Scientists are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to identify new animal species, but the question remains: can we trust the results? Currently, AI is used to flag potentially new species, while highly specialized biologists still need to formally describe these species and place them on the evolutionary tree. AI’s effectiveness is also limited by the quality and completeness of the data it is trained on, and significant gaps exist in our understanding of Earth’s wildlife.
AI’s Role in Biodiversity Research
AI is transforming how researchers understand complex ecosystems by making sense of large datasets collected through smartphones, camera traps, and automated monitoring systems. One model could identify the genus of a species with high accuracy, correctly identifying 96.66% of known species and assigning species with withheld identities to the correct genus with an 81.39% success rate.
However, without DNA data and relying solely on images, the accuracy dropped significantly to 39.11% for described species and 35.88% for unknown species. This discrepancy was partly attributed to the low resolution of images from a public database, but researchers noted that the model’s accuracy would improve with better-quality images.
Unveiling Hidden Biodiversity
Most of Earth’s biodiversity, particularly in the tropics, remains undiscovered. Insects, the most diverse group of animals, have many unidentified species. AI has the potential to fill this knowledge gap by enabling researchers to explore the unknown diversity of insect species. Some scientists are using AI to monitor entire ecosystems, combining AI with automated cameras to identify species and their behaviors within a given ecosystem.
A network of automated monitoring of insects (AMI) systems helps scientists collect and analyze vast amounts of data. Each AMI system uses light and motion-activated cameras to attract and photograph moths, while also recording audio to identify animal calls and ultrasonic acoustics for bats.
These solar-powered systems constantly gather data, which is too extensive for human analysis alone. AI plays a crucial role in interpreting this data, allowing researchers to flag potentially new species and monitor changes in biodiversity over time.
The Importance of Monitoring Biodiversity
Monitoring biodiversity is essential as species are going extinct at an accelerated rate due to human activities. AI systems like the AMI help researchers track how wildlife responds to environmental changes, including temperature fluctuations and agricultural practices. This technology has revolutionized biodiversity research by enabling data collection on a scale that was previously impossible.
However, the use of AI comes with its own environmental impact, as AI algorithms are energy-intensive. To mitigate this, researchers are training models on supercomputers and then compressing them to run on small, solar-powered computers, minimizing energy consumption.
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The Bottom Line
The integration of AI in biodiversity research marks a significant advancement in our ability to identify and monitor species. While challenges remain, the ongoing improvements in AI technology and data quality promise a future where we can better understand and protect the diverse life forms on our planet.
Through these innovations, scientists are making strides in uncovering the mysteries of Earth’s biodiversity, paving the way for more effective conservation efforts.
