Monitoring Arthropods in Azorean Agroecosystems: the project AGRO-ECOSERVICES

Paulo A V Borges; Rui Nunes; Lucas Lamelas-López; Enésima Pereira; Ricardo Costa; Paulo Monjardino; David H Lopes; António Onofre Soares; Artur Gil; François Rigal; Marco Ferrante; Gabor L Lövei

doi:10.3897/BDJ.9.e77548

Monitoring Arthropods in Azorean Agroecosystems: the project AGRO-ECOSERVICES

Biodivers Data J. 2021 Dec 9:9:e77548. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.9.e77548. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/ Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/ Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.
² CBA - Biotechnology Centre of Azores, University of Azores, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Rua Capitão João D'Avila, 9701-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal CBA - Biotechnology Centre of Azores, University of Azores, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Rua Capitão João D'Avila, 9701-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.
³ cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/ Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, 9500-321, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/ Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Azores Portugal.
⁴ IVAR - Research Institute in Volcanology and Risk Assessment | University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal IVAR - Research Institute in Volcanology and Risk Assessment | University of the Azores Ponta Delgada, Azores Portugal.
⁵ CNRS - Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, E2S, UMR 5254, BP, Pau Cedex, Pau, France CNRS - Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux, E2S, UMR 5254, BP, Pau Cedex Pau France.
⁶ Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Flakkebjerg Research Centre, Forsoegsvej 1, DK-4200, Slagelse, Denmark Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Flakkebjerg Research Centre, Forsoegsvej 1, DK-4200 Slagelse Denmark.

Abstract

Background: The data we present are part of the AGRO-ECOSERVICES project (Assessing ecosystem services and disservices provided by arthropod species in Azorean agroecosystems). The project aims to evaluate the relative importance of native and non-native organisms as ecosystem services (ES) and disservices (ED) providers, by combining novel, direct and quantitative tools for monitoring agro-biodiversity. Ecosystem services include evaluation of natural pest control by predation, seed predation on weed plants, pollination, decomposition and ecosystem disservices, herbivory and seed predation on crop plants. Active Aerial Searching (AAS) (only in maize-fields) and pitfall traps were used to sample the arthropod biodiversity (predatory spiders, true-bugs and beetles and main insect pests) on four agricultural habitats of Terceira Island, namely citrus orchards, low and high elevation maize fields and vineyards.

New information: We provided an inventory of all arthropods recorded in four Azorean agroecosystems (citrus orchards, low and high elevation maize fields and vineyards) from Terceira Island. A total of 50412 specimens were collected, belonging to four classes, 20 orders, 81 families and 200 identified species of arthropods. A total of 127 species are considered introduced (n = 22646) and 69 native non-endemic (n = 24117). Four endemic species were recorded with very few specimens (n = 14) and 3635 specimens belong to unidentified taxa recorded only at genus or family level. Five species are new records for Terceira Island, with Lagriahirta (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) being also a new record for the Azores. This publication contributes to a better knowledge of the arthropods communities present in agro-ecosystems of Terceira Island and will serve as a baseline for future monitoring schemes targeting the long-term change in arthropod diversity and abundance.

Keywords: Active Aerial Searching (AAS); Macaronesia; citrus; dataset; invertebrates; island diversity; maize; occurrence; orchards; pitfall traps; vineyards..

Paulo A. V. Borges, Rui Nunes, Lucas Lamelas-López, Enésima Pereira, Ricardo Costa, Paulo Monjardino, David H. Lopes, António Onofre Soares, Artur Gil, François Rigal, Marco Ferrante, Gabor L. Lövei.

Grants and funding

FEDER (European Regional Development Fund) in 85% and by Azorean Public funds by 15% through Operational Program Azores 2020, under the project AGRO-ECOSERVICES (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000073)