A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems

Peter Manning; Peter Massini; Ian MacGregor-Fors; Stacey McLean; David D. Mkwambisi; Alessandro Ossola; Gabriel Pérez Luque; Luis Pérez-Urrestarazu; Katia Perini; Gad Perry; Tristan J. Pett; Kate E. Plummer; Raoufou A. Radji; Uri Roll; Simon G. Potts; Heather Rumble; Jon P. Sadler; Stevienna de Saille; Sebastian Sautter; Catherine E. Scott; Assaf Shwartz; Tracy Smith; Robbert P. H. Snep; Carl D. Soulsbury; Margaret C. Stanley; Tim Van de Voorde; Stephen J. Venn; Philip H. Warren; Carla-Leanne Washbourne; Mark Whitling; Nicholas S. G. Williams; Jun Yang; Kumelachew Yeshitela; Ken P. Yocom; Martin Dallimer; Mark A. Goddard; Zoe G. Davies; Solène Guenat; Mark J. Ferguson; Jessica C. Fisher; Adeniran Akanni; Teija Ahjokoski; Pippin M. L. Anderson; Fabio Angeoletto; Constantinos Antoniou; Adam J. Bates; Andrew Barkwith; Adam Berland; Christopher J. Bouch; Christine C. Rega-Brodsky; Loren B. Byrne; David Cameron; Rory Canavan; Tim Chapman; Stuart Connop; Steve Crossland; Colleen T. Downs; Marie C. Dade; David A. Dawson; Cynnamon Dobbs; Erle C. Ellis; Francisco J. Escobedo; Paul Gobster; Natalie Marie Gulsrud; Burak Guneralp; Amy K. Hahs; James D. Hale; Christopher Hassall; Marcus Hedblom; Dieter F. Hochuli; Tommi Inkinen; Ioan-Cristian Ioja; Dave Kendal; Tom Knowland; Ingo Kowarik; Simon J. Langdale; Susannah B. Lerman

doi:10.1038/s41559-020-01358-z

Treesearch

A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Peter Manning, Peter Massini, Ian MacGregor-Fors, Stacey McLean, David D. Mkwambisi, Alessandro Ossola, Gabriel Pérez Luque, Luis Pérez-Urrestarazu, Katia Perini, Gad Perry, Tristan J. Pett, Kate E. Plummer, Raoufou A. Radji, Uri Roll, Simon G. Potts, Heather Rumble, Jon P. Sadler, Stevienna de Saille, Sebastian Sautter, Catherine E. Scott, Assaf Shwartz, Tracy Smith, Robbert P. H. Snep, Carl D. Soulsbury, Margaret C. Stanley, Tim Van de Voorde, Stephen J. Venn, Philip H. Warren, Carla-Leanne Washbourne, Mark Whitling, Nicholas S. G. Williams, Jun Yang, Kumelachew Yeshitela, Ken P. Yocom, Martin Dallimer, Mark A. Goddard, Zoe G. Davies, Solène Guenat, Mark J. Ferguson, Jessica C. Fisher, Adeniran Akanni, Teija Ahjokoski, Pippin M. L. Anderson, Fabio Angeoletto, Constantinos Antoniou, Adam J. Bates, Andrew Barkwith, Adam Berland, Christopher J. Bouch, Christine C. Rega-Brodsky, Loren B. Byrne, David Cameron, Rory Canavan, Tim Chapman, Stuart Connop, Steve Crossland, Colleen T. Downs, Marie C. Dade, David A. Dawson, Cynnamon Dobbs, Erle C. Ellis, Francisco J. Escobedo, Paul Gobster, Natalie Marie Gulsrud, Burak Guneralp, Amy K. Hahs, James D. Hale, Christopher Hassall, Marcus Hedblom, Dieter F. Hochuli, Tommi Inkinen, Ioan-Cristian Ioja, Dave Kendal, Tom Knowland, Ingo Kowarik, Simon J. Langdale, Susannah B. Lerman

Year:

2021

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Northern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01358-z

Source:

Nature Ecology & Evolution

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Download (PDF 7.57 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/61839.pdf

Abstract

Technology is transforming societies worldwide. A major innovation is the emergence of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS), which have the potential to revolutionize cities for both people and nature. Nonetheless, the opportunities and challenges associated with RAS for urban ecosystems have yet to be considered systematically. Here, we report the findings of an online horizon scan involving 170 expert participants from 35 countries. We conclude that RAS are likely to transform land use, transport systems and human–nature interactions. The prioritized opportunities were primarily centred on the deployment of RAS for the monitoring and management of biodiversity and ecosystems. Fewer challenges were prioritized. Those that were emphasized concerns surrounding waste from unrecovered RAS, and the quality and interpretation of RAS-collected data. Although the future impacts of RAS for urban ecosystems are difficult to predict, examining potentially important developments early is essential if we are to avoid detrimental consequences but fully realize the benefits.

Keywords

Sustainability, Urban ecology

Citation

Goddard, Mark A.; Davies, Zoe G.; Guenat, Solène; Ferguson, Mark J.; Fisher, Jessica C.; Akanni, Adeniran; Ahjokoski, Teija; Anderson, Pippin M. L.; Angeoletto, Fabio; Antoniou, Constantinos; Bates, Adam J.; Barkwith, Andrew; Berland, Adam; Bouch, Christopher J.; Rega-Brodsky, Christine C.; Byrne, Loren B.; Cameron, David; Canavan, Rory; Chapman, Tim; Connop, Stuart; Crossland, Steve; Dade, Marie C.; Dawson, David A.; Dobbs, Cynnamon; Downs, Colleen T.; Ellis, Erle C.; Escobedo, Francisco J.; Gobster, Paul; Gulsrud, Natalie Marie; Guneralp, Burak; Hahs, Amy K.; Hale, James D.; Hassall, Christopher; Hedblom, Marcus; Hochuli, Dieter F.; Inkinen, Tommi; Ioja, Ioan-Cristian; Kendal, Dave; Knowland, Tom; Kowarik, Ingo; Langdale, Simon J.; Lerman, Susannah B.; MacGregor-Fors, Ian; Manning, Peter; Massini, Peter; McLean, Stacey; Mkwambisi, David D.; Ossola, Alessandro; Luque, Gabriel Pérez; Pérez-Urrestarazu, Luis; Perini, Katia; Perry, Gad; Pett, Tristan J.; Plummer, Kate E.; Radji, Raoufou A.; Roll, Uri; Potts, Simon G.; Rumble, Heather; Sadler, Jon P.; de Saille, Stevienna; Sautter, Sebastian; Scott, Catherine E.; Shwartz, Assaf; Smith, Tracy; Snep, Robbert P. H.; Soulsbury, Carl D.; Stanley, Margaret C.; Van de Voorde, Tim; Venn, Stephen J.; Warren, Philip H.; Washbourne, Carla-Leanne; Whitling, Mark; Williams, Nicholas S. G.; Yang, Jun; Yeshitela, Kumelachew; Yocom, Ken P.; Dallimer, Martin. 2021. A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 5(2): 219-230. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01358-z.