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- Assessing the Impact of Insect Decline in Islands: Exploring the Diversity and Community Patterns of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Arthropods in the Azores Native Forest over 10 YearsPublication . Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Borges, Paulo A. V.The ongoing decline of insect populations highlight the need for long-term ecological monitoring. As part of the “SLAM—Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change on the Natural Forests of Azores” project, we investigated changes in arthropod diversity and community structure over a ten-year period (2012–2022) in the native forest of the island of Terceira (Azores). Focused on two arthropod assemblages (indigenous and non-indigenous species) monitored with SLAM traps, we asked if there was a distinguishable pattern in the diversity and structure of the studied arthropod subsets in a pristine island native forest. Species richness remained relatively constant. Endemic arthropods dominated and remained stable over time, indicating the forest’s ecological stability. In contrast, the assemblage of native non-endemic arthropods underwent changes, including increased hyperdominance and decreased biomass. The introduced arthropod assemblage showed more erratic dynamics driven by species turnover. Results suggested that temporal variation in each subset may be due to different ecological processes and that niche filtering may limit the establishment and spread of introduced arthropods. This research contributes to our understanding of the temporal dynamics of arthropods in native island forests and highlights the need for ongoing conservation efforts to protect these fragile ecosystems.
- Understorey-nesting bird community responses to land use in the Korup National Park, an Afrotropical rainforest in South-Western CameroonPublication . TONLEU, JEAN; Tsafack, Noelline; Bobo, Kadiri S.; Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Lontchi, Wilfried G.T.; Tanebang, Cyrille L.T.; Mbida, MpoameTropical forest biodiversity is under immense pressure due to a combination of global and local factors, including climate change and intensive land use. Birds play an important role in tropical forest ecosystems, contributing significantly to various ecosystem services. This study examined the impact of deforestation on the richness and abundance of understorey-nesting bird communities along a land-use intensification gradient in the peripheral zone of Korup National Park, Southwest Cameroon. We selected 30 sampling plots, each covering 4 ha, across five habitat types: near-primary forest, secondary forest, disturbed forest, cocoa/coffee plantations, and annual food crop fields. A total of 236 understorey bird nests were identified, representing 16 species. Our findings revealed that land use intensity significantly influenced bird species richness and abundance. Primary and secondary forests provided 75% of the nesting species and 71% of the nests. However, 19% of the species either appeared or increased in cocoa/coffee plantations and annual crop fields. Among the feeding groups, frugivores were the most sensitive group to deforestation. This study corroborates the adverse effects of forest destruction on birds communities and highlights the urgent need to address the rapid and extensive forest conversion occurring within Korup National Park. Allowing secondary forests to regenerate and preserving large patches of primary forest are essential strategies to help understorey-nesting bird communities mitigate the impacts of global changes.
- Monitoring arthropods under the scope of the LIFE-BEETLES project: I - Baseline data with implementation of the Index of Biotic IntegrityPublication . Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Tsafack, Noelline; Manso, Sónia; Figueiredo, Telma; Leite, Abrão; Parmentier, Laurine; Ferreira, Maria Teresa; Borges, Paulo A. V.The urgent need for conservation efforts in response to the global biodiversity crisis is exemplified by initiatives, such as the EU LIFE BEETLES project. This project aims to preserve endangered arthropod species that are crucial for ecosystem functionality, with a focus on endemic beetle species in Flores, Pico and Terceira Islands (Azores, Portugal): Tarphius floresensis Borges & Serrano, 2017, Pseudanchomenus aptinoides (Tarnier, 1860) and Trechus terrabravensis Borges, Serrano & Amorim, 2004. These species are single island endemics respectively from Flores, Pico and Terceira. They are threatened by environmental degradation, facing the dual challenge of restricted distribution and habitat degradation due to the spread of invasive plants. The project aims to enhance habitat quality and biodiversity conservation through habitat restoration and plant invasive species control measures. These measures are funded by the European Commission and coordinated by the Azorean Environment Directorate-General. The current Data Paper evaluates the effectiveness of the LIFE BEETLES project in improving habitat quality and offers insights into the balance between habitat restoration efforts and endangered species conservation in island ecosystems, utilising as ecological indicator the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) framework. New information This study establishes a comprehensive database derived from a long-term arthropod monitoring survey that used SLAM (Sea, Land and Air Malaise) traps and pitfall traps. Our findings present a proxy for assessing the overall habitat quality for endemic invertebrates, using arthropods as main indicators. From September 2020 to June 2023, a total of 31 SLAM traps were monitored. The traps were set up as follows: seven in Flores (three in mixed forest and four in native forest), 10 in Pico (four in mixed forest and six in native forest) and 14 in Terceira (three in mixed forest and 11 in native forest). Traps were monitored every three months. In addition, we surveyed the epigean fauna in 19 transects with 15 non-attractive pitfall traps per transect. The transects were set up during two weeks at the end of August every year between 2020 and 2023. Eight transects were established in Flores, consisting of one in pasture, four in mixed forest and three in native forest. Six transects were established in Pico, consisting of two in pastures and four in native forest. Five transects were established in Terceira, consisting of two in mixed forest and three in native forest. A total of 243 arthropod taxa were recorded, with 207 identified at the species or subspecies level. These taxa belonged to four classes, 24 orders and 101 families. Out of the 207 identified taxa, 46 were endemic, 60 were native non-endemic, 80 were introduced and 21 were of indeterminate status. Habitat information is also provided, including general habitat and dominant species composition. This publication contributes to the conservation of highly threatened endemic beetles by assessing habitat quality, based on arthropod communities and habitat description (e.g. native or exotic vegetation). Using the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) to comparing pre- and post-intervention data, we found no significant change within the epigean community. In contrast, the understorey community sampled with SLAM traps experienced a slight global decrease in biotic integrity over the study period. These findings suggest that the short duration of the study may not be sufficient to detect significant changes, as ecosystem recovery often requires long-term monitoring. The observed changes in the understorey community may be attributed to disturbances from intervention activities, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring to assess long-term ecological resilience and recovery.
- Arthropod-based biotic integrity indices: A novel tool for evaluating the ecological condition of native forests in the Azores archipelagoPublication . Tsafack, Noelline; Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Prieto Contreras, Laura Alejandra; Navarro, Loic; Kocsis, Timea; Manso, Sónia; Figueiredo, Telma; Teresa Ferreira, Maria; Borges, Paulo A. V.ABSTRACT: Island ecosystems are experiencing a significant decline in biodiversity, with forest biodiversity being particularly affected by several biodiversity erosion drivers. This alarming situation highlights the urgent need for conservation managers to develop more accurate and efficient tools to assess and monitor the quality status of sites. To address this issue, our study focuses on the development of two biological integrity indices (IBI) that utilize arthropod communities as indicators to measure the quality of forest sites. In accordance with studies that showed stratification of species diversity, we developed an IBI for canopy stratum (IBI-Canopy) and an IBI for an intermediate stratum targeting the forest understory (IBI-SLAM). We calibrated both indices on seven parameters for comparison purpose with a previous developed epigean IBI. Percentages of endemic, native non-endemic and introduced species richness and abundance were included in both indices. Percentages of Diplopoda species richness and abundance were included in IBI-Canopy and percentages of Saprophagous species richness and abundance were included in IBI-SLAM. As expected species richness and abundance of endemic species were negatively related to disturbance and selected for both IBI. Surprisingly, species richness and abundance of native non-endemic species were positively related to disturbance. The study highlights the limitations of single measurements in detecting all types of pressure sources, and proposes a multi-measurement system to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the overall system conditions. Our efficient and accessible indices confirmed low preservation status in Flores Island compared to Terceira and Pico, consistent with prior empirical studies. Our analyses also showed that canopy detect disturbance earlier than intermediate understory stratum. Our methodology has successfully been developed and tailored to the unique arthropod communities found in the Azores forests. While it may not be suitable for random forest sites, it can serve as a valuable source of inspiration for the development of arthropod-based IBIs in other islands of the world for which standardized endemic and exotic species richness and abundance could be obtained. The study also showed that arthropod assemblages mimicked forest biodiversity stratification and this is reflected in differences expressed by the IBIs.
- O impacto da alteração da estrutura do habitat na complexidade das cadeias alimentares dos artrópodes nas florestas açorianas.Publication . Lhoumeau, SébastienA perda e a degradação dos habitats são uma causa bem conhecida da erosão da biodiversidade, o que é particularmente relevante para os artrópodes, o grupo de animais mais diversificado da natureza. Além disso, existe uma forte ligação entre a diversidade das comunidades de artrópodes e a estrutura dos seus habitats. Mais importante ainda, a perturbação das comunidades de artrópodes conduz a alterações nos serviços ecossistémicos que prestam. Por estas razões, muitas espécies podem ser consideradas espécies-chave nos ecossistemas. A perda das suas funções ecológicas críticas pode levar ao colapso de todo o ecossistema.
- Festa do Bioblitz Açores: a diversidade dos artrópodes do Jardim Duque da Terceira.Publication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Leite, Abrão; Parmentier, Laurine; Costa, Ricardo; Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Boieiro, Mário; Rosário, Isabel Amorim Do; Malumbres-Olarte, JagobaComo detalhamos em um outro artigo deste mesmo volume do Pingo de Lava, o BioBlitz Açores 2023 foi um sucesso educativo, lúdico e científico, com o registo de 188 espécies de líquenes, plantas, aves e artrópodes (Amorim et al., 2023). Como é habitual neste tipo de atividades de ciência cidadã ou participativa, os artrópodes foram o grupo melhor representado (86 espécies). Devido aos seus valores de biodiversidade, à sua importância ecológica e ao desconhecimento que o público tem dos artrópodes, neste artigo faz-se uma descrição mais detalhada deste grupo.
- Festa do Bioblitz Açores 2023: tantas espécies que vivem no Jardim!Publication . Amorim, Isabel R.; Parmentier, Laurine; Leite, Abrão; Wallon, Sophie; Ros Prieto, Alejandra; Costa, Ricardo; Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Barcelos, Paulo J.M.; Mendonça, Paulo; Coelho, Ruben; Rodrigues, António F. F.; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Malumbres-Olarte, JagobaNo passado dia 17 de junho de 2023 a Terceira, conhecida entre os açorianos como a ilha festeira, recebeu novamente a festa do bioblitz – BioBlitz Açores 2023. Tal como no primeiro BioBlitz Açores em 2019, o Jardim Duque da Terceira em Angra do Heroísmo foi o local escolhido para a realização desta cada vez mais conhecida atividade de ciência cidadã: “cidadãos comuns” sem formação formal em ciência, orientados por especialistas, participaram na produção de conhecimento científico, neste caso em particular, sobre a biodiversidade que existe nos Açores. E como de um BioBlitz se trata, foram seguidas as diretrizes para este tipo de evento, isto é, a inventariação da biodiversidade, realizada conjuntamente por cientistas e participantes leigos, ocorreu durante um período limitado, sessões com cerca de duas horas, e numa área bem definida, o Jardim Duque da Terceira.
- Monitoring arthropods under the scope of LIFE-SNAILS project: I - Santa Maria Island baseline data with implementation of the Index of Biotic IntegrityPublication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Lamelas-López, Lucas; Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Moura, Nelson; Ponte, Mauro; Leite, Abrão; Parmentier, Laurine; Abreu, RicardoBackground The database we introduce is a pivotal component of the LIFE SNAILS project (Support and Naturalisation in Areas of Importance for Land Snails). This initiative is dedicated to safeguarding three endangered species of terrestrial molluscs, specifically, two snails (Oxychilus agostinhoi Martins 1981 and Leptaxis minor Backhuys, 1975) and a semi-slug (Plutonia angulosa (Morelet, 1860)), all of which are single island endemics from Santa Maria Island and face significant threats towards their populations. In this study, we established a comprehensive database derived from a long-term arthropod monitoring campaign utilising SLAM (Sea, Land, Air, Malaise) traps. Although molluscs were not the primary focus, our findings serve as a credible proxy for evaluating the overall habitat quality for endemic invertebrates, with arthropods serving as principal indicators. From September to December of 2022, a total of 11 SLAM traps were installed and monitored monthly in eleven sites of mixed forests of Santa Maria Island. New information Based on the 33 available samples (11 sites x 3 sampling periods), we recorded a total of 118 taxa of arthropods (of which 94 were identified at species or subspecies level), belonging to three classes, 14 orders and 62 families. From the 94 identified taxa, a total of 21 species were endemic, 31 native non-endemic, 32 introduced and 10 indeterminate. We also provide additional information of the habitat quality (Index of Biotic Integrity), including general habitat and dominant species composition. We registered three new records to the Island, the native bug Piezodorus lituratus (Fabricius, 1794) (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae), the Azorean endemic beetle Phloeosinus gillerforsi Bright, 1987 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) and the exotic ant Hypoponera punctatissima (Roger, 1859) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) and one new record for the Azores Archipelago, the native beetle Cephennium validum Assing & Meybohm, 2021 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae). This publication not only contributes to the conservation of highly threatened endemic molluscs, through an assessment of habitat quality, based on arthropod communities and habitat description (e.g. native or exotic vegetation), but also provides an updated inventory of arthropods from Santa Maria Island.
- Biological Integrity of Azorean Native Forests Is Better Measured in Cold SeasonPublication . Tsafack, Noelline; Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Ros Prieto, Alejandra; Navarro, Loic; Kocsis, Timea; Manso, Sónia; Martins Figueiredo, Telma; Ferreira, Maria Teresa; Borges, P.A.V.ABSTRACT: The Azorean archipelago, recognized as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, is home to a diverse and unique community of arthropod species, highlighting a notable degree of endemism. However, the native forests that support these species are facing significant degradation due to habitat loss and fragmentation. In this study, we aimed to determine the ideal season for measuring the biological integrity of forest sites using a biological integrity index (IBI) based on arthropod communities captured with Sea, Land, and Air Malaise (SLAM) traps. Drawing on more than thirty years of research experience in the Azorean forests, we selected twelve reference sites, six representing preserved native forest and six representing disturbed native forest, and compared how IBI values vary between seasons. IBI values exhibited consistent variations between seasons in disturbed sites, indicating that measuring the biological integrity in these areas can be conducted at any time of the year without a specific seasonal preference. In contrast, significant differences were observed in pristine forest sites, with the winter season and the combination of winter and spring data (cold semester) showing notably higher values compared to other seasons and semesters. This finding suggests that measuring the biological integrity of preserved sites is best optimized in the cold seasons, while the detection of exotic species impact is most effective in summer and autumn. Consequently, if resources are limited, monitoring efforts should be concentrated in the winter and summer seasons to obtain the maximum and minimum values of IBI, respectively. Additionally, our study suggests that the summer season is the optimal time to detect potentially invasive exotic species.
- The BALA project: A pioneering monitoring of Azorean forest invertebrates over two decades (1999–2022)Publication . Pozsgai, Gabor; Lhoumeau, Sébastien; Rosário, Isabel Amorim Do; Boieiro, Mário; Cardoso, Pedro; Costa, Ricardo; Ferreira, Maria Teresa; Leite, Abrão; Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba; Oyarzabal, Guilherme; Rigal, François; Ros Prieto, Alejandra; Santos, Ana M. C.; Gabriel, Rosalina; Borges, Paulo A. V.Globally, there is a concerning decline in many insect populations, and this trend likely extends to all arthropods, potentially impacting unique island biota. Native non-endemic and endemic species on islands are under threat due to habitat destruction, with the introduction of exotic, and potentially invasive, species, further contributing to this decline. While long-term studies of plants and vertebrate fauna are available, long-term arthropod datasets are limited, hindering comparisons with better-studied taxa. The Biodiversity of Arthropods of the Laurisilva of the Azores (BALA) project has allowed gathering comprehensive data since 1997 in the Azorean Islands (Portugal), using standardised sampling methods across islands. The dataset includes arthropod counts from epigean (pitfall traps) and canopy-dwelling (beating samples) communities, enriched with species information, biogeographic origins, and IUCN categories. Metadata associated with the sample protocol and events, like sample identifier, archive number, sampled tree species, and trap type are also recorded. The database is available in multiple formats, including Darwin Core, which facilitates the ecological analysis of pressing environmental concerns, such as arthropod population declines and biological invasions.