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- The Azorean Biodiversity Portal: an internet database for regional biodiversity outreachPublication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Gabriel, Rosalina; Arroz, Ana Margarida Moura; Costa, Ana C.; Cunha, Regina Tristão da; Silva, Luís; Pereira, Enésima; Martins, António M. de Frias; Reis, Francisco; Cardoso, PedroThere is a growing interest in academia to provide biodiversity data to both the scientific community and the public. We present an internet database of the terrestrial lichens, bryophytes, vascular plants, molluscs, arthropods, vertebrates and coastal invertebrates of the Azores archipelago (Portugal, North Atlantic): the Azorean Biodiversity Portal (ABP, http://www.azoresbioportal.angra.uac.pt/). This is a unique resource for fundamental research in systematics, biodiversity, education and conservation management. The ABP was based on a regional species database (ATLANTIS), comprised of grid-based spatial incidence information for c. 5000 species. Most of the data rely on a comprehensive literature survey (dating back to the 19th century) as well as unpublished records from recent field surveys in the Azores. The ABP disseminates the ATLANTIS database to the public, allowing universal, unrestricted access to much of its data. Complementarily, the ABP includes additional information of interest to the general public (e.g. literature on Macaronesian biodiversity) together with images from collections and/or live specimens for many species. In this contribution we explain the implementation of a regional biodiversity database, its architecture, achievements and outcomes, strengths and limitations; we further include a number of suggestions in order to implement similar initiatives.
- Use of ATLANTIS TIERRA 2.0 in mapping the biodiversity (invertebrates and bryophytes) of caves in the Azorean archipelagoPublication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Gabriel, Rosalina; Pereira, Fernando E. A. P.; Pereira, Enésima; Sousa, EvaIn this contribution the software ATLANTIS Tierra 2.0 is described as a promising tool to be used in the conservation management of the animal and plant biodiversity of caves in Macaronesia. In the Azores, the importance of cave entrances to bryophytes is twofold: i) since these are particularly humid, sheltered habitats, they support a diverse assemblage of bryophyte species and circa 25% of the Azorean brioflora is referred to this habitat and ii) species, either endemic or referred in the European red list due to their vulnerability (19 species) or rarity (13) find refuge there. Cave adapted arthropods are also diverse in the Azores and 21 endemic obligate cave species were recorded. Generally these species have restricted distributions and some are known from only one cave. ATLANTIS Tierra 2.0 allows the mapping of the distribution of all species in a 500 x 500 m grid in a GIS interface. This allows an easy detection of species rich caves (hotspots) and facilitates the interpretation of spatial patterns of species distribution. For instance, predictive models of species distribution could be constructed using the distribution of lava flows or other environmental variables. Using this new tool we will be better equipped to answer the following questions: a) Where are the current “hotspot caves” of biodiversity in the Azores?; b) How many new caves need to be selected as specially protected areas in order to conserve the rarest endemic taxa?; c) Is there congruence between the patterns of richness and distribution of invertebrates and bryophytes?; d) Are environmental variables good surrogates of species distributions?
- Eating, jigging or watching? Ocean heritage and sustainable developmentPublication . Neilson, Alison; Gabriel, Rosalina; Arroz, Ana Margarida Moura; Pereira, EnésimaThis work emerges from the perspective that research has implications which can serve or hinder environmental and social justice within sustainable development. Who we listen to and how we listen are important to what narratives are highlighted through research. This study involves local residents as well as international tourists and people in the marine tourism industry and marine sciences in the Azores, Portugal in comparison with Newfoundland, Canada. The researchers dance between stepping out of the way in order to make room for voices and perspectives often ignored or silenced in educational and tourism stories of whales and the ocean, and stepping in to help uncover otherwise hidden forces of imperialism, and other oppressions. This study about perceptions of the ocean explores whose expression of heritage provides the driving force for commerce, business, leisure and politics. It also looks at the dynamic nature of heritage as it responds to changes in work, play and politics. Using various interview techniques including photo elicitation and focus groups, we gather rich narratives of visiting, living near and working in the sea. Multiple frames of lived experiences, ethics and politics support the narratives told. Some frames support the perceptions of diverse groups of people, while others privilege the stories of only a few. This study explores local power dynamics and global forces by asking about the ways in which people have learned about the ocean as well as how people decide what is relevant to their learning and what is important to sustain.
- Perspective The Azorean Biodiversity Portal: An internet database for regional biodiversity outreachPublication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Gabriel, Rosalina; Arroz, Ana Margarida Moura; Costa, Ana C.; Cunha, Regina Tristão da; Silva, Luís; Pereira, Enésima; Martins, António M. de Frias; Reis, Francisco; Cardoso, PedroThere is a growing interest in academia to provide biodiversity data to both the scientific community and the public. We present an internet database of the terrestrial lichens, bryophytes, vascular plants, molluscs, arthropods, vertebrates and coastal invertebrates of the Azores archipelago (Portugal, North Atlantic): the Azorean Biodiversity Portal (ABP, http://www.azoresbioportal.angra.uac.pt/). This is a unique resource for fundamental research in systematics, biodiversity, education and conservation management. The ABP was based on a regional species database (ATLANTIS), comprised of grid-based spatial incidence information for c. 5000 species. Most of the data rely on a comprehensive literature survey (dating back to the 19th century) as well as unpublished records from recent field surveys in the Azores. The ABP disseminates the ATLANTIS database to the public, allowing universal, unrestricted access to much of its data. Complementarily, the ABP includes additional information of interest to the general public (e.g. literature on Macaronesian biodiversity) together with images from collections and/or live specimens for many species. In this contribution we explain the implementation of a regional biodiversity database, its architecture, achievements and outcomes, strengths and limitations; we further include a number of suggestions in order to implement similar initiatives.
- Extinction debt on oceanic islandsPublication . Triantis, Kostas A.; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Ladle, Richard J.; Hortal, Joaquín; Cardoso, Pedro; Gaspar, Clara; Dinis, Francisco; Pereira, Enésima; Silveira, Lúcia M. A.; Gabriel, Rosalina; Melo, Catarina; Santos, Ana M. C.; Amorim, Isabel R.; Ribeiro, Sérvio P.; Serrano, Artur R. M.; Quartau, José A.; Whittaker, Robert J.Habitat destruction is the leading cause of species extinctions. However, there is typically a time-lag between the reduction in habitat area and the eventual disappearance of the remnant populations. These “surviving but ultimately doomed” species represent an extinction debt. Calculating the magnitude of such future extinction events has been hampered by potentially inaccurate assumptions about the slope of species–area relationships, which are habitat- and taxon-specific. We overcome this challenge by applying a method that uses the historical sequence of deforestation in the Azorean Islands, to calculate realistic and ecologically-adjusted species–area relationships. The results reveal dramatic and hitherto unrecognized levels of extinction debt, as a result of the extensive destruction of the native forest:>95%, in<600 yr. Our estimations suggest that more than half of the extant forest arthropod species, which have evolved in and are dependent on the native forest, might eventually be driven to extinction. Data on species abundances from Graciosa Island, where only a very small patch of secondary native vegetation still exists, as well as the number of species that have not been found in the last 45 yr, despite the extensive sampling effort, offer support to the predictions made. We argue that immediate action to restore and expand native forest habitat is required to avert the loss of numerous endemic species in the near future.
- Birds from the Azores : An updated list with some comments on species distributionPublication . Barcelos, Luís Miguel Duarte; Rodrigues, Pedro; Bried, Joël; Pereira, Enésima; Gabriel, Rosalina; Borges, Paulo A. V.BACKGROUND An updated checklist of the Birds of the Azores is presented based on information compiled from Rodrigues et al. (2010) and from the websites, Azores Bird Club. (2014), Aves dos Açores (2014), Azores Bird Sightings (2014) and Vittery (2014), since 2010. NEW INFORMATION The checklist has a total of 414 species, including 38 new species. Almost half of the species and subspecies that occur in the Azores have a Palearctic origin, the remaining ones being essentialy Nearctic and Holarctic species. São Miguel is the island with the highest number of bird species, followed by Terceira, Corvo and Flores islands.
- Using taxonomically unbiased criteria to prioritize resource allocation for oceanic island species conservationPublication . Martín, José L.; Cardoso, Pedro; Arechavaleta, Manuel; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Faria, Bernardo F.; Abreu, Cristina; Aguiar, António F.; Carvalho, José A.; Costa, Ana C.; Cunha, Regina Tristão da; Fernandes, Francisco M.; Gabriel, Rosalina; Jardim, Roberto; Lobo, Carlos; Martins, António M. de Frias; Oliveira, Paulo; Rodrigues, Pedro; Silva, Luís; Teixeira, Dinarte; Amorim, Isabel R.; Homem, Nídia; Martins, Berta; Martins, Mónica; Pereira, EnésimaOceanic islands have been the grand stage of documented extinctions. In view of limited resources, efficient prioritization is crucial to avoid the extinction of taxa. This work lists the top 100 management priority species for the European archipelagos of the Macaronesian region (Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands), taking into account both their protection priority and their management feasibility. Bryophytes, vascular plants, molluscs, arthropods and vertebrates were scored by species experts following two sets of criteria: (i) protection priority, including ecological value, singularity, public institutions’ management responsibilities and social value; (ii) management feasibility, including threats knowledge and control feasibility, external socio-economical support for management and biological recovery potential. Environmental managers weighted the same criteria according to their management importance. Final species scores were determined by the combination of both species valuation and criteria weighting. Vascular plants dominate the Top 100 list, followed by arthropods and vertebrates. The majority of listed taxa are endemic to one archipelago or even to a single island. The management feasibility criteria did not dictate that all taxa must be eminently endangered, as for most of the species it should be relatively easy to control threats. The main advantages of this process are the independent participation of scientists and conservation managers, the inclusion of criteria on both protection priority and management feasibility and the taxonomically unbiased nature of the process. This study provides a potentially useful biodiversity conservation tool for the Macaronesian archipelagos that could be readily implemented by the respective regional governments in future legislation.
- List of arthropods (Arthropoda)Publication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Vieira, Virgilio; Amorim, Isabel R.; Bicudo, Nuno; Fritzén, Niclas; Gaspar, Clara; Heleno, Ruben; Hortal, Joaquín; Lissner, Jorgen; Logunov, Dmitri; Machado, António; Marcelino, José; Meijer, Seline S.; Melo, Catarina; Pereira, Enésima; Moniz, João; Pereira, Fernando E. A. P.; Santos, Ana M.; Simões, Ana M.; Torrão, Elisabete
- Standardised arthropod (Arthropoda) inventory across natural and anthropogenic impacted habitats in the Azores archipelagoPublication . Marcelino, José; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Borges, Isabel; Pereira, Enésima; Santos, Vasco; Soares, António O.BACKGROUND In this paper, we present an extensive checklist of selected arthropods and their distribution in five Islands of the Azores (Santa Maria. São Miguel, Terceira, Flores and Pico). Habitat surveys included five herbaceous and four arboreal habitat types, scaling up from native to anthropogenic managed habitats. We aimed to contribute to the ongoing effort to document the terrestrial biodiversity of the world, in particular the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, as islands harbour a significant portion of unique terrestrial biodiversity. Selection of Arthropoda groups for the current checklist was based on their known richness and abundance (Arachnida, Collembola, Hemiptera, Neuroptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera), in almost all terrestrial ecosystems, as well as their importance in current Integrated Pest Management and alternative Biocontrol protocols at large (i.e. hymenopteran parasitoids and beneficial Coleoptera). In addition, we include the list of Dermaptera, Orthoptera, Psocoptera and Thysanoptera species. These assembled groups represent part of the monitoring programme EDEN Azores (2008-2014), where all Arthropod fauna, at all strata, within nine representative habitats of the abovementioned five Islands of the Azores was recorded. NEW INFORMATION In this study, a total of 116,523 specimens, belonging to 483 species and subspecies of selected groups of arthropods, are reported by order, family and, when possible, genus and species. Hymenopteran, mostly parasitoids, accounted for the most represented taxa across all the monitoring and sampling phase of EDEN Azores (193 species and mophospecies), followed by Coleoptera (95 species); Collembola (89 species); and Araneae (72 species). A total of 37 non-native species are reported for the first time in the Azores. Coleoptera: Asaphidion flavipes (Linnaeus, 1761) (Carabidae); Tachyporus dispar (Paykull, 1789) (Staphylinidae). Hemiptera: Acrosternum heegeri Fieber, 1861 (Pentatomidae). Collembola: Entomobrya regularis Stach, 1963 (Entomobryidae); Lepidocyrtus lusitanicus piezoensis (Simón-Benito, 2007) (Entomobryidae); Jordanathrix articulata (Ellis, 1974) (Sminthuridae); Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus (Ryder, 1879) (Katiannidae); Himalanura sp. (Entomobryidae); Protophorura sp. (Onychiuridae). Hymenoptera, parasitoids: Aphidius colemani Viereck, 1912 (Braconidae); Aphidius ervi Haliday, 1834 (Braconidae); Aphidius matricariae Viereck, 1912 (Braconidae); Aphidius rhopalosiphi Stefani-Perez, 1902 (Braconidae); Aphidius rosae (Haliday, 1834) (Braconidae); Aphidius urticae Haliday, 1834 (Braconidae); Centistidea ectoedemiae Rohwer, 1914 (Braconidae); Meteorus unicolor (Wesmael, 1835) (Braconidae); Meteorus collaris (Spin.) Hal. – Ruschka, Fulmek, 1915 (Braconidae); Orthostigma cratospilum (Thomson, 1895) (Braconidae); Orthostigma latriventris Ratzeburg, 1844 (Braconidae); two other species of Orthostigma sp.; Pseudopezomachus bituberculatus (Marshall, 1905) (Braconidae); Tanycarpa punctata (van Achterberg, 1976) (Braconidae); Gonatopus clavipes (Thunberg, 1827) (Dryinidae). New genera not previously recorded for the Azores include: Pycnetron sp. (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae); four species of Aspilota sp. (Braconidae: Alysiinae); four species of Chorebus sp. (Braconidae: Aphidiinae: Alysiinae); Microgaster sp. (Braconidae: Microgastrinae); Homolobus sp. (Braconidae: Homolobinae); Lodbrokia sp. (Braconidae: Alysiinae). These 37 taxa were found in several Islands and five are new species for Flores Island, 10 species are new for Pico Island, 12 species are new for Terceira Island, 19 species are new for S. Miguel Island and five species are new for S. Maria Island. Additional species records for the Islands included: Flores (5 Collembola, 9 Araneae; 2 Hemiptera; 8 Coleoptera, 8 Hymenoptera), Pico (4 Collembola; 7 Araneae; 4 Hemiptera; 11 Coleoptera; 9 Hymenoptera), Terceira (4 Collembola; 1 Araneae; 3 Hymenoptera), S. Miguel (1 Araneae; 2 Coleoptera; 3 Hymenoptera), S. Maria (5 Collembola; 3 Araneae; 2 Hemiptera; 2 Hymenoptera).
- Use of ATLANTIS TIERRA 2.0 in mapping and managing the arthropod biodiversity in the Azorean archipelagoPublication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Pereira, EnésimaIn this contribution the software ATLANTIS Tierra 2.0 is described as a promising tool to be used in the conservation management of the arthropod biodiversity of native and man-made habitats of the Azores. ATLANTIS Tierra 2.0 allows the mapping of the distribution of all species in a 500 x 500 m grid in a GIS interface. This allows an easy detection of species rich sites (hotspots) and facilitates the interpretation of spatial patterns of species distribution. For instance, predictive models of species distribution could be constructed using the distribution of habitats and environmental variables. Using this new tool we will be better equipped to answer the following questions: a) Where are the current “hotspots” of biodiversity in the Azores?; b) How many new sites need to be selected as specially protected areas in order to conserve the rarest endemic taxa?; c) Is there congruence between the patterns of richness and distribution of invertebrates and other taxa?; d) Are environmental variables good surrogates of species distributions?