Robot Plants for monitoring biodiversity in retreating alpine glaciers 

Monitoring Biodiversity in Alpine Glacial Environments: A Robotics-Based Approach

Global environmental change, particularly rising temperatures, is driving the rapid retreat and disappearance of alpine glaciers, with catastrophic consequences for ecosystems and human societies. The IPCC Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability report underscores the unique nature of glaciers and warns that their retreat threatens ecological and human systems alike.

Glacial environments support fragile ecosystems that are now facing a crisis. However, the effects of glacier retreat on biodiversity and ecosystems remain poorly understood and difficult to measure. This lack of knowledge hinders our ability to anticipate and address the crisis, complicating efforts to design effective adaptation and mitigation strategies.

This project focuses on addressing these challenges by developing advanced robotic monitoring systems specifically designed to study biodiversity in retreating glacial environments. A particular emphasis is placed on monitoring insect populations, key indicators of ecological change.

Robotic monitoring systems offer a critical advantage: their mobility allows for extensive spatial coverage, enabling researchers to track biodiversity changes across vast and challenging terrains. By integrating modular systems into these robots, the project aims to capture multiple biodiversity indicators, providing a comprehensive understanding of ecological shifts over large geographical areas.

Field trials conducted in alpine conditions have demonstrated the capacity of these robotic systems to navigate diverse terrains and effectively collect biodiversity data. This innovative approach promises to improve our understanding of glacial ecosystem changes, paving the way for actionable solutions to mitigate the impacts of glacier retreat on socio-ecological systems.

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