Leveraging AI to improve evidence synthesis in conservation.

Journal: Trends in ecology & evolution
Published Date: May 24, 2024

Abstract

Systematic evidence syntheses (systematic reviews and maps) summarize knowledge and are used to support decisions and policies in a variety of applied fields, from medicine and public health to biodiversity conservation. However, conducting these exercises in conservation is often expensive and slow, which can impede their use and hamper progress in addressing the current biodiversity crisis. With the explosive growth of large language models (LLMs) and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI), we discuss here the promise and perils associated with their use. We conclude that, when judiciously used, AI has the potential to speed up and hopefully improve the process of evidence synthesis, which can be particularly useful for underfunded applied fields, such as conservation science.

Authors

  • Oded Berger-Tal
    Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel.
  • Bob B M Wong
    School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia. Electronic address: bob.wong@monash.edu.
  • Carrie Ann Adams
    Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1474, USA.
  • Daniel T Blumstein
    Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
  • Ulrika Candolin
    Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
  • Matthew J Gibson
    Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, Centre for Ecosystem Science, and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
  • Alison L Greggor
    Conservation Science and Wildlife Health, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027-7000, USA.
  • Malgorzata Lagisz
    Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, Centre for Ecosystem Science, and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
  • Biljana Macura
    Stockholm Environment Institute, 115 23, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Catherine J Price
    School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
  • Breanna J Putman
    Department of Biology, California State University, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407-2393, USA.
  • Lysanne Snijders
    Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
  • Shinichi Nakagawa
    Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, Centre for Ecosystem Science, and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: s.nakagawa@unsw.edu.au.

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