Original plant diversity and ecosystems of a small, remote oceanic island (Corvo, Azores): Implications for biodiversity conservation

Research on the remote island of Corvo (Azores) reveals significant gaps in biodiversity knowledge, with evidence suggesting eight local plant extinctions and four species previously classified as 'introduced' actually being native. The study used fossil remains—including pollen, charcoal, macrofossils, diatoms, and sediment geochemistry—to reconstruct pre-colonial ecosystems. Findings indicate that up to 23% of pollen taxa represent extinct or misclassified species, highlighting the dynamic nature of Corvo's environment, which shifted from glacial-era open vegetation to Holocene forests before severe human-induced deforestation. This work addresses critical 'Wallacean' and 'Hookerian' biodiversity knowledge gaps, providing a baseline for conservation efforts on islands with profound anthropogenic disruption.

Connor, S. E., Lewis, T., van Leeuwen, J. F. N., van der Knaap, W. O. (., Schaefer, H., Porch, N., Gomes, A. I., Piva, S. B., Gadd, P., Kuneš, P., Haberle, S. G., Adeleye, M. A., Mariani, M., & Elias, R. B. (2024). Original plant diversity and ecosystems of a small, remote oceanic island (Corvo, Azores): Implications for biodiversity conservation. Biological Conservation, 291, 110512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110512