Cited by 194Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource ManagementRemote Sensing and LiDAR ApplicationsWetland Management and Conservation

Potential for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) Applications in Biodiversity Conservation, Managing Forests, and Related Services in India

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Shivaprakash, Kadukothanahally Nagaraju, Swami, Niraj, Mysorekar, Sagar, Arora, Roshni, Gangadharan, Aditya, Vohra, Karishma, Jadeyegowda, Madegowda, Kiesecker, Joseph M.·2022·Sustainability

Abstract

The recent advancement in data science coupled with the revolution in digital and satellite technology has improved the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the forestry and wildlife sectors. India shares 7% of global forest cover and is the 8th most biodiverse region in the world. However, rapid expansion of developmental projects, agriculture, and urban areas threaten the country’s rich biodiversity. Therefore, the adoption of new technologies like AI in Indian forests and biodiversity sectors can help in effective monitoring, management, and conservation of biodiversity and forest resources. We conducted a systematic search of literature related to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms (ML) in the forestry sector and biodiversity conservation across globe and in India (using ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar). Additionally, we also collected data on AI-based startups and non-profits in forest and wildlife sectors to understand the growth and adoption of AI technology in biodiversity conservation, forest management, and related services. Here, we first provide a global overview of AI research and application in forestry and biodiversity conservation. Next, we discuss adoption challenges of AI technologies in the Indian forestry and biodiversity sectors. Overall, we find that adoption of AI technology in Indian forestry and biodiversity sectors has been slow compared to developed, and to other developing countries. However, improving access to big data related to forest and biodiversity, cloud computing, and digital and satellite technology can help improve adoption of AI technology in India. We hope that this synthesis will motivate forest officials, scientists, and conservationists in India to explore AI technology for biodiversity conservation and forest management.

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  1. [4]4. Development of computationally less intensive, fast processing algorithms to analyze big data. Further, these developments will have tremendous potential to drive transformational changes in the way we manage our forests, biodiversity, and design appropriate conservation measures. Supplementary Materials: The following supporting information can be downloaded at https://www. mdpi.com/article/10.3390/su14127154/s1. Table S1: Summary of AI and machine learning application research in biodiversity conservation and forest sector; Table S2: AI start-up companies and non-profits in biodiversity conservation and forest sector. Author Contributions: Conceptualization, K.N.S., S.M. and N.S.; methodology, K.N.S.; software, writing-original draft preparation, K.N.S., S.M., R.A., A.G. and N.S.; writing-review and editing, K.V., M.J. and J.M.K.; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding: This research received no external funding. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable. Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable. Data Availability Statement: No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing was not applicable to this study. Acknowledgments: We greatly acknowledge the initial review of the manuscript by colleagues from Lands team-The Nature Conservancy Center, India. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. · DOI

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Authors
Shivaprakash, K. N., Swami, N., Mysorekar, S., Arora, R., Gangadharan, A., Vohra, K., Jadeyegowda, M., & Kiesecker, J. M.
Affiliations
  • The Nature Conservancy Center, 37 Link Road, Lajpatnagar-3, New Delhi 110024, India
  • The Nature Conservancy (US)
  • University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences (IN)
Corresponding author
Shivaprakash, Kadukothanahally Nagaraju
Venue
Sustainability
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2022-06-10
Volume
14
Issue
12
Pages
7154
ISSN
2071-1050 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4282593046
Cited by
194
References
180
Citations by year
2026: 35 · 2025: 68 · 2024: 59 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 5
FWCI
15.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Sustainability (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Ocean Engineering › Wetland Management and Conservation
Keywords
artificial intelligence, machine learning, biodiversity conservation, forest management, Indian forests, AI adoption barriers, AI startups, wildlife conservation, satellite remote sensing, big data, cloud computing, forest monitoring

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