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The Azorean Biodiversity Portal: an internet database for regional biodiversity outreach

Publication . 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, Pedro

There 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 Most of the data rely on a comprehensive literature survey (dating back to the 19th century) as well as unpublished records from recent field surveys in the Azores.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.

2010-08-03Journal article

Open access

De marginal a bem patrimonial: processos de divulgação científica na exposição "Tesouros de seis patas"

Publication . Arroz, Ana Margarida Moura; Amorim, Isabel R.; Gabriel, Rosalina; São Marcos, Rita; Gaspar, Clara; Borges, Paulo A. V.

2012-09Conference object

Open access

The seven impediments in invertebrate conservation and how to overcome them

Publication . Cardoso, Pedro; Erwin, Terry L.; Borges, Paulo A. V.; New, Tim R.

Despite their high diversity and importance for humankind, invertebrates are often neglected in biodiversity conservation policies. We identify seven impediments to their effective protection: (1) invertebrates and their ecological services are mostly unknown to the general public (the public dilemma); (2) policymakers and stakeholders are mostly unaware of invertebrate conservation problems (the political dilemma); (3) basic science on invertebrates is scarce and underfunded (the scientific dilemma); (4) most species are undescribed (the Linnean shortfall); (5) the distribution of described species is mostly unknown (the Wallacean shortfall); (6) the abundance of species and their changes in space and time are unknown (the Prestonian shortfall); (7) species ways of life and sensitivities to habitat change are largely unknown (the Hutchinsonian shortfall). Numerous recent developments in taxonomy, inventorying, monitoring, data compilation, statistical analysis and science communication facilitate overcoming these impediments in both policy and practice. We suggest as possible solutions for the public dilemma: better public information and marketing. For the political dilemma: red-listing, legal priority listing and inclusion in environmental impact assessment studies. For the scientific dilemma: parataxonomy, citizen science programs and biodiversity informatics. For the Linnean shortfall: biodiversity surrogacy, increased support for taxonomy and advances in taxonomic publications. For the Wallacean shortfall: funding of inventories, compilation of data in public repositories and species distribution modeling. For the Prestonian shortfall: standardized protocols for inventorying and monitoring, widespread use of analogous protocols and increased support for natural history collections. For the Hutchinsonian shortfall: identifying good indicator taxa and studying extinction rates by indirect evidence.

2011-08-12Journal article

Open access

Phylogeography and molecular phylogeny of Macaronesian island Tarphius (Coleoptera: Zopheridae): why so few species in the Azores?

Publication . Amorim, Isabel R.; Emerson, Brent C.; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Wayne, Robert K.

AIM: We used a phylogenetic framework to examine island colonization and predictions pertaining to differentiation within Macaronesian Tarphius (Insecta, Coleoptera, Zopheridae), and explain the paucity of endemics in the Azores compared with other Macaronesian archipelagos. Specifically, we test whether low diversity in the Azores could be due to recent colonization (phylogenetic lineage youth), cryptic speciation (distinct phylogenetic entities within species) or the young geological age of the archipelago. LOCATION: Macaronesian archipelagos (Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands), northern Portugal and Morocco. METHODS: Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear genes of Tarphius beetles of the Azores, other Macaronesian islands and neighbouring continental areas were used to investigate the origin of island biodiversity and to compare patterns of colonization and differentiation. A comparative nucleotide substitution rate test was used to select the appropriate substitution rate to infer clade divergence times. RESULTS: Madeiran and Canarian Tarphius species were found to be more closely related to each other, while Azorean taxa grouped separately. Azorean taxa showed concordance between species and phylogenetic clades, except for species that occur on multiple islands, which segregated by island of origin. Divergence time estimates revealed that Azorean Tarphius are an old group and that the most recent intra-island speciation event on Santa Maria, the oldest island, occurred between 3.7 and 6.1 Ma. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Our phylogenetic approach provides new evidence to understand the impoverishment of Azorean endemics: (1) Tarphius have had a long evolutionary history within the Azores, which does not support the hypothesis of fewer radiation events due to recent colonization; (2) the current taxonomy of Azorean Tarphius does not reflect common ancestry and cryptic speciation is responsible for the underestimation of endemics; (3) intra-island differentiation in the Azores was found only in the oldest island, supporting the idea that young geological age of the archipelago limits the number of endemics; and (4) the lack of evidence for recent intra-island diversification in Santa Maria could also explain the paucity of Azorean endemics. Phylogenetic reconstructions of other species-rich taxa that occur on multiple Macaronesian archipelagos will reveal whether our conclusions are taxon specific, or of a more general nature.

2012-09Journal article

Open access

Insetos pela cidade: uma intervenção urbana em etnoentomologia