Teixeira, E.S.N., Costa, T.D., Vieira, V., Gouveia, C. & Borges, P.A.V. (2026). LIFE Natura@night baseline dataset of nocturnal terrestrial arthropods from Madeira Island, Portugal. Version 1.1. Universidade dos Açores. Samplingevent dataset. DOI: 10.15468/kdfdga
This dataset compiles standardized occurrence records of nocturnal terrestrial arthropods collected across Natura 2000 protected areas of Madeira Island (Portugal) during 2022 and 2023 under the LIFE Natura@night project. Sampling followed a spatially replicated design using portable UV Heath light traps complemented by winerope bait traps to maximize the detection of nocturnal taxa with different attraction behaviours. The survey comprised 47 sampling sites distributed across a broad range of habitats, including Laurissilva native forest, mixed and exotic forests, agricultural landscapes and coastal ecosystems, resulting in 134 sampling events. The dataset includes 1,939 occurrence records representing 11,885 individuals, in which 6,027 individuals were identified to species or subspecies (S = 202) from a wide range of arthropod groups, with Lepidoptera constituting the richest and most abundant order. All records are georeferenced and associated with standardized event metadata and environmental descriptors, including artificial light at night (ALAN), providing one of the first comprehensive baselines for assessing the effects of light pollution on nocturnal arthropod communities in Macaronesia. This openly available dataset represents an important resource for biodiversity monitoring, ecological research, and conservation planning in island ecosystems and establishes a robust baseline for future long-term assessments of nocturnal arthropod diversity under global change.
