Botanists may have a new ally in the race to identify and preserve endangered plants before they disappear: artificial intelligence and digitization. A major report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the United Kingdom suggests that these technologies could mark a turning point in the fight against plant extinction.
Flowering times shifting by weeks, tracked by new tech
Scientists are now using AI to track how flowering times have shifted by weeks in different parts of the world. The technology also allows rapid identification of new plant specimens. Even 180-year-old fungus specimens are yielding crucial genetic data, which researchers describe as a potential "genomic goldmine."
Digitization opens archives to the global south
Millions of specimens that were previously only accessible in physical archives are now being digitized and made available online. This is producing new insights, especially for scientists in the global south who previously lacked access to these collections. The report emphasizes that the combination of digitization and AI could help botanists work faster than ever before.
The report comes as botanists face a "race against extinction," with many plant species vanishing before they can even be formally identified and studied. The new tools offer a way to accelerate the work of cataloging and understanding plant life around the world.
For local communities in the United Kingdom and beyond, the stakes are high. Plants provide food, medicine, and raw materials, and their loss can disrupt ecosystems and economies. The ability to quickly identify and preserve species could have lasting effects on biodiversity and human well-being.
The significance of this technological shift lies in its potential to change the pace of botanical research. By making historical collections accessible and speeding up the analysis of new specimens, AI and digitization may help scientists stay ahead of extinction rather than simply documenting its aftermath.
