A research team at Japan's National Institute for Environmental Studies says it has developed technology that allows automatic detection of cicada songs in complex "chorus" conditions.



The team says it trained artificial intelligence to identify songs of five different cicada species.



The team set up microphones outside a research institute in Tsukuba City, north of Tokyo. Using the AI technology, the researchers analyzed audio data recorded from July to September last year, and confirmed that it is highly accurate in discerning songs of the five cicada species.



The team says an analysis of data accumulated so far has found that if temperatures are high from the latter half of August to the end of November, the large brown cicada, called aburazemi in Japan, tends to begin to sing earlier in the following year. The researchers say the results are an indication of one example of the impact of climate change on the ecosystem.



The team also says the technology can be applied to other creatures such as crickets and frogs. It is expected that accurate identification of species from songs can provide a clue about the impact of climate change on the broader ecosystem.



Team member Okamoto Ryotaro said that as cicadas are widely dispersed, and data on the first days when their songs were confirmed each year are available, it may be possible to grasp the impact of climate change on the ecosystem at a nation-wide level.
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Quiz 1:
According to the article, which research institute was used for setting up microphones?
A. Kyoto University
B. Hokkaido University
C. Tsukuba City Research Institute
D. Nagoya University

[Answer block]
Answers: Quiz 1: C

Quiz 2:
The article mentions that the AI technology was trained to identify songs of how many cicada species?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Six

[Answer block]
Answers: Quiz 2: C

Quiz 3:
The team's findings suggest one example of the impact of climate change on which aspect of the ecosystem?
A. Soil composition
B. Water quality
C. Temperature patterns
D. Animal populations

[Answer block]
Answers: Quiz 3: D