Harnessing Technology to Monitor On-Farm Biodiversity

Intro

Many farmers know biodiversity is key to a healthy farm, but measuring it can be a challenge. Organic farmer Sophie Alexander in Dorset teamed up with UK Agri-Tech Centre, AgriSound, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Pollenize CIC, and Chirrup AI to trial cutting-edge digital tools for tracking biodiversity. This project explores new ways to monitor and improve ecosystem health—helping farmers make informed decisions for a more sustainable future!

The Challenge

The Challenge
  • A significant decline in insect populations has been observed, with 40% of insect species at risk of extinction and a further 30% endangered. This decline poses a threat to overall ecosystem health and pollination services.
  • Traditionally, monitoring biodiversity has been time-consuming, requiring manual observation and expert knowledge, which are not always readily accessible to farmers.
  • The lack of readily available tools means that few farmers have the ability to actively monitor or quantify on-farm biodiversity, despite it being an important measure of ecosystem, landscape, and overall biological health of the farm.

The Solution

The Solution
  • Sophie partnered with several organizations and a project was developed to test and demonstrate the effectiveness of digital technology as a means of remotely monitoring wildlife diversity in a farming context.
  • This project, funded through Innovate UK and Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, uses remote sensing digital technologies to detect, identify, and quantify varieties of invertebrates and birds in correlation to flowering plants that they rely on.
  • AgriSound, an innovator in insect conservation and pollination, installed 50 unique in-field sensor devices called Polly™ for automated insect monitoring. These devices use bioacoustics technology to detect and identify insects 24/7.
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The Trial

The Trial
  • The project used a variety of technologies to monitor different aspects of biodiversity. This included remote insect technology with environmental sensors.
  • The Polly™ devices were placed strategically on the farm to attract pollinators from a broad spectrum of local insects and collected data on insect activity.
  • Data was transmitted and stored securely, providing a comprehensive understanding of the pollinators on the farm. This approach allowed for continuous, 24/7 monitoring.

The Results

The Results
  • The data collected from the sensors is now ready to be interpreted.
  • The project aims to assist ecologists with access to scalable remote technologies to increase biodiversity monitoring through the introduction of policies and schemes.

The Impact

The Impact
  • The project is expected to provide a detailed understanding of the pollinator population on the farm.
  • The project aims to show how accurate quantification of nature in any one location can help to address escalating ecological challenges.
  • This technology provides a means of remotely monitoring wildlife diversity in a farming context, and could provide farmers with scalable remote technologies to monitor biodiversity.

Farmer Insights

Farmer Insights

None for this project