AI's emerging use cases in coral reef conservation
Underwater drones, high resolution satellite imagery - how is the latest artificial intelligence tech being applied to conserving the earths richest and most delicate underwater ecosystem?
The state of things
If you were hoping for me to start this article with some positive news about coral reefs, I have some bad news… The most ecologically important ecosystems are often the most fragile - coral reefs are no exception. They host an incredible 25% of all marine life on earth and are frustratingly fragile.
Much like rainforests, that habitate huge percentages of terrestrial biodiversity, these ecosystems formed over millions of years in an insular environment. Shielded from the drastic seasonal envionmental changes that happen closer to the poles. They are free to develop a great variety and complexity of species, all woven into an increasingly intricate web of life. Beautiful, diverse, but incredibly fragile to any change that might break the usually constant conditions they evolved under.
(Credit: Ocean agency)
In just 70 years, coastal development, pollution, overfishing and climate change have all contributed to a 50% loss of coral reef’s globally. Slight imbalances in a reefs environmental conditions can cause mass bleaching, this includes temperature changes. As we hurtle towards a global increase of temperature coral reefs are projected to decline by a further 70-90% if global warming reaches 1.5°C. At the current rate this will be reached by 2040.
When the hell is the good news coming?
The outlook is pretty dire, there’s no escaping that. But humanity is never one to sit on our laurels, even if self inflicted. To fix a problem you first need to understand the causes. Whilst there’s still so much we don’t understand about coral reefs, the advancements in artificial intelligence we’re currently seeing applied across all other facets of life, are now being applied in gloriously interesting and impactful ways to help us conserve the remainder of these beautiful environments.
Billions of people and dollars are dependent on these ecosystems, from fisheries to tourism, we need concrete action driven by informed decision making. AI could help us accelerate this action.
How AI is being used in reef conservation
AI is being harnessed to conserve coral reefs by analyzing vast amounts of data from sensors like underwater cameras and drones, eDNA, and satellite imagery to monitor reef health in real time. This enables early detection of threats such as coral bleaching, pollution, and invasive species, allowing for more immediate and effective interventions.
AI also models complex ecosystem dynamics, creating digital simulations—or "digital twins"—of reefs to test different conservation scenarios. This predictive modeling helps guide restoration efforts, optimize resource allocation, and support data-driven decision-making to protect these critical ecosystems.
Several companies and organizations are using AI to monitor coral reefs, leveraging advanced technologies to understand and protect these critical ecosystems. Here are some of the most prominent ones:
Overview: Wildflow.ai is a platform that provides tools to analyze and model complex ecosystems, especially ocean environments, using vast biodiversity data to support conservation efforts
AI Use: AI algorithms and large-scale foundation models to process and analyze sensor data, revealing patterns and trends that inform ecosystem management and conservation actions
wildflow, being the inspiration for this article, I thought it appropriate to reach out to Sergei Nozdrenkov the founder, to find out a little more about the potential of AI in reef conservation and what he forsees as being the biggest barriers to acheiving these outcomes.
What are the most promising outcomes of using AI to help conserve reef systems?
“Future generations enjoying healthy, thriving coral reefs. We stop harming nature. Instead, we live in harmony, empowering each other. AI crunches massive data to create digital twins of coral reefs. Real-time monitoring. Precise ecosystem modeling. Early detection of threats. Optimized restoration. Data-driven decisions. Money floods into conservation because we predict outcomes. Data collectors get a bigger market to sell their data. AI guides us on where to collect more data. It coordinates efforts to protect ecosystems -- way beyond coral reefs. Deep understanding unlocks exciting discoveries: new medicines, new techniques to protect other ecosystems. AI empowers us to make informed choices, balancing human activities with reef health, preserving biodiversity for future generations.”
What are the main barriers to acheiving these outcomes?
“Data fragmentation -- we've got oceans of data, but it's scattered and siloed. Unifying it is tough but crucial. We have enough to start training models and making good decisions, but comprehensive datasets amplify our impact. Technical challenges in processing massive, diverse data persist. Funding is scarce. Coordinating scientists, governments, and local communities is tough. Regulatory challenges slow progress. Some don't trust or understand AI. Overcoming these requires collaboration, innovation, and a massive commitment.”
Other organisations using AI to conserve reef ecosystems
Overview: Specializes in growing corals on land for reef restoration.
AI Use: Uses underwater drones and AI to monitor coral health, growth rates, and impacts of environmental stressors.
Overview: A non-profit using AI for wildlife conservation.
AI Use: Identifies and tracks marine animals, like whale sharks, using AI to analyze images and videos, providing insights into reef ecosystems.
XL Catlin Seaview Survey (The Ocean Agency)
Overview: Captures large-scale images of coral reefs to support conservation.
AI Use: Uses AI to analyze underwater images, assess reef health, and classify coral cover and bleaching events.
Overview: Provides high-resolution satellite imagery of Earth's surface.
AI Use: Uses AI to detect changes in coral reefs over time, including bleaching and human impacts.
Overview: A platform by the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
AI Use: Processes underwater images to identify coral species and reef health, aiding in conservation decisions.
Overview: An open-source tool for analyzing coral reef images.
AI Use: Uses deep learning to classify corals and other substrates, speeding up reef health assessments.
Overview: Partners with organizations for environmental monitoring.
AI Use: Analyzes underwater images to detect coral bleaching and assess reef health, supporting global reef conservation.
Roundup
AI holds significant promise for the future of coral reef conservation by enabling more precise, data-driven approaches to understanding and managing these delicate ecosystems. AI-powered tools can analyze massive amounts of sensor data from sources like underwater cameras, eDNA, and satellite imagery to provide real-time insights into reef health. This allows for early detection of threats such as bleaching events, pollution, and invasive species, facilitating more rapid and targeted responses.
Additionally, AI can model complex ecosystem dynamics, creating "digital twins" of coral reefs to simulate different "what-if" scenarios. This helps researchers and policymakers predict the outcomes of various conservation strategies, guiding more effective interventions. By optimizing restoration efforts and improving our understanding of coral ecosystems, AI has the potential to transform how we protect and preserve coral reefs, balancing human activities with the health of these critical environments.
