Automated near real-time monitoring in ecology: Status quo and ways forward

In the current epoch of rapid biodiversity decline, monitoring of ecosystems and the species which inhabit them has become increasingly important. A near real-time approach to ecological monitoring facilitates decision making and timely interventions within rapidly changing systems. Despite fast-paced technological advancements making the automated workflows required for near real-time ecological monitoring possible, their use is highly limited and there is yet to be a review of the current capacity for their creation. This paper summarises the current methods and technologies which could be used to create such workflows and the considerations for establishing them in decision-making systems. We identify key barriers to the adoption of a NRT approach across geographies and different fields of study in ecology. We also highlight the need to work collaboratively with technologists and stakeholders to establish efficient and long-lasting NRT workflows which can inform evidence-based decision making.