Using machine learning techniques in the construction of models. II. Data analysis with rule induction

Artificial intelligence and machine learning methods can be used to automate the acquisition of ecological knowledge, i.e., automate the construction of ecological models. This paper describes a particular methodology of machine learning, called rule induction, and its application to data analysis in several ecological domains. These include the biological classification of British rivers based on bioindicator data, the analysis of the influence of physical and chemical parameters on selected bioindicator organisms in Slovenian rivers and the biological classification of Slovenian rivers based on physical and chemical parameters as well as bioindicator data. In all three cases, valuable models (knowledge) in the form of rules were extracted from data acquired through environmental monitoring and/or expert interpretation of the acquired samples. This provides positive evidence for the utility of machine learning in ecological modelling.