[INFORMATIVE] Artificial Intelligence in Conservation Efforts

Artificial Intelligence in Conservation Efforts

By: Alexandros Theodossis

What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence refers to a digital computer or computer-controlled robot's ability to perform tasks associated with sentient beings. Such tasks can include reasoning, making decisions, and solving problems. In today's society, AI has been evolving rapidly, engendering people to rely more on such technologies. Nevertheless, the transformative nature of AI has sparked innovation and pivotal transformations in job industries, the economy, education, etc. More specifically, AI has been utilized in conservation efforts. Because of AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data, for example, water quality parameters, this quality can be helpful in conservation efforts. A person or organization can expedite the conservation execution in a more timely manner instead of analyzing data without such technologies.

What is Conservation?
Conservation refers to studying the loss of Earth’s biological diversity and how this loss can be prevented. Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is the variance of life in a particular place or the Earth as a whole. On Earth, biodiversity includes ecosystems, species, populations, and genes. Conservation thus seeks to protect life’s variety in all places worldwide in different climates and ecosystems. More specifically, conservation aims to preserve ecology, maintaining the delicate balance of an ecosystem to ensure the population in a particular environment classified as threatened or endangered is not put at risk. Conservation is very important for many reasons, ranging from perpetuating the natural cycle of the food chain to mitigating the effects of climate change. However, the scope of such discussion goes beyond just health and ecosystems; conservation helps to understand the world around us and propose solutions for environmental engineers, ecologists, and others willing to assist in these efforts. The recognition of conservation in the United States of America goes back to when the Civilian Conservation Corps was established by former President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The CCC was a part of his New Deal legislation, combating the high unemployment rates during the Great Depression that put thousands of young men to work on environmental conservation projects. Later on, the CCC contributed to the establishment of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to place an essential emphasis on conservation efforts in America as more pollutants were being released into our atmosphere due to industrialization.

Why is Conservation Important?
Conservation efforts are crucial to our planet for multiple reasons, including biodiversity, natural resources preservation, climate regulation, economic benefits, and health benefits. More specifically, biodiversity helps protect the variety of life that has inhabited the Earth, ultimately ensuring that ecosystems remain balanced without any disruptions. In terms of natural resources, conservation ensures that the resources that occur naturally in the world, like soil, air, and water, are being used sustainably. Healthy ecosystems can range from forests to wetlands and play a massive role in regulating the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and making oxygen available so humans can survive. Many industries, including agriculture, fishing, and tourism, rely on healthy ecosystems to flourish economically. Such conservation efforts help maintain these industries by ensuring natural resources are conserved for future generations. Regarding health benefits, humans require clean air to live a healthy life. Prolonged exposure to polluted air typically results in health issues, meaning populations exposed to polluted air tend to have a shorter life expectancy than those living in pristine air quality indexes. All in all, the conservation of natural resources on Earth is essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems, ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources, and regulating the climate.

How does AI Aid in Conservation Efforts?
With the constantly evolving nature of artificial intelligence, scientists and conservation groups have been harnessing the transformative nature of AI for conservation efforts in ecosystems. More specifically, AI is being used for wildlife monitoring, poaching protection, habitat mapping, biodiversity assessments, resource management, and citizen science. When relating to wildlife monitoring, AI can pinpoint and analyze an animal’s behaviors and detect when there appears to be a disruption in the environment or specific ecosystem. From these automated monitoring efforts, AI can take photos or videos of what seems abnormal and send them to a team of environmental scientists to resolve this imbalance in the ecosystem. Cameras, with AI implemented in the operating system, can identify poachers or trespassers in national parks or habitats that do not permit hunting. Poachers often hunt for animals in secluded areas. But, with the implementation of AI, devices such as cameras and drones can identify human silhouettes and alert local authorities as soon as possible. Habitat mapping often requires environmentalist groups to map out a particular environment in person. Current techniques take way too long while mapping could be automated with certain AI. For example, a drone equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities can navigate throughout a forest, mapping out the environment into a 3D rendering on a computer. Ultimately, as AI continues to evolve, so do conservation efforts, thanks to these incredible advancements.


Works Cited:
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History.com Editors. “Civilian Conservation Corps.” HISTORY.com, A&E Television Networks, 31 Mar. 2021, www.history.com/topics/great-depression/civilian-conservation-corps.

Mason, Matthew. “Conservation: History and Future.” Environmentalscience.org, 2014, www.environmentalscience.org/conservation.

National Geographic. “Conserving Earth | National Geographic Society.” Education.nationalgeographic.org, 19 Oct. 2023, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/conserving-earth/.

Pimm, Stuart L. “Conservation | Definition, Examples, & Facts.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 7 Mar. 2019, www.britannica.com/science/conservation-ecology.‌