Repositório da Universidade dos Açores
Repositório Institucional da Universidade dos Açores
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New spatial records of vascular plants in the Azores Archipelago: the PRIBES project and the Azorean Biodiversity Portal (ABP) initiatives - II. Pico Island
Publication . Petrone, Andrea; Borges, P.A.V.; Pereira, Fernando; Pires Bento da Silva Elias, Rui Miguel
ABSTRACT: Although the Azores Archipelago is widely recognised for its remarkable natural heritage, it is increasingly threatened by the rapid spread of invasive species, which are causing significant biodiversity decline and impairing ecosystem functioning and services. These biological invasions — mainly driven by intensified global trade and human mobility — also have consequences for public health, local livelihoods and economic activities.
To address these challenges, the PRIBES project ("Estratégia regional para o controlo e prevenção de espécies exóticas invasoras"; LIFE IP AZORES NATURA - LIFE17 IPE/PT/000010) advocates the implementation of an integrated regional strategy for the management of terrestrial and freshwater invasive species. The proposed framework focuses on coordinated governance through a dedicated task force, strengthened preventative actions including biosecurity measures and risk analyses and early detection systems supported by monitoring programmes and citizen-science initiatives. It also promotes a hierarchical management approach, ranging from eradication to long-term control and mitigation, according to feasibility and economic sustainability.
This strategy is supported by scientific research aimed at understanding invasion pathways and evaluating management outcomes, as well as collaborations at national and international levels that encourage data exchange and shared expertise. Public engagement is fostered through awareness campaigns and educational activities. In parallel, the Azores Bioportal functions as a key open-access repository for biodiversity information, providing validated species records and connections with international biodiversity networks. Together, these initiatives contribute to monitoring both native and invasive species, while offering valuable resources for conservation planning and evidence-based decision-making.
In the scope of the PRIBES Project and the Azores Bioportal, we started a series of data papers with new spatial records of vascular plants gathered during field campaigns across several Azorean Islands between 2019 and 2025. The first focused on São Jorge Island, whereas the second, current data paper focuses on Pico Island.
Novelty, diversity, and genetic dark matter in enterococci of invertebrates
Publication . Sgardioli, Bruna; Phillips, Matthew; Miklos, Arjun; Fleiszig-Evans, Kailey; Manson, Abigail; Mello, Suelen; Shea, Terrance; Urhan, Aysun; Whipple, Ryan; Salamzade, Rauf; Sanders, Jasper; Borges, P.A.V.; Dapkevicius, Maria de Lurdes; Earl, Ashlee; Gilmore, Michael
ABSTRACT: Enterococci appear to have originated in the guts of early terrestrializing arthropods and invertebrates over 425 million years ago—hosts that are now highly diverse and widespread in nature today. Yet most knowledge of the genus comes from human infection-associated lineages with genomes swollen by the recent accretion of foreign DNA conveyed by mobile elements. Because invertebrates dominate terrestrial animal diversity and biomass, they would be predicted to constitute a major but little-explored reservoir of enterococcal diversity. We therefore systematically examined Enterococcus association and species diversification in invertebrate hosts of the comparatively natural, isolated, but well-characterized environment of the Azorean island of Terceira. Over 100 invertebrate specimens were examined for associated enterococci, which were taxonomically classified by whole-genome sequencing. Supporting the existence of a large pool of uncharacterized enterococci and Enterococcus-adapted genes, 40% (eight of 20) of the Enterococcus species identified were either undescribed, including four candidate new species described here, or very recently discovered. In contrast, control isolates from vertebrates were exclusively of known species typical of sampling elsewhere, discounting geographic isolation as a main driver of the novelty observed. Further, because of the abundance of E. casseliflavus and E. flavescens in this collection, we obtained the resolution necessary to quantify the divergence and decipher the drivers of speciation in the controversial division between these naturally vancomycin-resistant species. These findings provide robust support for the existence of a large pool of new species and unexplored adaptive traits in invertebrate-associated enterococci—diverse environmental survival traits optimized for expression in an enterococcal background, and well positioned for transmission into human-associated enterococcal strains.
Taxonomic reassessment of Tolpis (Asteraceae) in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos with description of new species
Publication . Borges Silva, Lurdes da Conceição; Dias da Silva, Luís Filipe; Sequeira, Miguel; Crwford, Daniel; Mort, Mark; Pires Bento da Silva Elias, Rui Miguel; Roxo, Guilherme; Moura, Monica; Schmidt-Lebuhn, Alexander
ABSTRACT: Tolpis (Asteraceae) is a recently diversified genus of flowering plants, centered in the Macaronesian region, where it exhibits striking morphological variation and high levels of endemism. In this study, we focus on the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores (Portugal). The Azores are divided into three biogeographically distinct island groups—western, central, and eastern sub-archipelagos—which provide a natural framework for studying insular diversification. The number and identity of endemic Tolpis taxa in these islands remain poorly understood. To address this, we integrated recent molecular evidence with a comprehensive morphometric dataset, including 349 specimens from 137 locations across both archipelagos. Based on 61 quantitative and qualitative morphological characters, we re-circumscribe previously described taxa and formally describe seven new endemic species from the Azores. Consistent morphological differences support the recognition of Tolpis succulenta as endemic to Madeira. Within the Azores, both T. succulenta and T. azorica in their current circumscription display island-level morphological variation, leading to the recognition of seven newly described endemic taxa.
Stability in the face of global decline: a 20-year study of arthropods in an oceanic archipelago
Publication . Pozsgai, Gabor; Cardoso, Pedro; Fattorini, Simone; Rigal, François; Coelho dos Santos, Ana Margarida; Whittaker, Robert; Amorim do Rosário, Isabel; Canelas Boieiro, Mário Rui; Borda-de-Água, Luís; Costa, Ricardo; Crespo, Luís Carlos; Henriques Alves Ferreira, Maria Teresa; Leite, Abrão; Lhoumeau, Sébastien Georges André; Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba; Matthews, Thomas; Drumonde Melo, Catarina Alexandra; Oyarzabal da Silva, Guilherme; Pereira, Fernando; Quartau, José; Rego, Carla; Ribeiro, Sérvio; Ros Prieto, Alejandra; Serrano, Artur; Triantis, Kostas; Gabriel, Rosalina; Borges, P.A.V.
ABSTRACT: Insect declines are of global concern, yet no long-term ecological studies (LTER) have confirmed this trend on islands. This study utilises the first available LTER data on island arthropods, targeting epigeal and canopy species from the Azores Archipelago (Portugal), and covering over 20 years in three distinct sampling events from 30 standard sites. We investigate changes in abundance, biomass, and species richness within native forest arthropod communities, focusing on the proportions of endemic and introduced species, and temporal patterns among single-island endemics and forest-dependent endemics. Results reveal significant temporal variability, but overall abundance, biomass, and species richness remain stable across endemic and native non-endemic taxa. Among the species studied, 28% declined, 17% increased, and 55% showed no significant differences. Exotic invasions and related extinctions appear minimal. Forest-dependent endemic species declined below anticipated levels, suggesting that the extinction debt for these species may be less severe than initially expected. Nonetheless, some forest specialists have declined significantly, and seven species, not seen over 20 years, are considered to be extinct. The three-decade-long conservation of Azorean native forests may have contributed to the stability of some populations, thus these findings underscore the need for continued and enhanced conservation efforts of insular forest-associated diversity.
Mineral composition of Azorean bananas (Musa acuminata) across volcanic soils and implications for micronutrient intake
Publication . Linhares, Diana; Vasconcelos, Tânia; Camarinho, Ricardo; Garcia, Patrícia; dos Santos Rodrigues, Armindo
ABSTRACT: The Azores archipelago has young, nutrient-rich volcanic soils that support mineral accumulation in crops. This study assessed the elemental composition of unripe Azorean bananas (Musa acuminata Colla) cultivated across six volcanic complexes on São Miguel Island (Sete Cidades, Picos, Fogo, Furnas, Povoação, and Nordeste) and evaluated their potential contribution to mitigating micronutrient deficiencies. Banana samples were collected from representative orchards, morphologically characterized, oven-dried, homogenized, and analyzed for K, Mg, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, and Zn using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Mineral concentrations varied significantly among volcanic complexes. Nordeste bananas showed the highest concentrations of Mg, K, and Zn; Furnas had elevated Mn and Co; Fogo and Nordeste had the highest Fe; and Sete Cidades had the lowest concentrations overall. Compared with bananas from other regions, Azorean bananas were particularly rich in K, Mn, and Zn, while Mg concentrations were comparable. A 100 g portion can meaningfully contribute to daily Mg and K intake, although Mn intake in infants may require moderation. This study provides region-specific data that strengthens food composition databases and supports more accurate dietary exposure assessments, underscoring the importance of site-specific research for public health and sustainable agriculture.