Water Challenges
01.
Climate change-induced reductions in precipitation and an increasing population exert pressures on drinking water supply
02.
Ecosystems that hold source water reservoirs are increasingly susceptible to climate change hazards such as wildfires
03.
Agricultural instability in the form of water availability and unpredictable weather patterns
04.
Saltwater intrusion from overdrawing groundwater, or sea level rise and more frequent storm surges
Spotlight
A must-read report on climate change in Greater Victoria:
(1) Climate Action Strategy: Taking Action on the Climate Emergency. Capital Regional District (2021).
- Five-year strategy integrating current local, provincial, and federal initiatives to clearly outline pathways for achieving net-zero emissions by the middle of the 21st century
(2) Capital Region Coastal Flood Inundation Mapping Project Summary Version 2.0 (November 2021)
- The project had three main tasks and took place from 2019 to 2021, resulting in three reports each with an in-depth analysis that includes sea level rise flooding analysis, tsunami source identification and modelling, and mapping and reporting.
Researcher Profile
Maycira Costa
Lead Researcher, Associate Professor (University of Victoria)
Spectral Remote Sensing Laboratory
Our research group is working towards developing research methods to make more effective use of remotely sensed imagery for understanding and monitoring biophysical processes in ocean waters and wetlands, and researching light attenuation in coastal and riverine waters.
Spectral Remote Sensing Laboratory
Our research group is working towards developing research methods to make more effective use of remotely sensed imagery for understanding and monitoring biophysical processes in ocean waters and wetlands, and researching light attenuation in coastal and riverine waters.
We have an interdisciplinary group of young researchers with expertise in oceanography, geography, biology, computer science, and environmental science. We are conducting interdisciplinary research with several international collaborators in Brazil, Canada, the United States, and Japan.
Publications:
2022:
Nasiha, H. J., Wang, Z., Giannini, F., & Costa, M. (2022). Spatial Variability of In Situ Above-Water Reflectance in Coastal Dynamic Waters: Implications for Satellite Match-Up Analysis. Frontiers in Remote Sensing, 49.Timmer, B., Reshitnyk, L. Y., Hessing-Lewis, M., Juanes, F., & Costa, M. (2022). Comparing the Use of Red-Edge and Near-Infrared Wavelength Ranges for Detecting Submerged Kelp Canopy. Remote Sensing, 14(9), 2241.
2021:
Cavanaugh, K. C., Bell, T., Costa, M., Eddy, N. E., Gendall, L., Gleason, M. G., … & Schroeder, S. B. (2021). A Review of the Opportunities and Challenges for Using Remote Sensing for Management of Surface-Canopy Forming Kelps. Frontiers in Marine Science, 1536.Giannini, F., Hunt, B. P., Jacoby, D., & Costa, M. (2021). Performance of OLCI Sentinel-3A satellite in the Northeast Pacific coastal waters. Remote Sensing of Environment, 256, 112317.
Travers-Smith, H., Giannini, F., Sastri, A. R., & Costa, M. (2021). Validation of Non-photochemical Quenching Corrections for Chlorophyll-a Measurements Aboard Ships of Opportunity. Frontiers in Marine Science.
2020:
Travers-Smith, H.; Giannini, F.; Sastri, A; Costa, M. (2020) Quenching correction for chlorophyll-a fluorescence from continuous measurements aboard ships of opportunity. Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science.Costa, M., Le Barona N., Tenhunen, K., Nephin, J., Willis P., Mortimorc, J.P, Dudas S., Rubidge E. 2020. Historical distribution to kelp forests on the coast of British Columbia: 1858-1956. Journal of Applied Geography. 120, 102230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2020.102230
Tilstone, G; Dall’Olmo, G; Hieronymi, H; Ruddick, K; Beck, M; Ligi, M; Costa, M; D’Alimonte, D; Velluci, V; Vansteenwegen, D; Bracher, A; Wiegmann, S; Kuusk J; Vabson, V; Ansko, I; Vendt, R; Donlon, C; Casal, T. 2020. Field intercomparison of
radiometer measurements for ocean colour validation. Remote Sensing. 12, 1587; doi:10.3390/rs12101587.
Giannini, F.; Hunt, B. P.V.; Jacoby, D.; Costa, M. (submitted 2020). Performance of OLCI Sentinel-3A satellite in the Northeast Pacific coastal waters. Remote Sensing of Environment.
Costa, M., Le Baron N., Tenhunen, K., Nephin, J., Willis P., Mortimorc, J.P, Dudas S., Rubidge E. (submitted 2019). Historical distribution to kelp forests on the coast of British Columbia: 1858-1956. Journal of Applied Geography.
Kockel, A.; Ban, N.; Dearden, P.; Costa, M. 2020 Addressing distribution equity in spatial conservation prioritization for small-scale fisheries. PLOS ONE.
2019:
Suchy, K. D., Le Baron, N., Hilborn, A., Perry, R. I., & Costa, M. (2019). Influence of environmental drivers on spatio-temporal dynamics of satellite-derived chlorophyll a in the Strait of Georgia. Progress in Oceanography, 176, 102134.Abe, C. A.; Lobo, F.L; Novo, E. M.L.M.; Costa, M.; Dibike Y. B. (2019). Modelling the Effects of land cover change on sediment concentrations in a gold-mined Amazonian basin. Regional Environmental Change. Volume 19, Issue 7, pp 2141–2141. doi.org/10.1007/s101: 1-13.
Brown, L.N.; Borstad, G.B.; Ersahin, K.; Loos, E.; Selbie, D.; Costa, M.; Irvine, J. (2019). Satellite-based time series of chlorophyll in ChilkoLake, British Columbia, Canada. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing. 1712: 1-19.
Kockela, A.; Ban, N.; Dearden, P.; Costa, M. (2019). Evaluating approaches for scaling up community based marine protected areas into socially equitable and ecologically representative networks. Biological Conservation. 1-11 pp. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13368
Vabson, V.; Kuusk, J.; Ansko, I.; Vendt, R.; Alikas,; Ruddick, K.; Ansper, A.; Bresciani, M.; Burmester,H.; Costa, M.; D’Alimonte, D.; Dall’Olmo, G.; Damiri, B.; Dinter, T.; Giardino, C.; Kangro, K.; Ligi, M.; Paavel, B.; Tilstone, G.; Dommelen, R.; Wiegmann, S.; Bracher, A.; Donlon, C; Casal, T. (2019). Field Intercomparison of Radiometers Used for Satellite Validation in the 400–900 nm Range. Remote Sensing. 11(1129): 1-22.
Vabson, V.; Kuusk, J.; Ansko, I.; Vendt, R.; Alikas,; Ruddick, K.; Ansper, A.; Bresciani, M.; Burmester,H.; Costa, M.; D’Alimonte, D.; Dall’Olmo, G.; Damiri, B.; Dinter, T.; Giardino, C.; Kangro, K.; Ligi, M.; Paavel, B.; Tilstone, G.; Dommelen, R.; Wiegmann, S.; Bracher, A.; Donlon, C; Casal, T. (2019). Laboratory Intercomparison of Radiometers Used for Satellite Validation in the 400–900 nm Range. Remote Sensing. 11(1101): 1-23.
Schroeder, S. B., Boyer, L., Juanes, F., & Costa, M. (2019). Spatial and temporal persistence of nearshore kelp beds on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada using satellite remote sensing. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.
Schroeder, S. B., Dupont, C., Boyer, L., Juanes, F., & Costa, M. (2019). Passive remote sensing technology for mapping bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana): A review of techniques and regional case study. Global Ecology and Conservation, e00683.
Nahirnick, N. K., Costa, M., Schroeder, S., & Sharma, T. (2019). Long-Term Eelgrass Habitat Change and Associated Human Impacts on the West Coast of Canada. Journal of Coastal Research, 36(1), 30-40.
Nahirnick, N., Hunter, P., Costa, M., Schroeder, S., & Sharma, T. (2019). Benefits and Challenges of UAS Imagery for Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Mapping in Small Estuaries of the Canadian West Coast. Journal of Coastal Research. 35(10): 673-683.
2018:
Hilborn, A., & Costa, M. (2018). Applications of DINEOF to satellite-derived chlorophyll-a from a productive coastal region. Remote Sensing, 10(9), 1449.Abe, C. A.; Lobo, F. L.; Dibike, Y. B.; Costa, M.; Santos, V. D.; Novo, E. M. (2018) Modelling the Effects of Historical and Future Land Cover Changes on the Hydrology of an Amazonian Basin. Water, 10(7), 932.
Yang, Y.; Cowen, L. L.; Costa, M. (2018). Is Ocean Reflectance Acquired by Citizen Scientists Robust for Science Applications?. Remote Sensing, 10(6), 835.
Nahirnick, N.; Hunter, P.; Costa, M.; Schroeder, S.; and Sharma, T. (submitted). Benefits and challenges of UAV imagery for eelgrass (Zostera marina) mapping in small estuaries of the Canadian West Coast. Journal of Coastal Research.
Nahirnick, N.; Reshitnyk, L.; Campbell, M.; Hessing-Lewis, M.; Costa, M.; Yakimishyn, J.; and Lee, L. (submitted). Mapping with confidence; delineating seagrass habitats using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.
