Azorean Biodiversity Portal

Paulo A. V. Borges; Rosalina Gabriel; Ana Maria Arroz; Ana Costa; Regina Cunha; Luís Silva; Enesima Pereira; António Frias Martins; Francisco Reis; Pedro Cardoso

doi:10.15468/j0iceo

Azorean Biodiversity Portal

Citation

Borges P A V, Gabriel R, Arroz A M, Costa A, Cunha R, Silva L, Pereira E, Martins A F, Reis F, Cardoso P (2023). Azorean Biodiversity Portal. Version 1.2. Universidade dos Açores. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/j0iceo accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-14.

Description

The University of Azores hosts the Azores Bioportal (http://azoresbioportal.uac.pt/) a regional E-Infrastructure. The Azorean Biodiversity Portal (ABP) is an e-infrastructure now associated with Portuguese PORBIOTA and LIFEWATCH. The ABP is a key e-infrastructure for the integrated management of biodiversity data of the Azores, providing a large number of specialized services supporting research, policy and education. The 3000 visits per day, the numerous international scientific collaborations, resulting in publications and academic thesis, and the connection with other prestigious databases demonstrate the Portal’s scientific quality as well as its general appeal. Several Natural History Collections are also managed by University of Azores, namely of Algae, Bryophytes, Vascular Plants, Molluscs and Arthropods.The Azorean Biodiversity Portal shares all the information available on the biodiversity of the Azores, one of the five Macaronesian archipelagos (the other being Madeira, Salvage Islands, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde). Macaronesia is recognized as an important part of the Mediterranean hotspot of biodiversity; however, a comprehensive systematic revision of its biodiversity was still lacking at the end of the 20th century. Based in two European INTERREG IIIB projects, an unprecedented collaboration of more than 200 taxonomists and other scientists resulted in accurate and comprehensive lists of terrestrial species in the Canary Islands (Izquierdo et al., 2001, 2004; Moro et al., 2003), Cape Verde (Arechavaleta et al., 2005), the Azores (Borges et al., 2005b, 2010) and Madeira–Selvagens (Borges et al., 2008). This unique collaboration was fundamental for creating the baseline taxonomic information for the ABP, updating the taxonomic information, listing synonyms.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

This study covers the Archipelago of Azores, including the marine area.

Sampling

Data input is complex and requires interpretation and validation by experts at two levels: (i) taxonomic validation, where synonyms are traced and accepted species names are updated (see Borges et al., 2005b, 2010), and (ii) occurrence data evaluation, where each record is classified as secure or doubtful according to the reliability of the source and where the precision of the distribution is qualified (1=very precise locations, usually point UTM data; 2=localities not exceeding 25 km2; 3=imprecise localities; and 4=island occurrence [generally old publications]). All records are linked to the year of observation or collection of the species. Each record has a bibliographic reference attached to it, i.e papers, other publications, expert remarks, etc. All data digitization was performed during 5 years (2004–2008) by five specially trained technicians (i.e. 300 hours per person/month) supported by research grants from the EU INTERREG IIIB and the Azorean Government (Director of the Environment).

Quality Control

The dataset included regional experts on each taxonomic group, all data were strictly checked for taxonomic correct-ness (e.g. misidentifications, synonymies) and geographical inaccuracies and errors were corrected (e.g. spelling errors, wrong labels).

Method steps

The data in this occurrence dataset has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The dataset table contains 2408695 records.

Taxonomic Coverages

Lichens, bryophytes, vascular plants, molluscs, arthropods, vertebrates and coastal invertebrates of the Azores archipelago (Portugal, North Atlantic):

Animalia
rank: kingdom
Annelida
rank: phylum
Arthropoda
rank: phylum
Chordata
rank: phylum
Cnidaria
rank: phylum
Echinodermata
rank: phylum
Mollusca
rank: phylum
Nematoda
rank: phylum
Porifera
rank: phylum
Funghi
rank: kingdom
Ascomycota
rank: phylum
Basidiomycota
rank: phylum
Deuteromycotas
rank: phylum
Plantae
rank: kingdom
Anthocerotophyta
rank: phylum
Bryophyta
rank: phylum
Lycopodiophyta
rank: phylum
Magnoliophyta
rank: phylum
Marchantiophyta
rank: phylum
Pinophyta
rank: phylum
Pteridophyta
rank: phylum

Geographic Coverages

The Azorean Biodiversity Portal shares all the information available on the biodiversity of the Azores, one of the five Macaronesian archipelagos (Madeira, Salvage Islands, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde).

Bibliographic Citations

Borges, P.A.V., Gabriel, R., Arroz, A.M., Costa, A., Cunha, R., Silva, L., Mendonça, E., Martins, A.F., Reis, F. and Cardoso, P., 2010. The Azorean Biodiversity Portal: an internet database for regional biodiversity outreach. Systematics and Biodiversity, 8(4), pp.423-434. - DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2010.514306

Contacts

Paulo A. V. Borges
originator
position: Researcher
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Ilha Terceira
PT
Telephone: +351 295 402 200
email: paulo.av.borges@uac.pt
homepage: http://gba.uac.pt/member/paulo-a-v-borges
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8448-7623

Rosalina Gabriel
originator
position: Researcher
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Ilha Terceira
PT
email: rosalina.ma.gabriel@uac.pt
homepage: http://gba.uac.pt/member/rosalina-maria-de-almeida-gabriel
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3550-8010

Ana Maria Arroz
originator
position: Researcher
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute
University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Ilha Terceira
PT
email: ana.mm.arroz@uac.pt
homepage: http://gba.uac.pt/member/ana-margarida-moura-de-oliveira-arroz

Ana Costa
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, CIBIO Azores
Rua Mãe de Deus 13A
Ponta Delgada
9501-801
Ilha de São Miguel
PT
email: ana.cm.costa@uac.pt
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0258-3460

Regina Cunha
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, CIBIO Azores
Rua Mãe de Deus 13A
Ponta Delgada
9501-801
Ilha de São Miguel
PT
email: regina.mp.cunha@uac.pt
userId: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/M-3489-2013

Luís Silva
originator
position: Reseracher
Universidade dos Açores, CIBIO Azores
Rua Mãe de Deus 13A
Ponta Delgada
9501-801
Ilha de São Miguel
PT
email: luis.fd.silva@uac.pt
userId: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/L-7819-2013

Enesima Pereira
originator
position: Researcher
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Ilha Terceira
PT
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2541-7932

António Frias Martins
originator
position: Reseracher
Universidade dos Açores, CIBIO Azores
Rua Mãe de Deus 13A
Ponta Delgada
9501-801
Ilha de São Miguel
PT
email: Antonio.mf.martins@uac.pt
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5358-8424

Francisco Reis
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores
Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Ilha Terceira
PT
email: vieirareis@uac.pt

Pedro Cardoso
originator
position: Researcher
University of Helsinki
P.O. Box 33 (Yliopistonkatu 4) 00014
Helsinki
00014
FI
email: pedro.cardoso@helsinki.fi
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8119-9960

Paulo A. V. Borges
metadata author
position: Researcher
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Ilha Terceira
PT
Telephone: +351 295 402 200
email: paulo.av.borges@uac.pt
homepage: http://gba.uac.pt/member/paulo-a-v-borges
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8448-7623

Paulo A. V. Borges
administrative point of contact
position: Researcher
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
Angra do Heroísmo
9700-042
Ilha Terceira
PT
Telephone: +351 295 402 200
email: paulo.av.borges@uac.pt
homepage: http://gba.uac.pt/member/paulo-a-v-borges
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8448-7623