Researchers from the University of Southampton are using artificial intelligence and drones to locate a female partner for the only known male Encephalartos woodii, a rare cycad species. The initiative aims to enable natural reproduction of the species thought to be extinct in the wild.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and drones are being used to locate a female partner for the only known male Encephalartos woodii, an ancient cycad species thought to be extinct in the wild. This research is spearheaded by the University of Southampton, focusing on the Ngoye Forest in South Africa, where the lone male was discovered in 1895.
The male E. woodii plant, also known as “E. woodii,” was relocated years ago for preservation, and clones of it exist in places like Kew Gardens in London. These clones are all male, hence the need for a female counterpart for natural reproduction.
Initial drone surveys in 2022 scanned 195 acres of the 10,000-acre forest using a multispectral sensor to capture detailed images, but no female plants were found. AI is being employed to analyze the imagery, with further drone surveys planned.
Dr. Laura Cinti, a research-based artist at the University of Southampton, leads the initiative along with Dr. Howard Boland, an AI expert, and Dr. Debbie Jewitt, a conservation scientist and drone pilot. They are also investigating whether environmental changes could induce a sex change in the existing male plants, based on reports of such occurrences in other cycad species.