<
https://theconversation.com/how-technology-allows-us-to-reveal-secrets-of-amazonian-biodiversity-182077>
"Tropical forest covers 12% of the planet’s land surface yet hosts around two
thirds of all terrestrial species. Amazonia, which spans the vast Amazon River
basin and the Guiana Shield in South America, is the largest extent of
remaining tropical forest globally, home to more species of animal than any
other terrestrial landscape on the planet.
Spotting wildlife in these dark and dense forests teeming with insects and
spiny palms is always challenging. This is because of the very nature of
biodiversity in Amazonia, where there is a small number of abundant species,
and a greater number of rare species which are difficult to survey adequately.
Understanding what species are present and how they relate to their environment
is of fundamental importance for ecology and conservation, providing us with
essential information on the impacts of human-made disturbances such as climate
change, logging or wood burning. In turn, this can also enable us to pick up on
sustainable human activities such as selective logging – the practice of
removing one or two trees and leaving the rest intact.
As part of BNP’s Bioclimate project, we are deploying a range of technological
fixes like camera traps and passive acoustic monitors to overcome these hurdles
and refine our understanding of Amazonian wildlife. These devices beat
traditional surveys through their ability to continuously gather data without
the need for human interference, allowing animals to go about their business
undisturbed."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
