Biota from the coastal wetlands of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal): Part 4 - Vascular plants

Background

The data presented here come from field observations, carried out between 2014 and 2017, as part of a LIFE research project aiming to preserve and restore three coastal wetlands of Praia da Vitória (Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal) (LIFE-CWR). A total of 23 vascular plant species surveys were carried out in three sites: one for each semester in Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP); one for each semester (except in 2014) in Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ). The main objectives were to determine the plant richness of the three sites and to monitor yearly variation on species composition.

New information

A total of 107 taxa, belonging to 50 families, were observed, many of which are new records for the area, especially in PBJ and PPCP, where 78 and 92% of species records were new. A few very rare species in the Azores were recorded in these coastal wetlands, namely Lotuscreticus, Bolboschoenusmaritimus, Juncusmaritimus and Polygonummaritimum.

Biota of coastal wetlands of Praia da Vitória (Terceira Island, Azores): Part 2 - Bryophytes

Background

During the LIFE-CWR project "Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Praia da Vitória Coastal Wet Green Infrastructures", there was the opportunity to undertake a systematic record of bryophytes at Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP), three coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal). The objective of the study was to perform a biodiversity assessment, comparing the three sites at two different moments, before and after the implementation of several conservation measures. This project also contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean bryophyte diversity at both local and regional scales, including the recording of two new taxa for the Azores and three new taxa for Terceira Island.

New information

This paper reports the results of the first extensive survey of bryophyes of the three coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal). The identification of a total of 504 samples, 240 collected in 2013 and 2016 (before the LIFE-CWR intervention) and 265 in 2017 and 2018 (after the intervention), resulted in a list of 58 species of bryophytes (one hornwort, eight liverworts and 48 mosses). These include two new records for the Azores (Bryum klinggraeffii, Ptychostomum bornholmense), three new records for Terceira Island (Bryum tenuisetum, Dicranella howei, Trichostomum crispulum) and at least 15 new records for the municipality of Praia da Vitória (e.g., Cephaloziella hampeana). Some species that had not been recorded on the island since 1937 (e.g., Fissidens crispus) were collected during this study, as well as a Macaronesian endemic liverwort (Radula wichurae), an Iberian-Macaronesian liverwort (Frullania azorica) and a moss species with European distribution (Ptychomitrium nigrescens). From the recorded species, only one moss (Leptophascum leptophyllum), of subtropical origin, is considered invasive in Europe.

Biota from the coastal wetlands of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal): Part 3 - Birds

Background

The data presented here come from field observations of Aves between August 2013 and October 2018 as part of a LIFE research project aiming to preserve and restore three coastal wetlands from Praia da Vitória (Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal). Systematic monthly observations were carried out for five years in order to provide a checklist and monitoring of bird species and subspecies observed in three sites: Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP). Main objectives were to determine their ornithological richness while also adding data to the overall knowledge of Azorean Avifauna and to monitor seasonal and between-year variation on species abundance.

New information

During a five-year observation period (2013-2018), a total of 82,985 birds belonging to 108 species/subspecies were observed. From this, 16,663 were in PPV, 11,793 from PBJ and 54,529 from PPCP. The total richness was 55, 40 and 85, respectively. Three species are first records for the Azores: Aythya americana (Eyton, 1838); Chlidonias leucopterus (Temminck, 1815) and Tringa brevipes (Vieillot, 1816). One species is a new record for Terceira Island: Lophodytes cucullatus (Linnaeus, 1758).

Biota from the coastal wetlands of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal): Part 1 - Arthropods

Background

During a LIFE research project aiming at the implementation of the conservation of the habitats and restoration of coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal), there was the opportunity undertake a systematic record of several groups of arthropods in three wetland areas: Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP). The objective of the study was to perform a rapid biodiversity assessment, comparing the three sites in two different years, before and after the implementation of several conservation measures. This project also contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean arthropod diversity at both local and regional scales, including new taxa for Terceira island and new records for Azores. Taking into consideration those aims, a set of standardised sampling methods were performed, inspired by the COBRA protocol originally developed for spiders.

New information

A total of 15,810 specimens belonging to 216 arthropod species and subspecies were collected. Beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera) and spiders (Araneae) dominated, with 81 and 51 taxa, respectively. Two beetle families dominated, Staphylinidae and Curculionidae with, respectively, 22 and 17 species and subspecies. Exotic species were also dominant (132 species and subspecies), the Azorean endemics being restricted to only eight taxa. The remaining 76 species and subspecies are native non-endemic. Two rare endemic species were found with relatively sustainable populations, the Azores Cone-head Conocephaluschavesi (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) and the true weevil Drouetiusoceanicusoceanicus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). A total of six species are novel for the Azores, five exotic (Blediusunicornis, Carpelimuszealandicus, Oenopiadoublieri, Sitonahispidulus, Trichiusaimmigrata) and one possibly native (Pyrrhocorisapterus). An additional 15 taxa are novel for Terceira island, ten exotic (Cheiracanthiummildei, Cylindroiuluslatestriatus, Eumodicogryllusbordigalensis, Nemobiussylvestris, Pissodescastaneus, Psyllipsocusramburi, Trachyzeloteslyonneti, Trigonnidiumcicindeloides, Tychiuscuprifer, Zelotestenuis) and five native (Aegialiaarenaria, Oxypodalurida, Platycleissabulosa, Plinthisusbrevipennis, Tachyuradiabrachys).