Biodiversity inventory of the Protected Area for the Management of Habitats or Species of Matela (Terceira, Azores, Portugal)

Study Extent

The sampling was performed in 2022 on the “Protected Area for the Management of Habitats or Species of Matela”, located on Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal). This area is a well-preserved small fragment of native forest, located at medium-low altitude (300-400 m.a.s.l.), which was recently invaded by exotic plant species.

Sampling

The sampling protocol is based on GIMS - A Global Island Monitoring Scheme protocols (Borges et al. 2018). For bryophytes, nine quadrats of 2 m x 2 m were sampled, and three samples (microplots) of 10 cm x 5 cm per substrate were collected, for a total of 71 samples; For vascular plants, inventories were made in 72 sub-plots measuring 5 m x 5 m, in addition to a list of all observed species; For sampling arthropods, the BALA methodology was used, complementing a set of 30 pitfall traps to sample arthropods from the soil with hits in the canopy of dominant trees (10 samples per tree species); in addition to this protocol, flight interception traps (SLAM traps) were also used to sample flying arthropods or arthropods with great dispersal capacity; the bird census was carried out at 25 observation points, always between 07:00 and 11:00 am, applying the listening point method and other observations; the mammal inventory was carried out using camera traps at 30 sampling points. The historical data was obtained from herbarium and other unpublished data, and through a bibliographic revision (from 1970 to date).

Quality Control

All collected specimens were identified or revised by a taxonomical expert.

Method steps

1. For Bryophytes the final validation was made by Rosalina Gabriel. For arthropods the final validation was made by Paulo A. V. Borges. For Vascular Plants the final validation was made by Rui B. Elias. For Birds and Mammals, the identification was made by Mariana Aguiar Sousa.

The following Phylum are covered: Bryophyta, Arthropoda, Marchantiophyta, Magnoliophyta, Lycopodiophyta, Pteridophyta, Pinophyta and Chordata.

1. Arthropoda
   common name: Arthropods rank: phylum
2. Bryophyta
   common name: Mosses rank: phylum
3. Marchantiophyta
   common name: Liverworts rank: phylum
4. Magnoliophyta
   common name: Vascular Plants rank: phylum
5. Lycopodiophyta
   common name: Clubmosses rank: phylum
6. Pteridophyta
   common name: Ferns rank: phylum
7. Pinophyta
   common name: Gymnosperms rank: phylum
8. Chordata
   common name: Chordates

Matela (Latitude: 38°41'59"N, Longitude: 27°15'40"W) is located at low-medium altitude (300-400 m.a.s.l.) inland of Terceira Island, the third biggest island of the Azorean archipelago (about 400 km2).