You are viewing all research activities in the Biodiversity Assessment and Tool Development theme. Names shown indicate authors or co-authors involved from the Centre of Conservation and Restoration Science.
View a specific ecosystem: Freshwater | Marine | Terrestrial
Taxonomic & Functional Biodiversity Assessment
To assess biodiversity, taxonomic diversity, the “fingerprint” (who you are), and functional diversity, “the footprint” (what you do), are measured. Understanding the significance of the presence of a species, population, community, and the consequence of their loss is fundamental for the science and application of conservation and restoration.
Projects
Bringing River Biodiversity Assessment Into The 21st Century
Evaluating the landscape-scale benefits of sustainable urban drainage systems for freshwater biodiversity
Online Plant Identification Training for Water of Leith Conservation Trust
Do microbial mats explain sediment stability in seagrass meadows?
Tarland & Beltie Burn Restoration
As Good as (G)Old? Comparing Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of Restored and Natural Mangrove Forests in the Wallacea Region
The hidden links in trophic food webs: where do the parasites fit?
Nubian Ibex Genetics in Oman
Publications
)
Animal Behaviour & Evolution
Animal Behaviour includes how animals move, interact with other organisms/species, and with their environment. Behaviour can be inherited as well as learned, and often increases an organism’s survival and reproduction. Behavioural adaptations can improve species’ resilience to changing environments.
Projects
Nubian Ibex Genetics in Oman
Publications
Citizen Science
Citizen science is an approach that enables public participation and collaboration in scientific research and improves data coverage and knowledge sharing.
Projects
Online Plant Identification Training for Water of Leith Conservation Trust
Publications
Passive Acoustic Monitoring
Monitoring ecosystems through recording and analysing their sounds is a non-destructive way to gather information about the environment and the species which are present. Many species, from songbirds to fish and crabs, make sound and often use it for communication and finding a good place to live. Acoustic monitoring facilitates information gathering over large spatial and time scales, helping to assess changes in the biological and physical environment.
Projects
Riparian noise and environmental quality in urban freshwater ecosystems
Publications
Remote Sensing
Remote sensing allows the collection of data form a distance, e.g. using drones or satellites. It is a powerful surveying tool, for example, to assess habitat change.
Projects
Publications
Smart Technologies
‘Smart’ in smart technologies stands for ‘Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology’. For example, a smart robot is an artificial intelligence system that learns from its surrounding and ‘evolves’ through learning and knowledge. Smart robots can help monitor the environment and animal behaviour.
Projects
Red light from blue carbon: Assessing photosynthetic activity of submerged primary producers
Long-Term Monitoring for Environmental Conservation and Restoration Using Adaptable Robots: Identification and Collation of End User Needs
Development of an Early Warning System for Pathogen Detection in Aquaculture Facilities
Publications
Environmental Informatics
Environmental informatics is the field of research and system development focusing on the collection, processing, management and sharing of environmental data and information (using e.g., artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, statistical codes etc).
Projects
Improving AI-based Image Analysis for High-Throughput Plant Phenotyping
Publications