Horn Island, Petit Bois Island, Dauphin Island, and Fort Morgan Peninsula. Environmental data collected in 2012 and 2013 included: water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and secchi. This data was compared to MODIS Level 3 Aqua satellite images to determine if remote sensing data could allow scientists to remotely monitor water quality. In addition to estuarine water quality, the project also looked at population data and land cover changes to determine how these changes would affect coastal sustainability and Horseshoe Crabs. Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) and Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) gridded images were analyzed using ArcGIS, and maps were created to highlight the study areas and the population dynamics. The CCAP and SEDAC data observed population growth and loss of natural land classes, which would decrease suitable coastal habitats for the horseshoe crab and other estuarine species. Human development encroaching on the coast has ramifications for sustainability and the health of a coastal ecosystem.