by Amy Loeffler, University of Alaska Fairbanks
The revered Great Gray Owl, known for its presence in snow-covered forests stretching to the Brooks Range and its distance from human habitation, has traditionally been perceived as a protector of the Alaskan wilderness.
In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, a group of experts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks challenges the notion that this iconic bird, often referred to as the “ghost of the North,” avoids areas near human settlements and urban centers.
Professor Falk Huettmann, specializing in wildlife and ecosystem studies at the Institute of Arctic Biology, remarked, “There is a tendency to envision our wildlife, particularly in Alaska, within idyllic undisturbed forests away from human interference. However, our analysis utilizing publicly available data indicates that these owls frequently gather in closer proximity to human-made structures.”
The myth surrounding these birds as enigmatic creatures has been dispelled due to the lack of empirical evidence supporting such claims. The owl’s Latin name, Strix nebulosa, hints at an association with sorcery, with “Nebulosa” meaning mist or clouds, and “Strix” referring to emitting loud sounds.
Huettmann emphasized, “While this study doesn’t provide a definitive conclusion on wildlife distribution, it presents a more comprehensive understanding of the habitats where these birds reside and the environmental conditions they prefer. Relying on outdated myths and conventional narratives about wildlife may not align with scientific accuracy.”
Utilizing artificial intelligence simulations, the research incorporated over 100 variables related to environmental elements such as annual freezing periods and proximity to human infrastructure like cities, towns, roads, airports, and even the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. By amalgamating data from publicly accessible biodiversity databases, the study pinpointed the most suitable habitats for the Great Gray Owl.
An advanced Oracle-based computational system was instrumental in managing the extensive dataset and computational requirements.
Huettmann suggested that the technology employed in this study could have broader applications in modeling other animal populations that are currently under-researched or poorly understood.
The study harnessed the Random Forest program, a prevalent machine learning algorithm, to derive insights from the dataset. Information from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, an online network based in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as data from platforms like eBird.org, iNaturalist.org, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s bird strike records, was utilized to train the computer model.
Great Gray Owls, known for their imposing size, are found in regions across the northwestern and central United States, central Alaska, Canada, Siberia, the Russian Far East, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Manchuria, and northeastern China.
More information: Falk Huettmann et al, A super SDM (species distribution model) ‘in the cloud’ for better habitat-association inference with a ‘big data’ application of the Great Gray Owl for Alaska, Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57588-9
Provided by University of Alaska Fairbanks Citation: Machine learning provides a new picture of the great gray owl (2024, April 1) retrieved 1 April 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2024-04-machine-picture-great-gray-owl.html
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