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  • Updated checklist of Azores Chondrichthyes (Vertebrata: Gnathostomata)
    Publication . Barcelos, Luis M. D.; Azevedo, José M. N.; Barreiros, João P.
    Chondrichthyes are commonly known as cartilaginous fishes and includes chimeras, sharks and rays. They can be found from the cold deep-sea to subtropical and tropical waters (Greemberg 2009). Sharks and rays have a great recreational and ecological interest (Vieira et al. 2020); however, many species worldwide are declining due to global overfishing (Worm et al. 2013). The total estimation for risk extinction, according to the IUCN Red List criteria, indicates that a quarter of all shark and ray species are threatened (Dulvy et al. 2014). The first comprehensive chondrichthyan checklist for Azores was published over 20 years ago by Santos et al. (1997). After that, some updates were made, most of them integrated in marine fish or biodiversity lists (e.g. Porteiro et al. 2010). In the meantime, new publications have emerged regarding new records (e.g. Catarino et al. 2020) or with new information on species already recorded for Azores (e.g. Das and Afonso 2017, Barcelos et al. 2018). The present work gives taxonomic updates and information regarding the conservation status (IUCN) for all chondrichthyan species from the Azores' EEZ. This is the first complete and updated list of chondrichthyans that can be found in the GBIF online platform (Barcelos et al. 2020).
    2021-03Journal article Open access Show more
  • Updated checklist of Azores Actinopterygii (Gnathostomata: Osteichthyes)
    Publication . Barcelos, Luis M. D.; Azevedo, José M. N.; Barreiros, João P.
    BACKGROUND Since the first published comprehensive checklist of Azorean fishes - covering the whole Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) region - several new records have been published and an updated checklist published in 2010. This new dataset covers all confirmed species of actinopterygians for the Azorean EEZ. NEW INFORMATION In this update, we made corrections to the previous checklists, updated the taxonomy according to the most recent bibliography and added two new species to the Azorean Actinopterygii checklist.
    2021-03Journal article Open access Show more
  • Marine algal flora of Santa Maria Island, Azores
    Publication . Neto, Ana I.; Parente, Manuela I.; Cacabelos, Eva; Costa, Ana C.; Botelho, Andrea Z.; Ballesteros, Enric; Monteiro, Sandra; Resendes, Roberto; Afonso, Pedro; Prestes, Afonso L.; Patarra, Rita F.; Álvaro, Nuno V.; Milla-Figueras, David; Neto, Raul M. A.; Azevedo, José M. N.; Moreu, Ignacio
    BACKGROUND: The algal flora of the Island of Santa Maria (eastern group of the Azores archipelago) has attracted interest of researchers on past occasions (Drouët 1866, Agardh 1870, Trelease 1897, Schmidt 1931, Ardré et al. 1974, Fralick and Hehre 1990, Neto et al. 1991, Morton and Britton 2000, Amen et al. 2005, Wallenstein and Neto 2006, Tittley et al. 2009, Wallenstein et al. 2009a, Wallenstein et al. 2010, Botelho et al. 2010, Torres et al. 2010, León-Cisneros et al. 2011, Martins et al. 2014, Micael et al. 2014, Rebelo et al. 2014, Ávila et al. 2015, Ávila et al. 2016, Machín-Sánchez et al. 2016, Uchman et al. 2016, Johnson et al. 2017, Parente et al. 2018). Nevertheless, the Island macroalgal flora is not well-known as published information reflects limited collections obtained in short-term visits by scientists. To overcome this, a thorough investigation, encompassing collections and presence data recording, was undertaken at both the littoral and sublittoral levels down to a depth of approximately 40 m, covering an area of approximately 64 km2. The resultant taxonomic records are listed in the present paper which also provides information on species ecology and occurrence around the Island, improving, thereby, the knowledge of the Azorean macroalgal flora at both local and regional scales. NEW INFORMATION: A total of 2329 specimens (including some taxa identified only to genus level) belonging to 261 taxa of macroalgae are registered, comprising 152 Rhodophyta, 43 Chlorophyta and 66 Ochrophyta (Phaeophyceae). Of these, 174 were identified to species level (102 Rhodophyta, 29 Chlorophyta and 43 Ochrophyta), encompassing 52 new records for the Island (30 Rhodophyta, 9 Chlorophyta and 13 Ochrophyta), 2 Macaronesian endemics (Laurencia viridis Gil-Rodríguez & Haroun; and Millerella tinerfensis (Seoane-Camba) S.M.Boo & J.M.Rico), 10 introduced (the Rhodophyta Acrothamnion preissii (Sonder) E.M.Wollaston, Antithamnion hubbsii E.Y.Dawson, Asparagopsis armata Harvey, Bonnemaisonia hamifera Hariot, Melanothamnus harveyi (Bailey) Díaz-Tapia & Maggs, Scinaia acuta M.J.Wynne and Symphyocladia marchantioides (Harvey) Falkenberg; the Chlorophyta Codium fragile subsp. fragile (Suringar) Hariot; and the Ochrophyta Hydroclathrus tilesii (Endlicher) Santiañez & M.J.Wynne, and Papenfussiella kuromo (Yendo) Inagaki) and 18 species of uncertain status (11 Rhodophyta, 3 Chlorophyta and 4 Ochrophyta).
    2021-03Journal article Open access Show more
  • New national and regional bryophyte records, 65
    Publication . Ellis, L. T.; Ah-Peng, Claudine; Aslan, G.; Bakalin, V. A.; Bergamini, A.; Callaghan, D. A.; Campisi, P.; Raimondo, F. M.; Choi, S. S.; Csiky, J.; Csikyné Radnai, É.; Cykowska-Marzencka, B.; Czernyadjeva, I. V.; Kalinina, Yu M.; Afonina, O. M.; Domina, G.; Drapela, P.; Fedosov, V. E.; Fuertes, E.; Gabriel, Rosalina; Kubová, M.; Albergaria, Isabel Soares de; Gospodinov, G.; Natcheva, R.; Graulich, A.; Hedderson, T.; Hernández-Rodríguez, E.; Hugonnot, V.; Hyun, C. W.; Kırmacı, M.; Çatak, U.; Kubešová, S.; Kučera, J.; La Farge, C.; Larraín, J.; Martin, P.; Mufeed, B.; Manju, C. N.; Rajesh, K. P.; Németh, Cs.; Nagy, J.; Norhazrina, N.; Syazwana, N.; O’Leary, S. V.; Park, S. J.; Peña-Retes, A. P.; Rimac, A.; Alegro, A.; Šegota, V.; Koletić, N.; Vuković, N.; Rosadziński, S.; Rosselló, J. A.; Sabovljević, M. S.; Sabovljević, A. D.; Schäfer-Verwimp, A.; Sérgio, C.; Shkurko, A. V.; Shyriaieva, D.; Virchenko, V. M.; Smoczyk, M.; Spitale, D.; Srivastava, P.; Omar, I.; Asthana, A. K.; Staniaszek-Kik, M.; Cienkowska, A.; Ștefănuţ, M.-M.; Ștefănuţ, S.; Tamas, G.; Bîrsan, C.-C.; Nicoară, G.-R.; Ion, M. C.; Pócs, T.; Kunev, G.; Troeva, E. I.; van Rooy, J.; Wietrzyk-Pełka, P.; Węgrzyn, M. H.; Wolski, G. J.; Bożyk, D.; Cienkowska, A.
    Pseudoamblystegium subtile (Hedw.) Vanderp. & Hedenäs. CONTRIBUTORS: R. Gabriel, M. Kubová, C. Sérgio and I. Soares Albergaria. PORTUGAL, AZORES: Terceira Island, Angra do Heroísmo, municipal garden ‘Jardim Duque da Terceira’, 38° 39′ 24.0′′N, 27°13′ 05.99′′W, 31 m a.s.l, on the base of a shrub, in acidic conditions, 7 April 2017, leg. Michaela Kubová s.n. (AZU). A new understanding of the pleurocarpous moss species Pseudoamblystegium subtile was proposed by Vanderpoorten and Hedenäs (2009). The new genus is separated from the other Amblystegiaceae primarily due to its phylogenetic consistency and is characterised by the possession of leaves with a very short nerve, and erect capsules (Vanderpoorten and Hedenäs 2009). (excerpt)
    2021-03Journal article Restricted access Show more
  • Assessing tropical forest restoration after fire using birds as indicators : An afrotropical case study
    Publication . Rurangwa, Marie Laure; Matthews, Thomas J.; Niyigaba, Protais; Tobias, Joseph A.; Whittaker, Robert J.
    The necessity to restore rainforest habitats degraded by anthropogenic fires is widely recognized, however, research on restoration approaches has mainly centred on the recovery of forest structural complexity. There is insufficient evidence on the efficacy of restoration methods in the recovery of the faunal diversity and features linked to key ecosystem functions. We assessed the taxonomic diversity and functional trait structure of bird assemblages in undisturbed primary forest and fire-affected habitats undergoing natural regeneration, as well as areas of assisted natural regeneration, in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda. We compiled bird occurrence data from point-count sampling, and obtained morphological traits for all species in our assemblages using measurements taken from wild birds and museum specimens. We found marked differences in species composition between primary forest habitats and regenerating forest, with similarity increasing over time since perturbation. Taxonomic diversity was higher in primary forest, and similar between the two restoration approaches. Functional diversity was lower in assisted naturally regenerated habitats, although separate analyses within dietary guilds revealed no differences across habitats. Among desired restoration outcomes, tree species diversity was the leading positive driver of avian species diversity, fern coverage exerted negative effects, while canopy cover had a positive but weak influence. Our findings underscore the importance of preventing anthropogenic fires in tropical rainforest since their impacts on ecological processes are not easily reversed, as shown by the lack of improvement in avian diversity metrics under assisted naturally regeneration in relation to natural regeneration. We stress the need to document both floral and faunal recovery in order to aid informed decision-making on restoration methods.
    2021-03Journal article Restricted access Show more
  • Projeto estuda meios de comunicação regionais
    Publication . Gil, Ana Cristina Correia, dir.; Fialho, Adolfo Fernando da Fonte, ed.
    Neste número, a rubrica Agora faz eco de um webinar que reuniu participantes de todo o mundo em torno da filosofia, da educação e da infância, e a rubrica Ágora partilha os propósitos do Re/media.Lab, um projeto que visa contribuir para o diagnóstico da situação atual dos media regionais. A conversa escrita dá voz aos docentes da FCSH que têm estudado a Covid 19, o tema do momento, que tanto tem intrigado investigadores, da escala global à escala local, nas diferentes áreas do conhecimento.
    2021-03Periodical Open access Show more
  • Applying camera traps to detect and monitor introduced mammals on oceanic islands
    Publication . Lamelas-López, Lucas; Salgado, Iván
    The introduction of mammal predators has been a major cause of species extinctions on oceanic islands. Eradication is only possible or cost-effective at early stages of invasion, before introduced species become abundant and widespread. Although prevention, early detection and rapid response are the best management strategies, most oceanic islands lack systems for detecting, responding to and monitoring introduced species. Wildlife managers require reliable information on introduced species to guide, assess and adjust management actions. Thus, a large-scale and long-term monitoring programme is needed to evaluate the management of introduced species and the protection of native wildlife. Here, we evaluate camera trapping as a survey technique for detecting and monitoring introduced small and medium-sized terrestrial mammals on an oceanic island, Terceira (Azores). Producing an inventory of introduced mammals on this island required a sampling effort of 465 camera-trap days and cost EUR 2,133. We estimated abundance and population trends by using photographic capture rates as a population index. We also used presence/absence data from camera-trap surveys to calculate detection probability, estimated occupancy rate and the sampling effort needed to determine species absence. Although camera trapping requires large initial funding, this is offset by the relatively low effort for fieldwork. Our findings demonstrate that camera trapping is an efficient survey technique for detecting and monitoring introduced species on oceanic islands. We conclude by proposing guidelines for designing monitoring programmes for introduced species.
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  • Reactive astrogliosis in the dentate gyrus of mice exposed to active volcanic environments
    Publication . Navarro-Sempere, Alicia; García, M.; Rodrigues, Armindo; Garcia, Patrícia; Camarinho, Ricardo; Segovia, Yolanda
    Air pollution has been associated with neuroinflammatory processes and is considered a risk factor for the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Volcanic environments are considered a natural source of air pollution. However, the effects of natural source air pollution on the central nervous system (CNS) have not been reported, despite the fact that up to 10% of the world’s population lives near a historically active volcano. In order to assess the response of the CNS to such exposure, our study was conducted in the island of Sao Miguel (Azores, Portugal) in two different areas: Furnas, which is volcanically active one, and compared to Rabo de Peixe, a reference site without manifestations of active volcanism using Mus musculus as a bioindicator species. To evaluate the state of the astroglial population in the dentate gyrus in both samples, the number of astrocytes was determined using immunofluorescence methods (anti-GFAP and anti-GS). In addition, the astrocytic branches in that hippocampal area were examined. Our results showed an increase in GFAP+ astrocytes and a reduction in GS+ astrocytes in Furnas-exposed mice compared to animals from Rabo de Peixe. In addition, astrocytes in the dentate gyrus of chronically exposed animals exhibited longer branches compared to those residing at the reference site. Thus, reactive astrogliosis and astrocyte dysfunction are found in mice living in an active volcanic environment.
    2021-03Journal article Open access Show more
  • Identifying the Drivers of Spatial Taxonomic and Functional Beta-Diversity of British Breeding Birds
    Publication . Wayman, Joseph P.; Sadler, Jonathan P.; Pugh, Thomas A. M.; Martin, Thomas E.; Tobias, Joseph A.; Matthews, Thomas J.
    Spatial variation in community composition may be driven by a variety of processes, including environmental filtering and dispersal limitation. While work has been conducted on the relative importance of these processes on various taxa and at varying resolutions, tests using high-resolution empirical data across large spatial extents are sparse. Here, we use a dataset on the presence/absence of breeding bird species collected at the 10 km × 10 km scale across the whole of Britain. Pairwise spatial taxonomic and functional beta diversity, and the constituent components of each (turnover and nestedness/richness loss or gain), were calculated alongside two other measures of functional change (mean nearest taxon distance and mean pairwise distance). Predictor variables included climate and land use measures, as well as a measure of elevation, human influence, and habitat diversity. Generalized dissimilarity modeling was used to analyze the contribution of each predictor variable to variation in the different beta diversity metrics. Overall, we found that there was a moderate and unique proportion of the variance explained by geographical distance per se, which could highlight the role of dispersal limitation in community dissimilarity. Climate, land use, and human influence all also contributed to the observed patterns, but a large proportion of the explained variance in beta diversity was shared between these variables and geographical distance. However, both taxonomic nestedness and functional nestedness were uniquely predicted by a combination of land use, human influence, elevation, and climate variables, indicating a key role for environmental filtering. These findings may have important conservation implications in the face of a warming climate and future land use change.
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  • Large-scale movements of common bottlenose dolphins in the Atlantic : dolphins with an international courtyard
    Publication . Dinis, Ana; Molina, Carlota; Tobeña, Marta; Sambolino, Annalisa; Hartman, Karin L.; Fernandez, Marc; Magalhães, Sara; Santos, Rui Peres dos; Ritter, Fabian; Martín, Vidal; Aguilar de Soto, Natacha; Alves, Filipe M. A.
    Wide-ranging connectivity patterns of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are generally poorly known worldwide and more so within the oceanic archipelagos of Macaronesia in the North East (NE) Atlantic. This study aimed to identify long-range movements between the archipelagos of Macaronesia that lie between 500 and 1,500 km apart, and between Madeira archipelago and the Portuguese continental shelf, through the compilation and comparison of bottlenose dolphin's photo-identification catalogues from different regions: one from Madeira (n = 363 individuals), two from different areas in the Azores (n = 495 and 176), and four from different islands of the Canary Islands (n = 182, 110, 142 and 281), summing up 1791 photographs. An additional comparison was made between the Madeira catalogue and one catalogue from Sagres, on the southwest tip of the Iberian Peninsula (n = 359). Results showed 26 individual matches, mostly between Madeira and the Canary Islands (n = 23), and between Azores and Madeira (n = 3). No matches were found between the Canary Islands and the Azores, nor between Madeira and Sagres. There were no individuals identified in all three archipelagos. The minimum time recorded between sightings in two different archipelagos (≈ 460 km apart) was 62 days. Association patterns revealed that the individuals moving between archipelagos were connected to resident, migrant and transient individuals in Madeira. The higher number of individuals that were re-sighted between Madeira and the Canary Islands can be explained by the relative proximity of these two archipelagos. This study shows the first inter-archipelago movements of bottlenose dolphins in the Macaronesia region, emphasizing the high mobility of this species and supporting the high gene flow described for oceanic dolphins inhabiting the North Atlantic. The dynamics of these long-range movements strongly denotes the need to review marine protected areas established for this species in each archipelago, calling for joint resolutions from three autonomous regions belonging to two EU countries.
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