Chinese scientists use Douyin to monitor invasive species

Ecologists are studying text, images and videos posted online to track the spread of invasive species across China
It follows a common practice of people releasing non-native animals into the wild to bring good fortune

Science

Zhang Tongin Beijing

Published: 4:00pm, 17 Mar 2024

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Ecologists are using Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, to track the spread of invasive species such as the American bullfrog – with a little help from artificial intelligence.

Scientists are using the trove of text, images and videos posted to the social media platform to map, and hopefully deal with, ecological threats across China.

Dubbed “iEcology” by Professor Liu Xuan and his team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ (CAS) zoology institute, the approach integrates information taken from the internet to study ecological processes.

The scientists have analysed data from Douyin, among other sources, to uncover the extensive, yet often invisible, human-mediated introduction of invasive species.

As part of a popular practice influenced by Buddhist beliefs, some Chinese people release captured animals into the wild in a bid to bring good fortune.

Enthusiasts often release birds, fish, turtles and frogs back into nature. However, while well-intentioned, it can lead to biological invasions, introducing non-native species into ecosystems where they have no natural predators, allowing them to proliferate rapidly and disrupt local habitats.

It is a common act that is difficult to monitor. But people often publicise these releases online, so researchers took the novel approach of collecting their data via social media, using it to identify the location and frequency of the releases.

In their research, Liu and his team focused on two particularly pervasive vertebrates – the American bullfrog and the red-eared slider turtle.

These species were chosen due to their widespread presence via the pet trade or aquaculture and distinctive physical features, making them easy to identify.

Analysis of more than 30,000 videos pinpointed releases mainly along the Yangtze River basin and the southeastern coastal regions, with 62 per cent of these events taking place in habitats suitable for the animals to establish permanent populations.

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These findings by Liu’s team have highlighted the usefulness of this method in helping with the early detection of invasive species.

The new method of gathering information adds another device to ecologists’ tool box.

“By partnering with government agencies, social media analytics can facilitate early warnings and scientific management of species releases,” Liu said.

“Moreover, incorporating taxonomy and artificial intelligence into social media platforms enhances the accurate identification of released species.”

Liu’s team also hopes that identifying invasive species earlier will allow more opportunity for public education, given that most people involved in these releases do not understand the potential ecological damage of their actions.

“Early publicity and education could significantly raise public awareness about the dangers of invasive species and promote compliance with relevant laws and regulations,” Liu said.