Summary

LAST-ISLANDS will test whether exotic and transitional forest patches in the Azores act as viable refuges, temporary ecological sinks, or early-warning signals of extinction debt for legacy taxa: endemic and native species that persist outside their original native habitats after six centuries of land-use transformation in Azores. The project builds on recent evidence from Terceira showing that some lowland and mid-elevation exotic forests can harbour indigenous arthropods, including rare endemics, but that long-term viability remains uncertain. Using Terceira as a calibrated reference system and expanding field sampling across São Miguel, Santa Maria, São Jorge, Pico and Flores, LAST-ISLANDS will integrate landscape ecology, standardised multi-taxon monitoring, taxonomic and trait data, targeted population genetics and predictive modelling. Core taxa will be Araneae, Coleoptera and bryophytes, selected for their ecological relevance, conservation value, available baselines and complementary responses to habitat transformation. The project will identify which landscape configurations, microhabitats and species traits favour persistence in exotic or transitional forests; distinguish connected refugial populations from isolated relicts; and produce spatial decision-support outputs for restoration and connectivity planning. Results will be delivered through open FAIR datasets, peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, restoration-priority maps, and a public exhibition on hidden biodiversity survivors in human-modified island landscapes. By linking monitoring, restoration planning and public engagement, LAST-ISLANDS will provide actionable evidence for biodiversity conservation in Portugal and a transferable framework for oceanic islands facing ecological transition.

Funding Institution

Fundação Belmiro de Azevedo

Partners