SHU Uses Artificial Intelligence Technology to Track Horseshoe Crabs

Published:
Categories:
Back to News

Students contribute to scientific research through community-based project

Sacred Heart University’s College of Arts & Sciences biology department, in collaboration with SHU’s School of Computer Science & Engineering, has incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) to their Project Limulus program to track horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) in Long Island Sound.

Project Limulus, which was founded in 1998 by the late Jennifer Mattei, a SHU biology professor, is both a study and an educational tool that increases the public’s awareness of the creatures and their connection to Long Island Sound’s ecosystem, as well as human health by tagging horseshoe crabs. SHU students who are involved in this community-based research program become hands-on contributors to the ongoing study that is part of a larger research project launched by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Horseshoe Crab Species Specialist Group.

Samah Senbel, an assistant professor of computer science & engineering, works with a local high school student to develop code for tracking tagged horseshoe crabs. The coding was completed using R programming, programming language used for statistical computing. Through the coding, statistical data charts and maps to track movement patterns of the crabs are created. After the code was tested, it was uploaded to the web server so anyone can access it anytime on any device.

 Senbel often uses this coding as an example in her classes. “Whenever I’m teaching a class, I always pull up that code and show it to the students, because it’s a very practical application of machine learning. I feel that this is something they can actually relate to if they go to the beach and they see those crabs with the tags,” said Senbel.

Biology professor Jo-Marie Kasinak, director of outreach and education for Project Limulus, said the project is significant on several levels. “Horseshoe crabs are an extremely important species, acting as a foundational species for their ecosystem. They are invaluable to human health, because their blood is used to make Limulus amebocyte lysate, which tests vaccines and other medical devices to ensure they are not contaminated with bacteria. Anyone who has received a flu shot or a COVID-19 vaccine can thank horseshoe crabs,” said Kasinak.  

Project Limulus has been conducting a tag-and-recapture analysis of adult horseshoe crabs’ movement patterns in Long Island Sound. The study was designed to answer several questions:

  • Do horseshoe crabs return to the same beach every year to mate?
  • What are the spawning population trends?
  • Is the horseshoe crab population in Long Island Sound increasing, decreasing or stable?
  • What is the ratio of adult males to females?
  • What are the average sizes of carapace (hard outer shell) for males and females?
  • What are the average ages of crabs living within Long Island Sound (shell condition/age estimation)
  • Do tags harm the horseshoe crabs?

Students who have worked on Project Limulus say it gives them important experience needed to continue a career in ecology. “Working with Project Limulus was, without a doubt, the most enjoyable job I have ever had. We would be on the beach every day, wading through the tide, tagging and collecting data on the medically important horseshoe crab,” said Jonathan Austin ’24.

Visit the Project Limulus webpage to learn more.

Photo by Greg Golda