2<\/sub> and releasing the oxygen on which we depend. They cover less than 10% of the Earth\u2019s land surface, but they house some 50 million inhabitants and over 50% of the planet\u2019s biodiversity.<\/p>\nAlthough they are the most biodiverse ecosystems, scientists have a limited knowledge of them. The value of the trees and the species that live there is not fully realised and our ability to learn more is restricted since the rainforest environment is very dense, vast and complex.<\/p>\n
Protecting these ecosystems from deforestation is therefore more necessary than ever. The rapid disappearance of tropical forests is also leading to the extinction of an alarming number of species. Despite all this, adequate tools and methods have still not been developed to monitor the conditions of present wildlife at the speed and scale that is required to effectively mitigate their decline. However, technology can help to expand this knowledge and reveal unknown aspects.<\/p>\n
Listening to species using sensors, drones, and robotic technology<\/h3>\n Providence+ aims\u00a0to \u2018take the pulse\u2019 of rainforests utilising a set of specific bio-indicators to monitor species in real time. This will help to assess population dynamics and the eco acoustic indices of the biodiversity in rainforests.<\/p>\n
This project was preceded in 2016 by technology developed by the UPC\u2019s Bioacoutic Applications Laboratory (LAB) and the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustent\u00e1vel Mamirau\u00e1 within the framework of the Providence+ initiative to monitor and understand wildlife. A network of sensors is currently and constantly monitoring the biodiversity under the canopy of tropical forests.<\/p>\n
The system also identifies, through images and sounds, a large number of species, more than any other technology has been able to achieve so far. With wireless data transmission and low energy consumption, it is designed to operate for long periods of time with no demand for maintenance.<\/p>\n
Now the Providence+ scientific team will enhance the function of the current nodes and include\u00a0computer vision techniques to identify plants in these forests.<\/p>\n
Environmental DNA exploration technology to preserve biodiversity in rainforests<\/h3>\n They will also introduce\u00a0non-motorised robots and drones to monitor hundreds of species in real time, without human input on site. The new sensor system will incorporate environmental DNA exploration technology (to explore air, water and soil) to detect the historical presence of both animal and plant species based on samples that may contain fur, feathers or tracks.<\/p>\n
Researchers also plan to scale up the implementation of Providence + nodes in other rainforest regions and other similar biomes. The sustainable use of this new technology, within a responsible bioeconomy, will improve research and protect rainforest health.<\/p>\n
An\u00a0investment of more than \u20ac1.5mis required to develop the technologies for Providence+. Therefore, the UPC has launched a\u00a0fundraising programme\u00a0for the purpose of channelling contributions from private investors, sponsors, and donors.<\/p>\n
An interdisciplinary and international team<\/h3>\n Providence+ is coordinated by researcher Michel Andre director of LAB, a pioneering centre in monitoring biodiversity and the effects of climate change and human activities on the planet\u2019s most fragile habitats. Linked to the UPC\u2019s Volanova I la Geltru School of Engineering (EPSEVG), LAB has developed the world\u2019s largest bioacoustic database, from the deep ocean to the Amazon rainforest, allowing real-time visualisation and monitoring of wildlife and biodiversity worldwide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BarcelonaTech (UPC) participates in the XPRIZE Rainforest international competition to help to protect the biodiversity in rainforests. BarcelonaTech (UCP), in collaboration with scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustent\u00e1vel Mamirau\u00e1 in Brazil, and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, are cooperating on a project to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":19322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24433,785],"tags":[745,689,789],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Protecting biodiversity in rainforests with global competition<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n