AI-driven advances in Species Identification and Biomass Analysis

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping our understanding of the natural world, bringing transformative changes to entomology and biodiversity studies. The emergence of user-friendly AI-driven applications, recognizable in daily life through tools that identify various species from images or sounds, marks a new era in entomological research. These advancements facilitate citizen scientists' and professionals' research by simplifying species identification. However, the potential of AI extends far beyond the familiar terrains of the global North, where it has predominantly been utilized due to earlier access to advanced technologies.
In this presentation, we delve into how AI, synergized with innovative and cost-effective technologies like DIY microscopes, is breaking barriers in biodiversity research, especially in resource-limited settings. This novel approach empowers researchers to assess species diversity, abundance, and biomass efficiently, offering faster and more cost-effective ways to understand ecological patterns and change. We have advanced these efforts by applying AI to image-based biomass estimation of invertebrates. ... mehrWe developed methods to estimate insect biomass from single images using machine learning and image processing techniques, enabling accurate and scalable ecological assessments. Our discussion also includes a specific focus on the application of these AI techniques for analyzing bulk samples from pan-traps and Malaise traps, highlighting their utility in classifying the most common species encountered in these traps.
Furthermore, we are collaborating with colleagues from the Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery at the Natural History Museum Berlin to address biological problems with AI methods and engineering tools. Our collective efforts aim to bridge gaps in biodiversity research and pave the way for innovative solutions to pressing ecological questions.
Overall, our discussion aims to illuminate AI's broad capabilities in entomology, underscoring its role as a pivotal tool in global biodiversity conservation and study.