Soundscapes and deep learning enable tracking biodiversity recovery in tropical forests.

Journal: Nature communications
PMID: 37848442

Abstract

Tropical forest recovery is fundamental to addressing the intertwined climate and biodiversity loss crises. While regenerating trees sequester carbon relatively quickly, the pace of biodiversity recovery remains contentious. Here, we use bioacoustics and metabarcoding to measure forest recovery post-agriculture in a global biodiversity hotspot in Ecuador. We show that the community composition, and not species richness, of vocalizing vertebrates identified by experts reflects the restoration gradient. Two automated measures - an acoustic index model and a bird community composition derived from an independently developed Convolutional Neural Network - correlated well with restoration (adj-R² = 0.62 and 0.69, respectively). Importantly, both measures reflected composition of non-vocalizing nocturnal insects identified via metabarcoding. We show that such automated monitoring tools, based on new technologies, can effectively monitor the success of forest recovery, using robust and reproducible data.

Authors

  • Jörg Müller
    Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Glashüttenstr. 5, 96181, Rauhenebrach, Germany. Joerg.Mueller@npv-bw.bayern.de.
  • Oliver Mitesser
    Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Glashüttenstr. 5, 96181, Rauhenebrach, Germany.
  • H Martin Schaefer
    Fundación Jocotoco, Valladolid N24-414 y Luis Cordero, Quito, Ecuador.
  • Sebastian Seibold
    Technical University of Munich, School of Life Sciences, Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Research Group, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany.
  • Annika Busse
    Saxon-Switzerland National Park, An der Elbe 4, 01814, Bad Schandau, Germany.
  • Peter Kriegel
    Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Glashüttenstr. 5, 96181, Rauhenebrach, Germany.
  • Dominik Rabl
    Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Glashüttenstr. 5, 96181, Rauhenebrach, Germany.
  • Rudy Gelis
    Yanayacu Research Center, Cosanga, Ecuador.
  • Alejandro Arteaga
    Biodiversity Field Lab (BioFL), Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
  • Juan Freile
    Pasaje El Moro E4-216 y Norberto Salazar, EC 170902, Tumbaco, DMQ, Ecuador.
  • Gabriel Augusto Leite
    Rainforest Connection, Science Department, 440 Cobia Drive, Suite 1902, Katy, TX, 77494, USA.
  • Tomaz Nascimento de Melo
    Rainforest Connection, Science Department, 440 Cobia Drive, Suite 1902, Katy, TX, 77494, USA.
  • Jack LeBien
    Rainforest Connection, Science Department, 440 Cobia Drive, Suite 1902, Katy, TX, 77494, USA.
  • Marconi Campos-Cerqueira
    Rainforest Connection, Science Department, 440 Cobia Drive, Suite 1902, Katy, TX, 77494, USA.
  • Nico Blüthgen
    Ecological Networks Lab, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
  • Constance J Tremlett
    Ecological Networks Lab, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
  • Dennis Böttger
    Phyletisches Museum, Institute for Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany.
  • Heike Feldhaar
    Animal Population Ecology, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
  • Nina Grella
    Animal Population Ecology, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
  • Ana Falconí-López
    Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Glashüttenstr. 5, 96181, Rauhenebrach, Germany.
  • David A Donoso
    Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud-BIOMAS-Universidad de las Américas, Quito, Ecuador.
  • Jerome Moriniere
    AIM - Advanced Identification Methods GmbH, Niemeyerstr. 1, 04179, Leipzig, Germany.
  • Zuzana Buřivalová
    University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology and The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.

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