“Large-scale, sensor-based monitoring of biodiversity supporting ecosystem services for the assessment of agroecological systems”
BIODICAPT: Sensors for measuring biodiversity in agriculture
The challenge
Modern agriculture faces a dual challenge: producing our food while preserving ecosystems and biodiversity. Agroecology proposes to rely on the services provided by biodiversity: birds, bats, and insects that consume pests, bees that pollinate crops, hedges that shelter useful species, etc. But how can we concretely measure the effect of agricultural practices on this biodiversity and the effectiveness of the services it provides to agriculture?
The project approach
The BIODICAPT project develops and optimizes the deployment of sensors (microphones, cameras, satellites) to monitor agricultural biodiversity at different scales: the plot, the production basin, and at the national level. The project will improve the ability of these methods to characterize biodiversity and associated services (mainly biological control and pollination) in response to agricultural practices and agroecological infrastructure. It also aims to provide farmers with low-cost, energy-efficient sensors to assess biodiversity on their plots.
The tools used
Two complementary types of sensors are deployed:
- Audio recorders to track birds, bats, and insects, and measure the services they provide to crops;
- Satellite images to characterize vegetation (hedges, meadows, flower strips) and agricultural practices.
These sensors are installed at two levels: locally in eight networks already monitored by research teams, and nationally via institutional monitoring networks.
Expected results
The data collected will be used to create reliable and accessible biodiversity indicators. This information will be used to inform farmers, citizens, and decision-makers in order to promote the most effective agroecological practices.
Project 2025–2030, funded by PEPR Agroecology and Digital Technology.
