The MOVECLIM - AZORES project: Bryophytes from Pico Island along an elevation gradient

Rosalina Gabriel; Leila N Morgado; Paulo A V Borges; Márcia C M Coelho; Silvia C Aranda; Débora S G Henriques; Cecília Sérgio; Helena Hespanhol; Fernando Pereira; Manuela Sim-Sim; Claudine Ah-Peng

doi:10.3897/BDJ.12.e117890

The MOVECLIM - AZORES project: Bryophytes from Pico Island along an elevation gradient

Biodivers Data J. 2024 Feb 8:12:e117890. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e117890. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.
² IITAA - Instituto de Investigação e Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Universidade dos Açores. Capitão João d'Ávila street, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal IITAA - Instituto de Investigação e Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Universidade dos Açores. Capitão João d'Ávila street, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo Portugal.
³ IUCN SSC Atlantic Islands Invertebrate Specialist Group, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal IUCN SSC Atlantic Islands Invertebrate Specialist Group, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.
⁴ IUCN SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal IUCN SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.
⁵ Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales Madrid Spain.
⁶ Banco Genético Vegetal Autóctone, Empresa Municipal Cascais Ambiente, Lisboa, Portugal Banco Genético Vegetal Autóctone, Empresa Municipal Cascais Ambiente Lisboa Portugal.
⁷ cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Natural History & Systematics (NHS) CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Lisbon, Portugal cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Natural History & Systematics (NHS) CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute Lisbon Portugal.
⁸ CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado / BIOPOLIS, Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Porto, Portugal CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado / BIOPOLIS, Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão Porto Portugal.
⁹ Sciences Faculty, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal Sciences Faculty, University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal.
¹⁰ UMR PVBMT- Pôle de Protection des Plantes Université de La Réunion, La Réunion, France UMR PVBMT- Pôle de Protection des Plantes Université de La Réunion La Réunion France.

Abstract

Background: In September 2012, a comprehensive survey of Pico Island was conducted along an elevational transect, starting at Manhenha (10 m a.s.l.) and culminating at the Pico Mountain caldera (2200 m a.s.l.). The primary objective was to systematically inventory the bryophytes inhabiting the best-preserved areas of native vegetation environments. Twelve sites were selected, each spaced at 200 m elevation intervals. Within each site, two 10 m x 10 m plots were established in close proximity (10-15 m apart). Within these plots, three 2 m x 2 m quadrats were randomly selected and sampled for bryophytes using microplots measuring 10 cm x 5 cm, which were then collected into paper bags. Six substrates were surveyed in each quadrat: rock, soil, humus, organic matter, tree bark and leaves/fronds. Three replicates were obtained from all substrates available and colonised by bryophytes, resulting in a maximum of 18 microplots per quadrat, 54 microplots per plot, 108 microplots per site, and a total of 1296 microplots across the 12 sites on Pico Island.

New information: Two-thirds of the maximum expected number of microplots (n = 878; 67.75%) were successfully collected, yielding a total of 4896 specimens. The vast majority (n = 4869) were identified at the species/subspecies level. The study identified a total of 70 moss and 71 liverwort species or subspecies. Elevation levels between 600-1000 m a.s.l., particularly in the native forest plots, exhibited both a higher number of microplots and greater species richness. This research significantly enhanced our understanding of Azorean bryophyte diversity and distribution, contributing valuable insights at both local and regional scales. Notably, two new taxa for the Azores were documented during the MOVECLIM study, namely the pleurocarpous mosses Antitrichiacurtipendula and Isotheciuminterludens.

Keywords: Azores; BRYOLAT methodology; Bryoflora; GIMS - Global Island Monitoring Scheme; Pico Island; elevational gradient; liverworts; mosses; substrates.

Rosalina Gabriel, Leila N. Morgado, Paulo A. V. Borges, Márcia C. M. Coelho, Silvia C. Aranda, Débora S. G. Henriques, Cecília Sérgio, Helena Hespanhol, Fernando Pereira, Manuela Sim-Sim, Claudine Ah-Peng.

Grants and funding

This study was financed by ERANET BIOME MOVECLIM – ‘Montane vegetation as listening posts for climate change’ of the regional government of the Azores, grant number M2.1.2/F/04/2011/NET. M.C.M.C. was funded by the FUNDO REGIONAL PARA A CIÊNCIA E TECNOLOGIA (FRCT) of the regional government of the Azores, grant number M3.1.2/F/007/2012. R.G. is currently funded by FCT-UIDB/00329/2020-2024 (Thematic Line 1–integrated ecological assessment of environmental change on biodiversity) and Azores DRCT Pluriannual Funding (M1.1.A/FUNC.UI&D/010/2021-2024).