New records and detailed distribution and abundance of selected arthropod species collected between 1999 and 2011 in Azorean native forests

Abstract

BackgroundIn this contribution we present detailed distribution and abundance data for arthropod species identified during the BALA – Biodiversity of Arthropods from the Laurisilva of the Azores (1999-2004) and BALA2 projects (2010-2011) from 18 native forest fragments in seven of the nine Azorean islands (all excluding Graciosa and Corvo islands, which have no native forest left).New informationOf the total 286 species identified, 81% were captured between 1999 and 2000, a period during which only 39% of all the samples were collected. On average, arthropod richness for each island increased by 10% during the time frame of these projects. The classes Arachnida, Chilopoda and Diplopoda represent the most remarkable cases of new island records, with more than 30% of the records being novelties. This study stresses the need to expand the approaches applied in these projects to other habitats in the Azores, and more importantly to other less surveyed taxonomic groups (e.g. Diptera and Hymenoptera). These steps are fundamental for getting a more accurate assessment of biodiversity in the archipelago.

Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS): a proposal for the long-term coordinated survey and monitoring of native island forest biota

“…Data papers should be promoted (e.g. Borges et al 2016b) to foster synthesis and comparative studies and we propose the creation of a repository of raw data following common community standards such as the Darwin Core, which is available at Biodiversity Data Journal via the Data Paper format and connected to GBIF using the Pensoft IPT server or other IPT server available in other institutions. Alternatively, a more sophisticated option will be the Ecological Metadata Language (EML), which can also be used to document ecological data in modules (see https ://knb.ecoin forma tics.org/#exter nal//emlpa rser/docs/index .html).…”

Conservation status of the forest beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera) from Azores, Portugal

“…Justification for trend: The species is considered extinct in the historical locality due to habitat destruction (last sample dates from 1888). It was not sampled recently despite some intensive field work (see Borges et al 2005 , Borges et al 2016 ).…”

“…A monitoring every ten years using the BALA protocol will inform about habitat quality ( Gaspar et al 2011 ). Based on Borges et al 2016 and Borges et al 2017b the species is very rare and there is the need to invest in direct nocturnal surveys to evaluate the rarity status of the species.…”

“…Justification for trend: The species occurs in a small fragment of native forest (Tronqueira). This is the only localityn known after intensive survey in the Island ( Borges et al 2005 , Borges et al 2016 ). The AOO of native forest is only around 4 km 2 .…”

“…Justification for trend: A continuing decline in the number of mature individuals is inferred from monitoring schemes (sampled in 1989 with a large population and decreasing numbers in 2000 and 2010) ( Borges et al 2005 , Borges et al 2016 ), and from the ongoing habitat degradation due to invasions of alien plants ( Hedychium gardnerianum and Clethra arborea ).…”