A team of researchers from CE3C (Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes) at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon and the University of the Azores studied for about 20 years 405 arthropod species, including spiders, woodlice, butterflies and dragonflies. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, collected samples and information between 1999 and 2023 at 30 standardized sites distributed across 15 native forest fragments on seven Azorean islands, totaling 30,000 observations.
The results reveal that more than half of the analyzed species (55%) remain stable, 28% show significant declines and 17% are increasing. Of the 405 species studied, 91 are endemic to the Azores. However, seven rare endemic species were not refound over more than 20 years of sampling, being considered probably extinct.
The researchers point out that the observed stability in Azorean native forests may be associated with legal protection and conservation efforts developed in recent decades. Paulo Borges, researcher at CE3C at the University of the Azores and coordinator of the BALA project, stated that "protecting the native forest works, but it is not enough," emphasizing the need to maintain long-term monitoring and act in a targeted manner on the most vulnerable species and habitats.
