AI Models Identify Biodiversity from Animal Sounds in Tropical Rainforests
Published:23 Nov.2023 Source:University of Würzburg
Tropical forests are among the most important habitats on our planet. They are characterised by extremely high species diversity and play an eminent role in the global carbon cycle and the world climate. However, many tropical forest areas have been deforested and overexploitation continues day by day. Reforested areas in the tropics are therefore becoming increasingly important for the climate and biodiversity. How well biodiversity develops on such areas can be monitored very well with an automated analysis of animal sounds.
The team worked in northern Ecuador on abandoned pastures and former cacao plantations. There, they investigated whether autonomous sound recorders and artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to automatically recognise how the species communities of birds, amphibians and mammals are composed. Overall it is particularly the communities of vocalizing species that mirrors the recolonisation very well--because the communities follow strictly the recovery gradients. A preliminary set of 70 AI bird models was able to describe the entire species communities of birds, amphibians and some calling mammals.
The team is currently working on further improving the AI models used and expanding the set of models. The goal is to be able to automatically record even more species. The models are also to be established in other protected areas in Ecuador, the Sailershausen JMU Forest and in Germany's oldest national park in the Bavarian Forest. The Würzburg professor sees possible applications, for example, in the context of certifications or biodiversity credits.