How artificial intelligence is helping conservation
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Oceans and Atmosphere
Published: 24 February 2023
AI is helping both birdwatchers and marine biologists. Merlin Bird ID uses AI to identify birds from photos and sounds, while a Google-powered AI model detects crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef, improving monitoring and conservation efforts.
Keywords: AI, conservation, Merlin Bird ID, crown-of-thorns starfish, machine learning, Great Barrier Reef, wildlife monitoring
Eggshells tell story of extinct elephant birds
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Oceans and Atmosphere
Published: 1 March 2023
Ancient DNA and proteins from elephant bird eggshells reveal Madagascar once hosted three species in two families, with extreme gigantism evolving rapidly. Eggshells provide insights into evolution, diet, and taxonomy of these extinct giants.
Keywords: elephant birds, Madagascar, ancient DNA, eggshells, paleogenomics, extinction, evolution
New biological control released against invasive cabomba weed
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Oceans and Atmosphere
Published: 2 March 2023
CSIRO and Seqwater have released the cabomba weevil in Lake Kurwongbah to control the invasive aquatic weed Cabomba. The weevil feeds exclusively on cabomba, offering a sustainable, cost-effective biocontrol to protect waterways and native ecosystems.
Keywords: cabomba, cabomba weevil, biocontrol, invasive species, waterways, CSIRO, Seqwater
