Earthworms
Earthworms have a lot of influence on nature and agriculture. They are the staple food of many meadow birds and also have a strong positive effect on plant growth. However, due to a lack of knowledge, very little research is done on earthworms. This prompted Aquila Ecology to develop a method that can automatically determine the length and volume of earthworms. The software is under development to also determine stage, ecological group and even species.
Method
In the field, we catch earthworms and take pictures of all of them, with a reference object next to them. Since its size is known, the software can estimate its length and volume using a clever technique. For determination of stage, ecological group and species, we use an Artificial Intelligence model. Aquila Ecology has the knowledge to check (randomly) the software's determinations. Aquila Ecology can carry out the fieldwork including analysis, or only the analysis.
Application
With the Aquila Ecology method, research on earthworms has become much more accessible and affordable. As a result, research on this species group can be applied in many areas: for soil life analysis, pasture bird feeding research and much more.
