Published June 7, 2024
| Version v1
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Implementing biodiversity monitoring of rocky shores using photo-quadrats and Artificial Intelligence in support of data-driven decision-making of marine living resources
Authors/Creators
- 1. UNPSJB, Puerto Madryn, Argentina|Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR-CCT CONICET-CENPAT), Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
- 2. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR-CCT CONICET-CENPAT), Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
- 3. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Argentina
- 4. Laboratorio de Estudios Algales (ALGALAB), Departamento de Oceanografía, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile|Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile|Proyecto Anillos ECO(S) of Climate Change ANID ATE 230028l, Curicó, Chile
- 5. Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile|Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- 6. Administración de Parques Nacionales (APN),Julio A. Roca 782, 7°piso, CABA, Argentina
- 7. CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal|BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- 8. Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, United States of America|Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, United States of America
Description
The Marine Biodiversity Observation Network Pole to Pole of the Americas (MBON Pole to Pole) conducted two workshops on 27-31 March 2023 and 22-26 January 2024 in the Argentinian Patagonia aiming to enhance capacity for long-term monitoring of rocky intertidal communities in Argentina and Chile by applying novel and easy-to-use methods for biodiversity observing. In these workshops, participants received training on the collection and processing of benthic photo-quadrat imagery and their analysis using open-source artificial intelligence applications. Workshop participants included park rangers, undergraduate and graduate students and scientists. These training activities covered theoretical concepts of rocky shore ecology and field exercises. The workshops promoted collaboration and knowledge exchange between users of biodiversity data and ecologists resulting in the development of a standardised biodiversity monitoring protocol for rocky intertidal communities available in the Ocean Best Practices System of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Participants learned to identify dominant species and functional groups (e.g. macro-algal taxa, molluscs, barnacles) commonly present in these habitats and their zonation patterns along elevation gradients, capture high-quality benthic photographs using quadrat frames and cameras provided by the MBON Pole to Pole and compute percentage cover estimates of observed taxonomic groups using open-source automated classifiers. Emerging recommendations underscored the importance of actively involving park rangers in survey efforts and facilitating communication with decision-makers managing Marine Protected Areas. These activities were endorsed by the UN Decade as contributions to the Marine Life 2030 programme towards increasing capacity in the implementation of coordinated, standardised and sustained biodiversity observing efforts in the Americas.
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