Key facts
- AI and digitisation are seen as crucial tools in the fight against plant and fungi extinction, according to a report by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- New technologies allow for rapid identification of species, genetic analysis of old specimens, and improved global collaboration.
- Around 40% of assessed plant species face extinction risk, and over 90% of estimated fungi species remain unknown to science.
- AI models can identify plant species with microscopic features, sometimes surpassing human specialists.
- Kew has digitised its entire collection of 7.4 million specimens, contributing to a global total of 145 million online specimens.
- Climate change has caused flowering times to shift by an average of 2.5 days per decade, disrupting ecological relationships.
Artificial intelligence and digitisation offer a significant opportunity to combat the extinction crisis facing plants and fungi, according to a comprehensive report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The report highlights how new technologies are revolutionising the ability of scientists to identify, track, and conserve biodiversity.
New technologies are enabling botanists to monitor shifts in flowering times, which have moved by an average of 2.5 days per decade globally due to climate change. AI models are proving adept at identifying challenging plant species, sometimes even outperforming human specialists. This rapid identification is crucial as an estimated 40% of assessed plant species are at risk of extinction, and many potential new medicines and sustainable crops could be lost before discovery.
The situation is particularly dire for fungi, with 90% of an estimated 2 million species still unknown to science and less than 1% of known species assessed for extinction risk. However, advancements in technology allow for the extraction of crucial genetic data from ancient specimens, potentially unlocking a 'genomic goldmine' for new medicines and disease prediction, as fungi have historically been a source of compounds like penicillin and statins.
Digitisation efforts are also transforming access to scientific collections. Kew has digitised all 7.4 million of its specimens, including those collected by Charles Darwin, making them freely available online. This effort contributes to a global total of 145 million digital specimens, though this represents less than 16% of all specimens held in herbaria worldwide, indicating significant gaps in understanding.
Digitising collections speeds up international collaboration and provides invaluable insights, especially for biodiversity hotspots like Madagascar. The report also acknowledges concerns about the substantial energy and water consumption of AI data centres. Furthermore, it cautions that the use of AI could exacerbate existing biases and inequalities if the underlying data is not improved, calling for partnerships between tech companies, environmental organizations, and increased investment from governments and funders.