Characterizing Benthic Habitats at the South Texas Banks

In the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, marine life tends to aggregate on the sparse hard bottom habitats that emerge from the otherwise muddy ocean floor.  Off of the South Texas coast lies a series of hard bottom structures that provide critical habitat for benthic organisms and pelagic fish species. The depth of the South Texas Banks (ranging from 57-99m), a persistent nepheloid layer, and strong currents have hindered efforts to collect quantitative data on what inhabits the rocky outcrops and relic coral reefs. Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), video data from five of the banks were collected in order to characterize the benthic communities. By correlating the benthic communities data with terrain patterns from multibeam sonar images, a habitat suitability model can be created that can predict benthic cover across all of the South Texas Banks. This work could significantly reduce the cost, time and effort in characterizing the banks, which is key to ensuring that these habitats are protected.