Artificial Intelligence Enabled Project Management: A Systematic Literature Review

In the Industry 5.0 era, companies are leveraging the potential of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence for more efficient and green human-centric production. In a similar approach, project management would benefit from artificial intelligence in order to achieve project goals by improving project performance, and consequently, reaching higher sustainable success. In this context, this paper examines the role of artificial intelligence in emerging project management through a systematic literature review;the applications of AI techniques in the project management performance domains are presented. The results show that the number of influential publications on artificial intelligence-enabled project management has increased significantly over the last decade. The findings indicate that artificial intelligence, predominantly machine learning, can be considerably useful in the management of construction and IT projects;it is notably encouraging for enhancing the planning, measurement, and uncertainty performance domains by providing promising forecasting and decision-making capabilities.

Wild goose chase: Geese flee high and far, and with aftereffects from New Year's fireworks

In the present Anthropocene, wild animals are globally affected by human activity. Consumer fireworks during New Year (NY) are widely distributed in W-Europe and cause strong disturbances that are known to incur stress responses in animals. We analyzed GPS tracks of 347 wild migratory geese of four species during eight NYs quantifying the effects of fireworks on individuals. We show that, in parallel with particulate matter increases, during the night of NY geese flew on average 5–16 km further and 40–150 m higher, and more often shifted to new roost sites than on previous nights. This was also true during the 2020–2021 fireworks ban, despite fireworks activity being reduced. Likely to compensate for extra flight costs, most geese moved less and increased their feeding activity in the following days. Our findings indicate negative effects of NY fireworks on wild birds beyond the previously demonstrated immediate response.

Impact of whale-watching vessels on humpback whale calling behavior on an Icelandic foraging ground during the Covid-19 pandemic

Whale-watching vessels contribute to elevated ambient sound levels in marine habitats. The reduction in maritime tourism activities during the Covid-19 pandemic provided an unprecedented opportunity to study the acoustic response of marine mammals to noise associated with whale-watching activities. In this study, we used acoustic recordings, visual observations, and Automatic Identification System data to determine the changes in humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae calling behavior associated with whale-watching vessels on a foraging ground in Skjálfandi Bay, Iceland. We compared pre-pandemic summer months (2018) with pandemic (2020) conditions to quantify reductions in vessel activity and determine changes in calling behavior. Broadband ambient sound pressure levels were low in both years (median ~90 dBRMS (25-1300 Hz) re 1 µPa). During the Covid-19 pandemic (2020), the number of whale-watching trips was reduced by 68.6%. The number of humpback whale call detections increased nearly 2-fold. Ambient sound pressure levels stayed the same. We found that humpback whales reduce their calling effort in the presence of vessel sound independent of the overall ambient sound. As whale-watching vessel traffic rebounds and continues to grow, demonstrating behavioral responses should inform management plans such as vessel codes of conduct and marine spatial planning.

One Shell of a Problem: Cumulative Threat Analysis of Male Sea Turtles Indicates High Anthropogenic Threat for Migratory Individuals and Gulf of Mexico Residents

Human use of oceans has dramatically increased in the 21st century. Sea turtles are vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors in the marine environment because of lengthy migrations between foraging and breeding sites, often along coastal migration corridors. Little is known about how movement and threat interact specifically for male sea turtles. To better understand male sea turtle movement and the threats they encounter, we satellite-tagged 40 adult male sea turtles of four different species. We calculated movement patterns using state-space modeling (SSM), and quantified threats in seven unique categories;shipping, fishing, light pollution, oil rigs, proximity to coast, marine protected area (MPA) status, and location within or outside of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). We found significantly higher threat severity in northern and southern latitudes for green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and Kemp’s ridleys (Lepidochelys kempii) in our study area. Those threats were pervasive, with only 35.9% of SSM points encountering no high threat exposure, of which 47% belong to just two individuals. Kemp’s ridleys were most exposed to high threats among tested species. Lastly, turtles within MPA boundaries face significantly lower threat exposure, indicating MPAs could be a useful conservation tool.

Hegemony of two avian species: Black kites and Cattle egrets on two distant landfills during COVID-19 pandemic in Gujranwala, Pakistan

The pandemic of COVID -19 has brought many changes to wildlife globally positively or negatively. During lock downs the abundance of many wild species has increased due to decease in human disturbance in area. This study is designed to compare two landfills situated 22 km apart in the Gujranwala, Punjab in terms of avifauna diversity, abundance and foraging behavior during COVID-19 pandemic. The field observations using the total count method of population census revealed the abundance of contrasting avian species at both sites with a very low values of the diversity index (H= 1.146 Chianwali & H=1.697 Gondalawala ) and species evenness (E= 0.423 Chianwali & E= 0.587 Gondalawala). A large variation in bird's population was recorded at both landfills, i.e. N > 17,300 at one landfill (Chianwali) and N> 26,200 at the other (Gondalawala). Time dependent variation in population was also observed. Cattle egret was dominant species (~75% of population) at the Chianwali landfill site while the Black kite (~55% of population) was the dominant species at Gondalawala landfill. House crow was the second dominant species at both sites. Birds were grouped into categories based on ecological behaviors such as dominance, opportunists, insectivory etc. The study finds that each landfill has its own specific character depending upon the geographical location, accessibility of birds to landfills, and management practices such as presence of boundary wall and artificial lights. Moreover, it also finds that COVID -19 lockdown provided an opportunity to wild avian species to exploit human rehabilitated areas abundantly where there presence was very few because of dominance of human beings and their activities.