Estimation of algal biological parameters using water quality modeling andSPOT satellite data

Discovering biological parameters is the essential step to understand and e ven control an ecosystem. Traditional in situ sampling is time-consuming, e xpensive, and can only be taken for small areas with limited samples. It al so needs a long-term observation program to acquire biological growth recor ds. In this paper, a novel approach is proposed to estimate algal biologica l parameters, which are important factors of eutrophication control, by usi ng water quality modeling and remote sensing techniques. Algal growth rate and respiration rate were estimated using a one-dimensional water quality m odel (QUAL2E) and two-dimension spatially distributed water quality data de rived from SPOT satellite imagery for the Te-Chi Reservoir in Taiwan. A. no nlinear calibration model was developed by minimizing the average differenc e between observed and simulated values using a least squares method. The c alibration model using a mathematical approach provides an alternative meth od to estimate biological parameters of algae besides in situ sampling and experiment. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.