Species conservation profiles of cave-dwelling arthropods from Azores, Portugal

Background Azorean volcanic cave biodiversity is under considerable pressure due to ongoing threats of pollution, land use change, touristic activities or climate change. In this contribution, we present the IUCN Red List profiles of 15 cave-adapted arthropod species, endemic to the Azorean archipelago, including species belonging to the speciose genus Trechus (Carabidae), which is represented in Azores by seven species. The objective of this paper is to assess all endemic Azorean cave-adapted species and advise on possible future research and conservation actions critical for the long-term survival of the most endangered species. New information Most species have a restricted distribution (i.e. occur in one or two caves), very small extent of occurrence (EOO) and a small area of occupancy (AOO). A continuing decline in the number of mature individuals is inferred from the ongoing cave habitat degradation. The two troglobitic species of the homopteran genus Cixius are in great danger of extinction due to major land-use changes in epigean habitats above their known localities. We suggest, as future measures of conservation, the regular monitoring of the species (every five years), the creation of additional protected caves, the limitation of several aggressive activities around the caves (e.g. decreasing pasture intensification) and in some cases the creation of fences in the entrance of the most important caves.Peer reviewe

Standardised inventories of spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) on touristic trails of the native forests of the Azores (Portugal)

Background The sharp increase in tourist visitation of the Azores Archipelago from 2015 onwards raised concerns about the impacts of recreational tourism on native habitats. In response, a project was financed by the Azorean Government to investigate the drivers of biodiversity erosion associated with recreational tourism. Here, we present the data on spider biodiversity found on trails located within the native Azorean forests as they are home to several endemic species of great conservation value. We applied an optimised and standardised sampling protocol (COBRA) in twenty-three plots located in five trails on Terceira and Sao Miguel Islands and assessed diversity and abundance of spider species at different distances from the trail head and the trail itself. New information Of the 45 species (12435 specimens) collected, 13 were endemic to the Azores (9690 specimens), 10 native non-endemic (2047 specimens) and 22 introduced (698 specimens). This database will be the baseline of a long-term monitoring project for the assessment of touristic impacts on native forest trails. This methodology can also be used on other habitats and biogeograhical regions.Peer reviewe

An Updated Checklist of Azorean Arthropods (Arthropoda)

Peer reviewe

Habitat filtering and inferred dispersal ability condition across-scale species turnover and rarity in Macaronesian island spider assemblages

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Biogeography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Aim: Habitat diversity has been linked to the diversity and structure of island communities, however, little is known about patterns and processes within habitats. Here we aim to determine the contributions of habitat type and inferred dispersal frequency to the differences in taxonomic structure between assemblages in the same island habitat. Location: The Macaronesian archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cabo Verde). Taxon: Spiders (Araneae). Methods: We established forest and dry habitat sites (each with five plots) on two islands per archipelago. We collected spiders using standardised sampling protocols. We tested the differences in beta diversity separately for each habitat and for each inferred category of ballooning (an aerial dispersal strategy) frequency across geographic scales through nested non-parametric permutational multivariate analyses of variance. We then tested whether ballooning and habitat influenced heterogeneity in species composition (dispersion in beta diversity) in the two habitat types. We analysed the effects of habitat and ballooning on species abundance distribution (SAD) and rarity by fitting Gambin models and evaluating the contribution of ballooning categories to SAD. Results: Communities of the same archipelago and habitat were taxonomically more similar, and beta diversity increased with geographic scale, being greater in dry habitats. There was greater species replacement among assemblages in dry habitats than in forests, with greater differences for rare ballooners. There were no differences in SAD between habitats although dry habitat sites seemed to harbour more species with low abundances (rare species) than forests. Main conclusions: Habitat type does not only condition the differences between spider assemblages of the same habitat but also the scale at which they occur. These differences may be determined by the heterogeneity in the physical structure of each habitat as well as how much this structure facilitates aerial dispersal (ballooning), and should be considered in theories/hypotheses on island community assembly as well as in conservation strategies.Peer reviewe

Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS) : a proposal for the long-term coordinated survey and monitoring of native island forest biota

Islands harbour evolutionary and ecologically unique biota, which are currently disproportionately threatened by a multitude of anthropogenic factors, including habitat loss, invasive species and climate change. Native forests on oceanic islands are important refugia for endemic species, many of which are rare and highly threatened. Long-term monitoring schemes for those biota and ecosystems are urgently needed: (i) to provide quantitative baselines for detecting changes within island ecosystems, (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management actions, and (iii) to identify general ecological patterns and processes using multiple island systems as repeated 'natural experiments'. In this contribution, we call for a Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS) for monitoring the remaining native island forests, using bryophytes, vascular plants, selected groups of arthropods and vertebrates as model taxa. As a basis for the GIMS, we also present new, optimized monitoring protocols for bryophytes and arthropods that were developed based on former standardized inventory protocols. Effective inventorying and monitoring of native island forests will require: (i) permanent plots covering diverse ecological gradients (e.g. elevation, age of terrain, anthropogenic disturbance); (ii) a multiple-taxa approach that is based on standardized and replicable protocols; (iii) a common set of indicator taxa and community properties that are indicative of native island forests' welfare, building on, and harmonized with existing sampling and monitoring efforts; (iv) capacity building and training of local researchers, collaboration and continuous dialogue with local stakeholders; and (v) long-term commitment by funding agencies to maintain a global network of native island forest monitoring plots.Peer reviewe

SLAM Project - Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores: VI - Inventory of Arthropods of Azorean Urban Gardens

The data we present are part of the long-term project SLAM (Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores) aiming to assess the impact of biodiversity erosion drivers on Azorean native biota, using long-term ecological data. Additionally to SLAM (Sea, Land and Air Malaise) traps, nocturnal Active Aerial Searching and nocturnal Foliage Beating methods were used to sample, between 2017 and 2018, the arthropod biodiversity on two historical urban gardens of Azores, the "Jardim Botânico" of Faial Island and "Jardim Duque da Terceira" of Terceira Island.We provided an inventory of arthropods collected between 2017 and 2018 in two urban gardens of Faial and Terceira Islands (Azores). A total of 8342 specimens were collected, in which 7493 specimens were identified to species/subspecies level (Faial n = 3296; Terceira n = 4197). The identified specimens belong to four classes, 15 orders, 80 families and 159 species and subspecies of arthropods. A total of 84 species and subspecies are considered introduced (n = 2454 specimens), 50 native non-endemic (n = 4444 specimens), eight endemic (n = 217) and 17 have an indeterminate origin (n = 378). This study also revises the arthropod inventory of these Azorean gardens, by adding/updating the taxonomic names of three orders, ten families and 22 species

SLAM Project - Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores: VI - Inventory of Arthropods of Azorean Urban Gardens

The data we present are part of the long-term project SLAM (Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores) aiming to assess the impact of biodiversity erosion drivers on Azorean native biota, using long-term ecological data. Additionally to SLAM (Sea, Land and Air Malaise) traps, nocturnal Active Aerial Searching and nocturnal Foliage Beating methods were used to sample, between 2017 and 2018, the arthropod biodiversity on two historical urban gardens of Azores, the “Jardim Botânico” of Faial Island and “Jardim Duque da Terceira” of Terceira Island.We provided an inventory of arthropods collected between 2017 and 2018 in two urban gardens of Faial and Terceira Islands (Azores). A total of 8342 specimens were collected, in which 7493 specimens were identified to species/subspecies level (Faial n = 3296; Terceira n = 4197). The identified specimens belong to four classes, 15 orders, 80 families and 159 species and subspecies of arthropods. A total of 84 species and subspecies are considered introduced (n = 2454 specimens), 50 native non-endemic (n = 4444 specimens), eight endemic (n = 217) and 17 have an indeterminate origin (n = 378). This study also revises the arthropod inventory of these Azorean gardens, by adding/updating the taxonomic names of three orders, ten families and 22 species

SLAM Project - Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores: VI - Inventory of Arthropods of Azorean Urban Gardens

The data we present are part of the long-term project SLAM (Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores) aiming to assess the impact of biodiversity erosion drivers on Azorean native biota, using long-term ecological data. Additionally to SLAM (Sea, Land and Air Malaise) traps, nocturnal Active Aerial Searching and nocturnal Foliage Beating methods were used to sample, between 2017 and 2018, the arthropod biodiversity on two historical urban gardens of Azores, the “Jardim Botânico” of Faial Island and “Jardim Duque da Terceira” of Terceira Island.We provided an inventory of arthropods collected between 2017 and 2018 in two urban gardens of Faial and Terceira Islands (Azores). A total of 8342 specimens were collected, in which 7493 specimens were identified to species/subspecies level (Faial n = 3296; Terceira n = 4197). The identified specimens belong to four classes, 15 orders, 80 families and 159 species and subspecies of arthropods. A total of 84 species and subspecies are considered introduced (n = 2454 specimens), 50 native non-endemic (n = 4444 specimens), eight endemic (n = 217) and 17 have an indeterminate origin (n = 378). This study also revises the arthropod inventory of these Azorean gardens, by adding/updating the taxonomic names of three orders, ten families and 22 species

A multitaxa approach to biodiversity inventory in Matela protected area (Terceira, Azores, Portugal)

This manuscript is the first contribution of the project, “Matela – uma ilha de biodiversidade” (“Matela - an island of biodiversity”), that aims to restore the native vegetation within the Azorean Protected Area of the Terceira Island Nature Park known as the "Protected Area for the Management of Habitats or Species of Matela" (TER08), situated on Terceira Island, the Azores Archipelago, Portugal. This small fragment of native forest, positioned at a low-medium altitude (300-400 m a.s.l.), is facing some conservation impacts as a consequence of the spread of different invasive exotic plant species, mainly Pittosporum undulatum, Rubus ulmifolius and Hedychium gardnerianum. The database we present encompasses diverse taxonomic groups, including bryophytes, vascular plants, arthropods, birds and mammals. It is derived from intensive sampling campaigns conducted in 2022, but some data from a previous vascular plant survey in 2015 were also included. The objective of this study was to provide an updated inventory of bryophytes, vascular plants, arthropods, birds and mammals within this protected area. In this way we are providing the reference conditions necessary for the monitoring of the impacts of the current ongoing restoration efforts within the project “Matela - an island of biodiversity”. Whenever feasible, the present inventory is juxtaposed with historical data from previous surveys conducted in Matela.In the realm of bryophytes, our analysis revealed the presence of 75 taxa, comprising 44 mosses and 32 liverworts. Amongst these, 71 were indigenous, while three remained indeterminate and one, Campylopus introflexus, was identified as invasive. A comparison with previous historical data revealed a decrease in species richness, which was partially counterbalanced by the discovery of 23 new recorded species in the area.Regarding vascular plants, we distinguished 54 species, comprising 28 indigenous and 26 introduced taxa. Almost 80% of the inventoried species (n = 43) were newly documented in Matela.The study of arthropods encompassed a total of 103 taxa. Within the realm of soil arthropods, we documented eight indigenous and 25 introduced taxa, witnessing the disappearance of endemic species alongside a substantial increase in introduced ones between 2002 and 2022. Canopy arthropods, totalling 36 indigenous and 18 introduced taxa, exhibited few changes when compared with data from 2002. SLAM traps captured 24 indigenous and 15 introduced arthropod taxa and no historical data are available for comparison.As for avian species, we noted 12 indigenous birds and one introduced species, confirming the presence of most of the historical recorded native species.The mammalian census revealed eight introduced species, setting new precedents for Matela, alongside the identification of one endemic species: the Azorean endemic bat Nyctalus azoreum