An application of expert systems to botanical taxonomy

Abstract

The implementation of intelligent systems is not particularly widespread in the field of Botany and even less so on Internet. At present, we can currently only find hypertext documents or databases which store unprocessed information. The GREEN (Gymnosperms Remote Expert Executed Over Networks) System is presented as the application of Artificial Intelligence techniques to the problem of botanical identification. GREEN is an Expert System for the identification of Iberian Gymnosperms which allows online queries to be made. It can be consulted in: http://drimys.ugr.es/experto/index.html

Introduction

Plant Taxonomy is a complex, meticulous science which allows taxa to be identified by retrieving information contained on them in a classification system. There are various ways which this identification may be carried out, although the one most commonly used employs dichotomic keys (a process which requires knowledge of botanical terminology and organography). As a result of the complexity of this process, botany-related activities are not particularly automated. In fact, the systems which exist are basically databases which store files on the specimens. Artificial Intelligence can offer a more productive approach to these systems by processing the information they contain in order to obtain knowledge which has not been stored explicitly in the database.

Within the wealth and variety offered by the plant kingdom, the subject of scientific disclosure has been dealt with using Artificial Intelligence techniques with a specific study of the group of Gymnosperms (Gymnospermae) in the Iberian peninsula. This group was chosen due to the presence of important forest species which it contains. In addition, many of these offer resources or are cultivated as ornamental, which makes their identification useful for non botanical expert users.

This has all given rise to GREEN (Gymnosperms Remote Expert Executed Over Networks), a pioneering system in the application of Artificial Intelligence techniques to the field of botany. GREEN is an online decision aid system, resulting in a much greater and faster diffusion of knowledge and a broader receptor spectrum.