The same types of consumer-grade hobby drones heard buzzing overhead at the beach may play a key role in uncovering the Earth’s remaining hidden species. For the first time, researchers recently used such a drone to discover and describe a new species of carnation hanging off of towering vertical cliffs in Hawaii. The revelation was made possible thanks to rapid advancements in drone sensor technology and a new, custom-designed claw-like plant extraction device. Details of the discovery were published this week in open access journal PhytoKeys.
Schiedea waiahuluensis: a cliff-hanging carnation
The newly described carnation, called Schiedea waiahuluensis, was spotted hanging off cliffs in the Waiahulu region of Hawaii’s Kauaʻi island. That area isn’t for the faint of heart. Steep cliffsides and hostile terrain make it inaccessible to surveyors on foot. When researchers first sent a drone up to inspect the area, they initially thought the shrub-like plants were actually an already discovered, extinct carnation species. When they returned to the area and used the drone to collect a physical sample, however, they say it “became immediately clear” that they had stumbled upon something entirely new.
Schiedea waiahuluensis is part of a genus consisting of 36 different species spread out across Hawaii’s 137 islands. This particular species grows out of vertical bare rock in little patches of soil at elevations between 530-950 meters. Researchers now estimate there may be 345 of these plants in existence. That number was almost certainly higher in the past. Other invasive plant species and plant-hungry feral goats have likely done a number on the isolated plant’s overall population. Goats, which are considered invasive in Hawaii, were only introduced to the islands in the 1770s by Captain James Cook and don’t have any natural predators.
‘Mamba:’ a custom plant collecting claw
For the sample extraction, researchers used a consumer-grade DJI Phantom 4 pro quadcopter drone. This particular drone was a high-resolution (20-megapixel) image sensor. Initial photos collected of the survey area were analyzed using Adobe Lightroom software. Each of those photos had GPS data associated with it, which helped the researchers find the spot again for a sample extraction. To do that, they created a custom-built “remote plant collection device” they call the “Mamba.” The device, which resembles the claw used to snag stuffy animals at arcades and state fairs, is designed to grab, cut, and collect samples located in vertical cliff environments. Researchers remotely control the claw while the quadcopter hovers in place. Researchers believe this marks the first instance of a drone being used to successfully identify a previously unknown species.
“This discovery is likely the first time an undescribed species has been located and collected via drone, demonstrating the profound significance of unmanned aircraft systems in the conservation and prevention of plant extinctions,” the researchers wrote in the paper.
Drones are redrawing the physical boundaries of research
While this might be the first example of a drone being used in a new discovery, the tech has become an increasingly common reconnaissance tool for researchers in recent years. In 2019, researchers, who also happened to be in Hawaii, used a drone to spot Hibiscadelphus woodii, a relative of the hibiscus flower previously considered extinct. Drones are also currently being used to collect DNA samples from rainforest treetops to better understand habitat populations. Drones are often able to reach areas humans can’t. That’s a boon for researchers and conservationists, but it can also be helpful for local plants and wildlife. Too much direct human contact on the ground can disrupt or tamper with an environment and which can potentially lead to lasting damage. Looking forward, researchers are hopeful their “Mamba” claw can lead to even more discoveries down the line.
“Hidden floristic diversity is likely to emerge as we embark on this new era of exploration and documentation of cliff ecosystems,” the researchers write. “The discovery of S. waiahuluensis after over 40 years of intense interest in this genus on Kaua’i indicates the potential for new discoveries using drone technology in studies of other endemic plant genera in the Hawaiian Islands.”