Case Study: University of Queensland achieves first-ever topographic map of the Great Barrier Reef with Trimble eCognition

How eCognition is helping chart a path to restoration

Trimble’s eCognition software teamed with researchers led by Dr. Chris Roelfsema to tackle a major conservation gap: the Great Barrier Reef had no complete topographic map, hampering restoration and management while the reef faces severe threats from global warming. The project set out to produce the world’s first topographic map of the GBR and provide detailed geomorphic and benthic information for conservation planning.

Using eCognition’s object-based image analysis on Sentinel-2 mosaics and ancillary depth, wave and field data, then scaling the workflow in Google Earth Engine with machine learning, the team classified geomorphic zones and benthic habitats. eCognition produced maps for 237 reefs in about 45 minutes, the dataset was expanded to 300 reefs for training, and the GBR Marine Park Authority funded scaling to the full 2,900 reefs; the premiere geomorphic map was delivered in late 2019 and will be refined and released publicly with benthic and coral-type layers in subsequent years.

University of Queensland

Chris Roelfsema

Researcher and Lecturer