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Dr. Matthew Lauer has led the initiative to develop a Geographic Information Sytems (GIS) of Roviana and Vonavona lagoons using ArcGIS 8.x software and Trimble Geoexplorer 3 Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. To date, nearly 450 inner lagoon reefs (saguaru) and outer reef drop offs (vuragarena) have been mapped using the GPS receivers and indigenous knowledge. Imported as a layer into the growing GIS database of the lagoon marine environment, these layers are now being linked to nearly 10 years of demographic, economic, and behavioral data collected by Dr. Aswani and his assistants. As well, an accurate base-map has been compiled using ERDAS IMAGINE software and ArcGIS where 91 black and white aerial photographs, Landsat 7, and ASTER satellite imagery have been georectified and merged into a mosaic of the study area. For details about some of the techniques used in developing the GIS see the following links:
These are two new mosaics of the reefs systems:
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