SPI/PV surveys combine traditional drop-camera technology (PV) with novel optical cores of the seafloor (SPI) to allow for rapid data acquisition during field sampling (the camera is literally “pogo-sticked” across the seafloor), and the collection of a robust data set of images where seafloor features are quantified to assess benthic health and function. This ecological information is then conveyed in a format that most people can easily understand: a picture.
SPI/PV is a powerful and non-extractive approach for benthic habitat assessment that distinguishes itself from traditional benthic community sampling (grabs) by providing an integrated, multi-dimensional view of the benthic and geological condition of seafloor sediments. The approach to sampling allows for: rapid data collection (multiple SPI/PV replicates are captured per-station and it only takes ~5 min to survey a station; the system can then be towed between stations once deployed); and robust science (SPI/PV technology was developed in the 1970s and since then extensive scientific theories on benthic interpretation of SPI have been published in peer-reviewed literature) (Germano et al. 2011).
Our scientists invented SPI/PV technology, and our team offers the most experienced SPI/PV service available. We can provide SPI/PV surveys independently or in conjunction with geotechnical and geophysical surveys. Our benthic and cultural resource team work closely with data collected from such integrated surveys to offer a suite of holistic interpretations of the seafloor and marine archaeological resources, serving construction design and regulatory needs. This low-impact, image-based approach minimizes habitat disruption, making it especially well-suited for sensitive habitats.
