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Red List of the endemic beetles of Selvagens archipelago : a biodiversity and ecological study to set conservation priorities
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
Oceanic islands are key areas for biodiversity conservation due to their uniqueness, but also because they host high numbers of species classified as threatened of extinction. However, the vast diversity of terrestrial arthropod species on most islands, jointly with the lack of human (e.g. taxonomists) and financial resources, has hindered the extinction risk assessment of most species of this group. The Selvagens archipelago exemplifies this challenge, as its terrestrial arthropod fauna remains largely understudied and is predominantly represented by endemic Coleoptera. This study assesses the extinction risk of 21 endemic beetle species across the three islands of the Selvagens archipelago, with the goal of defining conservation priorities. To this end, we compiled historical data and analyzed preliminary findings from the first long-term monitoring campaigns conducted in the Natural Reserve during 2023 and 2024. Additionally, we investigated potential relationships between species abundance and four plant species to aid in conservation planning. We also identified the key habitats of the islands and their endemic beetle species richness. The assessments present 16 species as non-threatened (14 LC and 2 NT), 3 as threatened (1 VU, 1 CR and 1 CR Possibly extinct) and 2 as DD. Only two endemic beetle species were found on the selected plants, with none occurring on Schizogyne sericea. Among the habitats, the coastline shows a large number of endemic species, being also one of the most menaced due to increasing threats from climate change and marine pollution. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that most species are not facing imminent extinction, but still underscore the presence of threatened species, even in protected sites with little human disturbance. Thus, if we aim to stop biodiversity loss, it is critical to set conservation priorities amongst the native taxa (particularly endemics) to enable the effective allocation of resources for island species conservation.
Descrição
Tese de Mestrado, Ecologia e Gestão Ambiental, 2025, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências
Palavras-chave
Coleoptera Extinction risk Island ecology IUCN Natural Reserve