Coral reefs hide within them several secrets that are difficult for scientists to record and study. Experts must do rigorous analyses to determine reef health based on sound recordings because coral reefs have a complex soundscape. Now, in a new research, artificial intelligence (AI) can track the health of coral reefs by learning the “song of the reef”. Scientists at University of Exeter used several recordings of healthy and deteriorated reefs to train a computer algorithm, allowing the machine to learn the difference. The computer then analysed a slew of additional recordings and correctly recognised reef health 92 percent of the time. This was used to keep track of the progress of reef restoration projects by the team. [1]

Figure 1. Artificial Intelligence can Track Health of Corals Reefs by Understanding Complex Soundscape

Figure 1 shows the meaning of many of these calls is unknown, but the new AI system can tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy reefs' overall sounds. The recordings utilised in the study were made at the Mars Coral Reef Restoration Project in Indonesia, which is working to restore severely damaged reefs.

The findings were published in the journal Ecological Indicators. Ben Williams, the lead author of the study, said that coral reefs were under threat from a variety of factors, including climate change, and so, it was critical to keep track of their health and the success of conservation efforts. [2]

An important challenge for challengers is that visual and auditory reef surveys are often labor - intensive. The fact that many coral organisms are hidden or active at night limits visual investigations, and the abundance of reef noise makes it difficult to determine reef health using individual records.

To get around this difficulty, the researchers used machine learning to see if computers could pick up on the reef’s melody. [3]

Dr Tim Lamont of Lancaster College, the co-author, believes the AI methodology will vastly enhance coral reef monitoring. He mentioned that sound recorders and synthetic intelligence is perhaps used all the world over to trace the well being of reefs and see if efforts to guard and restore them are profitable.

In lots of circumstances, it’s faster and cheaper to put an underwater hydrophone on a reef and depart it there relatively than have specialist divers examine the reef regularly, particularly in remoted areas, mentioned Dr Lamont.

References:

1. https://newslogic.in/science/artificial-intelligence-can-track-health-of-corals-reefs-by-understanding-complex-soundscape/
2. https://gadgets360.com/science/news/artificial-intelligence-coral-reef-restoration-health-understand-complex-soundscape-3014078
3. https://www.technologyshout.com/artificial-intelligence-can-track-coral-reef-health-by-understanding-complex-soundscapes/
4. https://tech.sarkari-job-wale.in/artificial-intelligence-can-track-health-of-corals-reefs-by-understanding-complex-soundscape/

Cite this article:

Thanusri swetha J (2022), Artificial Intelligence can Track Health of Corals Reefs by Understanding Complex Soundscape, Anatechmaz, pp.107