Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente
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- 2019 report of the IUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Island Invertebrate Specialist GroupPublication . Wilkins, Vicky; Borges, Paulo A. V.To increase the evidence and action for invertebrate conservation on the islands of: Gough, Tristan, St Helena, Ascension, Cape Verdes, Canaries, Madeira, Azores, and São Tomé and Príncipe (Report).
- Acompanhamento da aquisição e instalação de um aparelho de espectroscopia NIR (Near Infrared) num sistema de aconselhamento à lavoura de S. MiguelPublication . Mendonça, Dino Luís Tavares; Borba, Alfredo Emílio Silveira deA Espectroscopia de Refletância no Infravermelho Próximo (NIR) foi desenvolvida a na década de cinquenta com o intuito de conhecer a composição química dos alimentos através da absorção da zona próxima ao infravermelho, podendo assim predizer a composição, a digestibilidade e o teor de energia metabolizável, dentre outras variáveis inerentes ao alimento (Valdes & Leeson, 1991). Este trabalho, teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial uso da Espectroscopia NIR para determinar características químicas e biológicas da alimentação animal utilizada na ilha de São Miguel e propor qual a melhor solução de aquisição, de forma a melhor servir os seus produtores fornecendo a estes, resultados de análises precisas, rápidas, não destrutivas e de baixo custos ao produtor, das forragens produzidas nas suas explorações. Desta forma será possível formular dietas balanceadas baseadas em valores nutricionais viáveis.
- Acorigone zebraneusPublication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Cardoso, PedroJUSTIFICATION: Acorigone zebraneus is a single-island endemic money spider species restricted to São Jorge island in Azores, Portugal (Borges et al. 2010). It is a rare species, with a restricted Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (4- 20 km²) and Area of Occupancy (AOO) (4-20 km²), but these values are suspected to be at the upper end of these estimates. There is a continuing decline in the EOO, AOO, extent and quality of habitat as well as the number of mature individuals as a result of the invasions of non-native plants and trampling of soil by dairy cows. The species occurs in a single patch of native forest at Topo Nature Reserve. In the past, the species has probably strongly declined due to changes in habitat size. The only patch of native vegetation where it occurs in under severe threat due to invasive plants and dairy-cattle disturbance. Therefore, we suggest as future measures of conservation: (1) a long-term monitoring plan of the species; (2) control of invasive species, and (3) restrict the access of cattle. The species is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR).
- Alterações Climáticas : O valor estratégico dos AçoresPublication . Fialho, PauloA crescente preocupação com as alterações climáticas tem levado à expansão da rede de monitorização da atmosfera (GAW) na sua vertente química e física. Esta rede tem na sua base as diversas plataformas terrestres de observação da atmosfera que se encontram associadas aos Serviços Nacionais de Meteorologia e de Hidrologia (SNMH) dos diversos países envolvidos no programa. A Organização Mundial de Meteorologia (OMM) pediu aos seus membros (os SMH) que fossem tidas em consideração as medidas da composição química da atmosfera encorajando-os a integrarem nas suas atividades a observação da composição química da atmosfera. […].
- Annotated checklist of aquatic beetles (Coleoptera) and true bugs (Heteroptera) in the Azores Islands : new records and corrections of colonization statusPublication . Lamelas-López, Lucas; Raposeiro, Pedro M.; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Florencio, MargaritaIn comparison with other Macaronesian archipelagos, Azorean freshwater macroinvertebrates are characterized by a smaller list of species at the archipelago regional scale. Although knowledge of the freshwater fauna of the Azores has improved in recent years through the implementation of the "Water Framework Directive", we are still far from having a complete inventory and even further from knowing the precise distribution and biology of each species. The lack of knowledge about Azorean freshwater species is coupled with the vulnerability of their habitats to anthropogenic disturbances and the introduction of non-native species. In contributing to overcome Wallacean and Hutchinsonian biodiversity shortfalls, we here provide expanded knowledge on the distribution and biology of the freshwater species of Coleoptera and Heteroptera in the Azores. We compile data from various fieldwork performed between 2006 and 2014, encompassing four islands in the archipelago. We detected new records of two aquatic Heteroptera species (belonging to the families Corixidae and Notonectidae) and six of aquatic Coleoptera (belonging to the families Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Hydrophilidae and Hydraenidae) in these islands, and also a new record (Enochrus fuscipennis) for the Azorean archipelago. We also suggest that the introduced colonization status of three Coleoptera species of the family Hydrophilidae should be reformulated as possibly native, with implications for conservation.
- Ant Diversity Declines with Increasing Elevation along the Udzungwa Mountains, TanzaniaPublication . Kunene, Caroline; Foord, Stefan H.; Scharff, Nikolaj; Pape, Thomas; Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba; Munyai, Thinandavha C.Biodiversity patterns along elevational gradients are generally characterised by monotonic decreases or mid-elevational peaks in species richness, while elevational zones may be characterised by distinct assemblages, or higher zones may be subsets of lowland assemblages. Elevational gradients in diversity have been less studied in the Afrotropical region. This study documents ant diversity patterns in three forest types associated with the tropical mountains of Udzungwa; we hypothesise that: (1) ant diversity and activity will show a monotonic decrease from mid-elevation with increasing elevation and (2) that forests associated with different elevations will have a distinct ant assemblage. Pitfall traps were deployed at three targeted elevations (650–800, 800–1400, and 1400–1500 m a.s.l.). Ant species richness declined with increasing elevation from 650 m a.s.l. and formed three elevational assemblages with lower elevation forests having almost twice as many species as sub-montane forests and three times as many as that of the montane forests. In contrast, overall ant activity peaked at 800–1400 m a.s.l. The ant assemblages associated with the lower elevation forest were very distinct, while assemblages associated with the sub-montane and montane forests shared species. Our study reveals valuable and relevant information for biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning as the species associated with each forest type may be used as indicator species for assessing biodiversity responses to climate change and anthropogenic activities on these mountains.
- Aprostocetus azoricusPublication . Nunes, Rui; Borges, Paulo A. V.JUSTIFICATION: Aprostocetus azoricus is an endemic eulophid wasp species of the Azores (Portugal), having been present at least historically on Flores island. From the historical data, this species had a very small Extent of Occurrence (8 km²) and Area of Occupancy (8 km²). It is possible that this species has declined in the past as a result of human activity, but the present situation of this species needs to be further assessed and further research is needed into its population, distribution, threats, ecology, life history and indigenous host species. Conservation/restoration of native habitats, as well as invasive plant species control, could potentially aid this species' conservation. Based upon the lack of recent data regarding this species population, distribution, threats, ecology and hosts, this species is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).
- Area prioritization for insect pollinator communities on an oceanic islandPublication . Picanço, Ana; Rigal, François; Borges, Paulo A. V.Conservation studies usually assess the effectiveness of protected areas and draft proposals on the inclusion of new areas to gain legal protection status, paying little attention to the unprotected surrounding matrix of the respective protected areas network. By combining species distribution modeling and a site selection method, we aim to quantify the contribution of different land uses to insect pollinator conservation on a small oceanic island i.e. Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal). Our results showed that, in addition to well preserved and protected native forest in Terceira, other land uses, such as naturalized vegetation areas, exotic forests, and semi-natural pastures, could serve as a continuum for the protected areas network. This result suggests that protecting marginal non-natural areas may also be important, especially when areas with well- preserved natural habitats are scarce. This spatial planning approach can be easily applied to other islands in the archipelago and any similar island systems, to better plan conservation efforts (such as habitat restoration) and to design specific buffer zones around a protected areas network.
- Arthropod diversity in two Historic Gardens in the Azores, PortugalPublication . Arteaga, Alba; Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba; Gabriel, Rosalina; Ros-Prieto, A.; Casimiro, Pedro; Fuentes-Sánchez, Ana; Albergaria, Isabel Soares de; Borges, Paulo A. V.The aim of our study was to characterise and compare the richness and composition of endemic, native (non-endemic) and introduced arthropod assemblages of two Azorean Historic Gardens with contrasting plant species composition. We hypothesised that Faial Botanic Garden would hold higher arthropod diversity and abundance of native and endemic arthropod species due to its larger native plant community. Species were collected using several arthropod standardised techniques between April 2017 and June 2018. We used the alpha diversity metrics (Hill series) and the partitioning of total beta diversity (βtotal) into its replacement (βrepl) and richness (βrich) components, to analyse the adult and total arthropod community. The orders Araneae, Coleoptera and Hemiptera were also studied separately. Our results show that the number of exotic arthropod species exceeds the number of native and/or the endemic species in both gardens, but the arthropod community of Faial Botanic Garden exhibited a higher density of endemic and native species. Despite some minor exceptions, the geographic origins of plant communities largely influenced the arthropod species sampled in each garden. This study improves our knowledge about urban arthropod diversity in the Azores and shows how well-designed urban garden management and planning contribute to the conservation of native and endemic Azorean species.
- Arthropod diversity patterns in three coastal marshes in Terceira Island (Azores)Publication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Pimentel, C.; Brito, Mariana dos Reis; Borda-de-Água, Luís; Gabriel, RosalinaThe coastal wet areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores) were investigated to describe the ground and aerial (herbaceous and canopy) arthropod communities by comparing patterns of species composition, abundance and diversity. Three wet areas were studied: Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP). A standardized protocol (based on the COBRA protocol) was performed with day and night sampling of arthropods with a total of 56 samples per site. Common diversity metrics (Hill series) were calculated and abundance patterns were investigated using species abundance distributions (SAD). All investigated communities were dominated by native non-endemic and exotic species; only seven out of the 132 endemic arthropod species and subspecies existing in Terceira Island were found in the area. The logseries described well the communities, with a prevalence of rare species. The three sites seem to work as a complementary network of wet areas with specific arthropod communities possibly related to their specific features. However, Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) performed better for many of the investigated indicators, and two IUCN endangered species, the true weevil Drouetius oceanicus oceanicus and the Azorean cone-head grasshopper (Conocephalus chavesi) are relatively abundant there. Due to habitat changes that occurred between 2006 and 2010 in PPV, only one of the three most abundant ground-beetles recorded in 1991-1993 and 2003 was found but only after some additional sampling in a small remnant of the original habitat.