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Background: Here we present the data obtained from the samples collected as part of a large research project (MACDIV) which aims at understanding the drivers of spider (Araneae) community assembly in Macaronesian islands. To obtain the data, we applied the sampling protocol COBRA (Conservation Oriented Biodiversity Rapid Assessment), in twelve 50 m x 50 m native forest plots and five dry habitat plots on the island of Madeiraand in 5 dry habitat plots on the island of Porto Santo. Through this publication, we contribute to the knowledge of the arachnofauna of the Madeiran archipelago. New information: From the samples that we collected, we obtained a total of 14,902 specimens, of which 49% were adults (7,263). We identified these specimens to 87 species and 18 morphospecies (undescribed), belonging to 26 families. Species of the family Linyphiidae dominated the samples, with 24 (morpho)species. Out of the 105 recorded (morpho)species, 34 were endemic, 26 native non-endemic, 22 introduced and 23 species of unknown origin. We report seven new records of possibly recently introduced species in the Madeiran archipelago. We also present 21 new records for Madeira island and 32 for Porto Santo (33 for the whole archipelago). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background During the LIFE-CWR project "Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Praia da Vitória Coastal Wet Green Infrastructures", there was the opportunity to undertake a systematic record of bryophytes at Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP), three coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal). The objective of the study was to perform a biodiversity assessment, comparing the three sites at two different moments, before and after the implementation of several conservation measures. This project also contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean bryophyte diversity at both local and regional scales, including the recording of two new taxa for the Azores and three new taxa for Terceira Island. New information This paper reports the results of the first extensive survey of bryophyes of the three coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal). The identification of a total of 504 samples, 240 collected in 2013 and 2016 (before the LIFE-CWR intervention) and 265 in 2017 and 2018 (after the intervention), resulted in a list of 58 species of bryophytes (one hornwort, eight liverworts and 48 mosses). These include two new records for the Azores (Bryum klinggraeffii, Ptychostomum bornholmense), three new records for Terceira Island (Bryum tenuisetum, Dicranella howei, Trichostomum crispulum) and at least 15 new records for the municipality of Praia da Vitória (e.g., Cephaloziella hampeana). Some species that had not been recorded on the island since 1937 (e.g., Fissidens crispus) were collected during this study, as well as a Macaronesian endemic liverwort (Radula wichurae), an Iberian-Macaronesian liverwort (Frullania azorica) and a moss species with European distribution (Ptychomitrium nigrescens). From the recorded species, only one moss (Leptophascum leptophyllum), of subtropical origin, is considered invasive in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The data presented here come from samples collected as part of two recent research projects (NETBIOME - ISLANDBIODIV and FCT - MACDIV) which aimed at understanding the drivers of community assembly in Macaronesian islands. We applied the sampling protocol COBRA (Conservation Oriented Biodiversity Rapid Assessment, Cardoso 2009) in sixteen 50 m x 50 m native forest plots in the Azorean Islands of Pico (6 plots) and Terceira (10 plots) to assess spider diversity. Through this publication, we contribute to the knowledge of the arachnofauna of the Azores and, more specifically, to that of the islands of Pico and Terceira. New information The collected samples yielded 8,789 specimens, of which 45% were adults (3,970) belonging to 13 families, 36 species and three morphospecies that have yet to be described. Species of the family Linyphiidae dominated the samples, with 17 species and two morphospecies that have yet to be described (48% of the taxa). Out of the identified (morpho)species, 16 were introduced, 13 Azorean endemic (three of which were undescribed) and seven native (five of them Macaronesian endemics). We report the first record of the introduced species Haplodrassus signifer and Agyneta decora in Pico Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background During a LIFE research project aiming at the implementation of the conservation of the habitats and restoration of coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal), there was the opportunity undertake a systematic record of several groups of arthropods in three wetland areas: Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP). The objective of the study was to perform a rapid biodiversity assessment, comparing the three sites in two different years, before and after the implementation of several conservation measures. This project also contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean arthropod diversity at both local and regional scales, including new taxa for Terceira island and new records for Azores. Taking into consideration those aims, a set of standardised sampling methods were performed, inspired by the COBRA protocol originally developed for spiders. New information A total of 15,810 specimens belonging to 216 arthropod species and subspecies were collected. Beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera) and spiders (Araneae) dominated, with 81 and 51 taxa, respectively. Two beetle families dominated, Staphylinidae and Curculionidae with, respectively, 22 and 17 species and subspecies. Exotic species were also dominant (132 species and subspecies), the Azorean endemics being restricted to only eight taxa. The remaining 76 species and subspecies are native non-endemic. Two rare endemic species were found with relatively sustainable populations, the Azores Cone-head Conocephalus chavesi (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) and the true weevil Drouetius oceanicus oceanicus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). A total of six species are novel for the Azores, five exotic ( Bledius unicornis, Carpelimus zealandicus, Oenopia doublieri, Sitona hispidulus, Trichiusa immigrata) and one possibly native (Pyrrhocoris apterus). An additional 15 taxa are novel for Terceira island, ten exotic (Cheiracanthium mildei, Cylindroiulus latestriatus, Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis, Nemobius sylvestris, Pissodes castaneus, Psyllipsocus ramburi, Trachyzelotes lyonneti, Trigonnidium cicindeloides, Tychius cuprifer, Zelotes tenuis ) and five native (Aegialia arenaria, Oxypoda lurida, Platycleis sabulosa, Plinthisus brevipennis, Tachyura diabrachys). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Light traps are used to make inferences about local macro-moth communities, but very little is known about the efficiency with which they attract moths from varying distances, and how this may differ among families. 2. We released 731 marked individuals, from three of the most common and species-rich macro-moth families, at several distances from low-wattage actinic light traps in open and woodland habitat. 3. Logistic regression showed family-specific sampling areas: erebids were attracted from up to 27 m, geometrids from up to 23 m, and noctuids from up to 10 m from the light source, with these distances corresponding to a 5% recapture rate. Sampling size was also family-specific: a maximum of 55% of erebids, 15% of geometrids, and 10% of noctuids were predicted to be trapped when flying near (0-1 m) light traps. 4. Our study demonstrates that weak light traps: (i) have remarkably local sampling ranges, resulting in samples that are highly representative of the local habitat, and (ii) attract small, and family-specific proportions of individuals within these ranges. 5. We suggest that the local sampling ranges of weak light traps make them excellent tools to monitor nocturnal macro-moth communities. As trap efficiency differs among macro-moth families, care must be taken in relating the abundance of the sample to absolute local abundance. Frequent sampling can provide adequate data on relative temporal change in the local macro-moth fauna, however. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A key element in designing surveys to assess populations and assemblages of fish is to understand their spatial and temporal scales of variation. As part of a strategy to develop fishery-independent surveys, a pilot experiment was done in two coastal lakes in south-eastern Australia to examine scales of spatial variation among assemblages of fish caught in multi-mesh gillnets. A hierarchical, nested sampling design measured spatial variation among zones (2–20km apart), sites within zones (1km apart) and replicate gillnets at each site (50–100m apart), in shallow and deep habitats. Assemblages differed between lakes. In both lakes, most species were caught in greater numbers in shallow samples, which had greater proportions of small fish of some species. Spatial variation in uni- and multivariate analyses was greatest at the smallest spatial scale (i.e. among replicates), which was consistent across species, depths and lakes. Variation among samples was also generally greater among sites than zones. It would be unnecessary to include the scale of zones in future sampling and more effort should be placed on sampling replicate nets and sites within lakes. The importance of doing pilot experiments and their general applicability to designing surveys of fisheries resources is illustrated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: During a LIFE research project aiming at the implementation of the conservation of the habitats and restoration of coastal wetland areas of Praia da Vitória (Terceira, Azores, Portugal), there was the opportunity undertake a systematic record of several groups of arthropods in three wetland areas: Paul da Praia da Vitória (PPV), Paul do Belo Jardim (PBJ) and Paul da Pedreira do Cabo da Praia (PPCP). The objective of the study was to perform a rapid biodiversity assessment, comparing the three sites in two different years, before and after the implementation of several conservation measures. This project also contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean arthropod diversity at both local and regional scales, including new taxa for Terceira island and new records for Azores. Taking into consideration those aims, a set of standardised sampling methods were performed, inspired by the COBRA protocol originally developed for spiders., New Information: A total of 15,810 specimens belonging to 216 arthropod species and subspecies were collected. Beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera) and spiders (Araneae) dominated, with 81 and 51 taxa, respectively. Two beetle families dominated, Staphylinidae and Curculionidae with, respectively, 22 and 17 species and subspecies. Exotic species were also dominant (132 species and subspecies), the Azorean endemics being restricted to only eight taxa. The remaining 76 species and subspecies are native non-endemic. Two rare endemic species were found with relatively sustainable populations, the Azores Cone-head Conocephalus chavesi (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) and the true weevil Drouetius oceanicus oceanicus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). A total of six species are novel for the Azores, five exotic ( Bledius unicornis, Carpelimus zealandicus, Oenopia doublieri, Sitona hispidulus, Trichiusa immigrata ) and one possibly native ( Pyrrhocoris apterus ). An additional 15 taxa are novel for Terceira island, ten exotic ( Cheiracanthium mildei , Cylindroiulus latestriatus , Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis, Nemobius sylvestris , Pissodes castaneus , Psyllipsocus ramburi , Trachyzelotes lyonneti , Trigonnidium cicindeloides , Tychius cuprifer , Zelotes tenuis ) and five native ( Aegialia arenaria , Oxypoda lurida , Platycleis sabulosa , Plinthisus brevipennis , Tachyura diabrachys ).