Hyperspectral remote sensing for monitoring coral reef and seagrass Ecosystems: capabilities, limitations and future directions

Monitoring coral reef and seagrass ecosystems is essential for managing the health of coastal marine environments, requiring detailed information on benthic composition and extent. Traditional in situ monitoring programs are critical for assessing reef health, but are limited in scale, covering only small areas, while conventional remote sensing approaches extend monitoring coverage scale, but provide limited benthic composition detail. Hyperspectral remote sensing has emerged as a solution, offering detailed spectral information capable of discerning diverse benthic classes across increased spatial extents. This review examines recent literature on hyperspectral remote sensing applications for monitoring the composition and spatial extent of coral reefs and seagrass meadows. Research demonstrates that important composition features present distinct spectral signatures, enabling separation of coral from turf algae and seagrass from macroalgae at pixel sizes below 5 m. However, spectral mixing complicates classification at larger pixel sizes, and the use of satellites remains relatively untested. While hyperspectral remote sensing can technically map benthic composition across large spatial scales (>100 km²), several limitations impede widespread adoption, including: lack of management relevant spatial data, restricted technology access, spectral mixing challenges and absence of standardized workflows and spectral libraries. A critical transition is needed from basic mapping exercises toward monitoring functional ecosystem health aspects through derived metrics with direct management relevance. Hyperspectral technology offers strong potential for mapping coral reef and seagrass habitat composition and extent, but achieving routine monitoring value demands continued methodological refinement, improved data accessibility, and enhanced integration into ecological frameworks.