Integration of close-range underwater photogrammetry with inspection and mesh processing software: a novel approach for quantifying ecological dynamics of temperate biogenic reefs
Characterizing and monitoring changes in biogenic 3-dimensional (3D) structures at multiple scales over time is challenging within the practical constraints of conventional ecological tools. Therefore, we developed a structure-from-motion (SfM)-based photogrammetry method, coupled with inspection and mesh processing software, to estimate important ecological parameters of underwater worm colonies (hummocks) constructed by the sabellariid polychaete Sabellaria alveolata, using non-destructive, 3D modeling and mesh analysis.