Discrimination of phanerogam communities through hyperspectral data: Preliminary results of Montenegro coastal areas

In the framework of the Hypad.Com Project (supported by the Italian Ministry of the Environment) three in situ campaigns were carried out in the Kotor bay and along the Buljarica shoreline (Montenegro), from the 31st June to 2nd July 2008. Several submerged vegetation spectra were collected by two different portable spectroradiometers (OceanOptics and SpectraScan) in order to built a spectral library. In particular, more than hudred spectra were collected for Posidonia and Cymodocea species, at a depth ranging from few cm to over 20 m and in presence of different background typologies (sand, rock, other vegetal species). Spectral data were collected following the SeaWiFS protocol in order to obtain the Rrs (remote sensing Reflectance). By analyzing the different spectral behaviours it was possible to individuate specific spectral features useful for the species discrimination by hyperspectral remote sensing applications.