"Insect Sounds: A Key Tool for Monitoring Environmental Health"

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are using machine learning to identify different insect species by their sounds, aiming to monitor shifts in insect populations and gauge environmental health. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, suggests that machine and deep learning are becoming the gold standards for automated bioacoustics modeling, offering a non-lethal and resource-efficient alternative to traditional methods of sampling insect populations. While automated bioacoustics has its limitations, it is seen as a key tool in effectively monitoring insect populations worldwide.