Review Article: Recent Advances in Forensic Techniques for Ecosystem Analysis: A review

Abstract

Abstract: The vitality of our planet is fundamentally reliant on ecosystems, which represent complex interrelated systems. Nevertheless, due to anthropogenic actions and alterations in the environment, these systems encounter numerous threats and challenges. This paper scrutinizes the most contemporary advancements in forensic methodologies employed in the analysis of ecosystems. This review article investigates cutting-edge techniques including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, stable isotope ecology, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, machine learning, forensic palynology and plant science, bioinformatics and big data analytics, modeling and three-dimensional printing, chemical fingerprinting, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), forensic entomology, sensor networks and the Internet of Things (IoT), hyperspectral imaging, DNA barcoding, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications, acoustic monitoring, and the analysis of micro and nano plastics. By adopting and integrating these innovative methodologies, the ecosystem can be substantially enhanced, ecological degradation can be mitigated, and a more sustainable coexistence with the natural world can be fostered.