Vascular plant taxa occurrences in exotic woodland and in natural and production forests on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, and Pico (Azores)

Lurdes Borges Silva; Patrícia Madeira; Diogo Cláudio Pavão; Rui Bento Elias; Mónica Moura; Luís Silva

doi:10.15468/3hmqfs

Vascular plant taxa occurrences in exotic woodland and in natural and production forests on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, and Pico (Azores)

Citation

Borges Silva L, Madeira P, Cláudio Pavão D, Bento Elias R, Moura M, Silva L (2023). Vascular plant taxa occurrences in exotic woodland and in natural and production forests on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, and Pico (Azores). Version 1.2. Universidade dos Açores. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/3hmqfs accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-11-04.

Description

The data presented here originated from field expeditions carried out between 2017 and 2018, within the framework of Forest-Eco2 project: Towards an Ecological and Economic valorisation of the Azorean Forest. The project aimed to quantify the ecological value of the Azorean forests, including carbon accumulation, and to design and propose measures that could further enhance forest sustainably. For that, 90 forest plots were sampled on three Azores islands - São Miguel, Terceira and Pico - equally distributed into natural forest, exotic woodland and production forest. The aim of this report is to further expand knowledge on biodiversity trends enclosed in the different forest types present in the Azores, by providing a list of the occurrences of the 105 different vascular plant taxa together with a brief characterization of their origin and life-form.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

Three types of vegetation were included (Borges Silva et al. 2022a): (i) Natural forest, corresponding to submontane and montane cloud forests (Elias et al. 2016). Its distribution in the Azores evolved in unique conditions, due to a pronounced isolation, relatively homogeneous climatic conditions, and a limited number of native woody species but high plant biodiversity and a high number of endemic species, which are dominated by Ilex azorica Gand., Juniperus brevifolia (Hochst. ex Seub.) Antoine, Laurus azorica (Seub.) Franco, Morella faya (Aiton) Wilbur, and Picconia azorica (Tutin) Knobl (Dias et al. 2007, Elias and Dias 2008, Silva et al. 2010, Pavão et al. 2022,2023a,b); ii) Exotic woodland, located at lower to mid-elevations and dominated by P.undulatum covering more than 30% of the forest area, which expanded from sea level up to 600 m (Borges Silva 2017,2018,2022a, Dutra Silva et al. 2017a,b,2019); iii) Production forest, dominated by C. japonica, occupying 60% of the area dedicated to this type of forest, the most economically important forestry species in the Azores and with an important impact on the landscape (DRRF 2007, 2014, Lourenço et al. 2011, Borges Silva et al. 2022a).

Sampling

A total of 90 forest stands were randomly sampled, 30 in each of the three selected islands São Miguel, Terceira and Pico (10 NF, 10 EW and 10 PF). At each forest we delimited a 10 × 10 m (100 m2) plot and recorded the vascular plant taxa. To quantify the cover-abundance of each taxon, we used Braun Blanquet scale modified by Van der Maarel (1979).

Quality Control

Specimens representing most of the inventoried species, were collected in the field, following standard herbarium techniques, and then deposited in the Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha, University of the Azores (AZB). All sampled individuals were sorted by trained taxonomists. Taxonomic nomenclature obtained from: Seubert and Hochstetter (1843), Seubert (1844), Dröuet (1866), Trelease (1897), Cedercreutz (1941), Palhinha (1966), Sjögren (1973), Tutin et al. (1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980), Franco (1971, 1984), Franco and Afonso (1994, 1998), Valdés et al. (1987), Press and Short (1994), Fernandes and Fernandes (1980, 1983, 1987), Schaefer (2002, 2003, 2005a,b), Silva et al. (2010) and Vieira et al. (2020).
In terms of species colonisation status, we followed Silva et al. 2010 categories: Azorean endemic species, i.e. species (or subspecies) occurring only in the Azores, as a result of either speciation events (neo-endemics) or extinct of the mainland populations (paleo-endemics); Macaronesian endemic species, i.e. species only known from the Macaronesian archipelagos (the Azores, Madeira, Canaries and Cape Verde); Native species, i.e. species which arrived by long-distance dispersal to the Azores and which also occur naturally elsewhere. Regarding Introduced species, that occur in the archipelago as a result of human activities, we distinguished two groups, Naturalized, with self-supporting populations, and Casual, occasionally escaped from cultivation. The biogeographic and historic criteria used to classify taxa as non-indigenous were adapted from Silva et al. (2000): (i) classified as such by several authors from the 19th century; (ii) first record in the last 100 years; (iii) distribution restricted to a reduced number of islands; (iv) record of a recent (last 100 years) extension of the distribution in the Azores; (v) absence in other Macaronesian islands; (vi) disjunct distribution; (vii) anthropochoric taxa - only casual in the native vegetation. These criteria were applied after exclusion of endemic taxa. Database queries allowed the determination of the taxa number in each category, globally, and specifically for the Magnoliopsida, Liliopsida, Pinophyta, Pteridophyta and Lycopodiophyta (Silva and Smith 2004).

Method steps

The dataset submitted to GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) is structured as a sample event dataset, with two tables: event (as core) and occurrences. The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwCA), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 105 records (eventID) and 1150 records (occurrenceID). One extension data table also exists. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated in the IPT (integrated publishing toolkit) link. This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for downloading in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Taxonomic Coverages

The dataset covers Kingdom Plantae and the following phyla and classes: Magnoliophyta: Liliopsida; Magnoliopsida Pinophyta: Pinopsida Pteridophyta: Polypodiopsida Lycopodiophyta: Lycopodiopsida; Selaginellopsida.

Plantae
rank: kingdom
Magnoliophyta
rank: phylum
Pinophyta
rank: phylum
Pteridophyta
rank: phylum
Lycopodiophyta
rank: phylum

Geographic Coverages

São Miguel, Terceira e Pico islands, in the Azores Archipelago (Portugal). Coordinates: São Miguel: 37°55'45.6''N and 37°42'22.8''N Latitude; 25°53'28.2''W and 25°0'27.6''W Longitude Terceira: 38°38'16.8''N and 38°48'50.4''N Latitude; 27°23'38.4''W and 27°0'54''W Longitude Pico: 38°34'53''N and 38°21'48''N Latitude; 28°33'40''W and 28°0'14.9''W Longitude

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Contacts

Lurdes Borges Silva
originator
position: PhD Researcher
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: lurdes.cb.silva@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/lurdes-da-conceicao-borges-silva
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4185-733X

Patrícia Madeira
originator
position: PhD Researcher
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: patricia.ga.madeira@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/patricia-gomes-antunes-madeira
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4356-9769

Diogo Cláudio Pavão
originator
position: PhD Student
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: diogo.c.pavao@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/diogo-claudio-pavao
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4812-9845

Rui Bento Elias
originator
position: Assistant Professor
5CE3C/ABG – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, Universidade dos Açores
Rua Capitão João d’Ávila – Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 295 402 200
email: rui.mp.elias@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/ruielias
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2397-2438

Mónica Moura
originator
position: Assistant Professor
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: monica.mt.moura@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/monica-maria-tavares-de-moura
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5555-2388

Luís Silva
originator
position: Associate Professor
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: luis.fd.silva@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/luis-filipe-dias-e-silva
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3434-6056

Lurdes Borges Silva
metadata author
position: PhD Researcher
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: lurdes.cb.silva@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/lurdes-da-conceicao-borges-silva
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4185-733X

Luís Silva
metadata author
position: Associate Professor
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: luis.fd.silva@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/luis-filipe-dias-e-silva
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3434-6056

Lurdes Silva
user
position: PhD researcher
InBIO, Rede de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Biologia Evolutiva, Laboratório Associado, CIBIO-Açores, Universidade dos Açores, Unesco
Rua da Mãe de Deus, Apartado 1422, 9501‑801 Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal
Ponta Delgada
Apartado 1422, 9501‑801
Azores
PT
email: lurdes.cb.silva@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt
userId: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/0000-0002-4185-733X

Lurdes Borges Silva
administrative point of contact
position: PhD Researcher
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: lurdes.cb.silva@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/lurdes-da-conceicao-borges-silva
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4185-733X

Luís Silva
administrative point of contact
position: Associate Professor
CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Polo dos Açores; UNESCO Chair – Land Within Sea: Biodiversity & Sustainability in Atlantic Islands, Universidade dos Açores
Rua da Mãe de Deus
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
Telephone: +351 296 650 105
email: luis.fd.silva@uac.pt
homepage: http://cibio.uac.pt/pt/people/luis-filipe-dias-e-silva
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3434-6056