Mapping and characterising subtropical estuarine landscapes using aerial photography and GIS for potential application in wildlife conservation and management Yuri Zharikov a,1 , Greg A. Skilleter a, * , Neil R. Loneragan b,2 , Thomas Taranto b , Bronwyn E. Cameron a a Marine and Estuarine Ecology Unit, School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia b CSIRO, Division of Marine Research, Cleveland Marine Labs, POB 120, Cleveland, Qld 4163, Australia Received 8 December 2004 Available online 26 April 2005 Abstract Coarse-resolution thematic maps derived from remotely sensed data and implemented in GIS play an important role in coastal and marine conservation, research and management. Here, we describe an approach for fine-resolution mapping of land-cover types using aerial photography and ancillary GIS and ground data in a large (100 · 35 km) subtropical estuarine system (Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia). We have developed and implemented a classification scheme representing 24 coastal (subtidal, intertidal, mangrove, supratidal and terrestrial) cover types relevant to the ecology of estuarine animals, nekton and shorebirds. The accuracy of classifications of the intertidal and subtidal cover types, as indicated by the agreement between the mapped (predicted) and reference (ground) data, was 77–88%, depending on the zone and level of generalization required. The variability and spatial distribution of habitat mosaics (landscape types) across the mapped environment were assessed using K-means clustering and validated with Classification and Regression Tree models. Seven broad landscape types could be distinguished and ways of incorporating the information on landscape composition into site-specific conservation and field research are discussed. This research illustrates the importance and potential applications of fine-resolution mapping for conservation and management of estuarine habitats and their terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Conservation; Nekton; Shorebirds; Subtropical estuary; Thematic mapping 1. Introduction Information on land-cover patterns at a range of spa- tial scales has important applications in conservation. In the context of marine conservation, land-cover and land-use data are necessary for environmental monitor- ing, change detection, designation of marine protected areas as well as development of multiple zoning schemes (Mumby and Harborne, 1999; Klemas, 2001; Mumby and Edwards, 2002). At the level of individual ecosys- tems, these data can be applied to investigate the links between biological processes, such as survival and dis- persal of individuals, and physical patterns, such as landscape structure (McGarigal and McComb, 1995). In both instances, to be applied efficiently, land-cover and land-use data need to be available in GIS (Kerr and Ostrovsky, 2003). 0006-3207/$ - see front matter Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2005.03.016 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 7 33654819. E-mail addresses: yzharikov@zen.uq.edu.au, zharikov@sfu.ca (Y. Zharikov), g.skilleter@uq.edu.au (G.A. Skilleter). 1 Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5A 1S6. 2 Present address: Centre for Fish and Fisheries, Division of Science and Engineering, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia. www.elsevier.com/locate/biocon Biological Conservation 125 (2005) 87–100 BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION