Corresponding author: Fernando P. Lima (
Academic editor: Paulo Borges
The unprecedented rates of current biodiversity loss have motivated a renewed interest in environmental and biodiversity monitoring. The need for sustained monitoring strategies has prompted not only the establisment of new long-term monitoring programmes, but also the rescue of data from historical or otherwise archived sources. Amongst the most valuable datasets are those containing information on intertidal systems, as they are particularly well suited for studying the biological effects of climate change. The Portuguese rocky coast is quite interesting for studying the effects of climate change on the distribution of species due to its geographical orientation, latitudinal patterns in temperature, species richness, species' distribution patterns and availability of historical information. This work aims at providing a comprehensive picture of the distribution and abundance of intertidal macro-invertebrates and macro-algae along the Portuguese rocky coast in the early 2000s.
This study provides a description of the rocky shore intertidal biodiversity of the mainland Portuguese coast in the early 2000s. The spatial distribution and semi-quantitative abundance of a total of 238 taxa were assessed at 49 wave-exposed locations. These data provide a comprehensive baseline against which biodiversity changes can be effectively and objectively evaluated.
Biodiversity is now declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history (
Intertidal systems are well suited for studies focusing on the effects of climate variability and climate change on biodiversity, as they are amongst the most thermally complex environments on Earth (
Stemming from its peculiar geographic, climatic and oceanographic setting, the biogeography of the Portuguese rocky coast is quite interesting and offers exceptional conditions for studying the effects of climate change on the distribution of species. First, the coast is mostly linear with a north-to-south orientation and with a latitudinal gradient in temperature during the winter, from relatively cold water in the north to relatively warm water in the south. In the summer, that latitudinal gradient is often intensified by the effects of coastal upwelling, which brings deep cold water to the surface near the coast, especially in the northern portion of the country (
This work aims at providing a comprehensive picture of the distribution and abundance of intertidal macro-invertebrates and macro-algae along the Portuguese rocky coast in the early 2000s. These data, previously unpublished, may be used for environmental management (e.g. as an aid for the decision processes leading to the establishment of coastal protection areas), in conservation contexts (e.g. for environmental impact assessments studies), in ecological studies (e.g. to better understand the complex relationships between environment and biodiversity) or in climate change studies (since alterations in species distributions may be used as warning signs of the effects of climate change).
Data were collected during the autumns of 2001 and 2002 (Table
Each of the 49 studied locations were extensively surveyed from the splash fringe level in the high intertidal (area of occurrence of littorinids and lichens) to the low fringe level at the low intertidal (area of occurrence of red, green and brown algae, see Fig.
In addition to AlgaeBase (
The steps that led to the final release of the dataset were as follows: (1) In-situ identification of species and attribution of a semi-quantitative abundance SACFOR score; (2) destructive sampling (substrate scraping) at three tidal levels and preservation of samples in formaldehyde; (3) cleaning of formaldehyde, sorting and identification of specimens in the lab; (4) conversion of paper-based records from the field and from the lab into an electronic data format (speadsheets); (5) integration of the field and laboratory datasets into a standardised format; (6) retrieval of missing geographical information, georeferencing of coordinates through Google Earth and general quality control; (7) standardisation of taxonomy against the World Register of Marine Species; (8) export of data as a DarwinCore Archive and (9) generation of dataset-level metadata.
Sampling was done along the three major rocky stretches of the entire coast of mainland Portugal, covering an extension of approximately 700 km from Moledo do Minho to Olhos de Água.
37.021090 and 41.841824 Latitude; -9.486673 and -8.188497 Longitude.
Rank | Scientific Name | |
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kingdom |
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kingdom |
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kingdom |
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kingdom |
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kingdom |
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Open Data Commons Attribution License
Data users are free to share, create and adapt the dataset as long as they adequately attribute (cite) this work.
Intertidal Biodiversity along the Portuguese Coast (2001-2002)
https://doi.org/10.15468/mbg5p3
1
Intertidal Biodiversity along the Portuguese coast (2001-2002)
Darwin Core archive
The data presented in this paper derives from visual and destructive surveys done along the Portuguese coast in the early 2000s. The dataset published in GBIF has the structure of a Sampling event dataset with two data subsets: Events (Core) and Associated occurrences. These data have been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwCA), which is a standardised format for sharing biodiversity data. The Sampling Event (Core) contains 49 records (eventID). The extension data (Associated Occurrences) sheet has 11662 occurrences.
Column label | Column description |
---|---|
eventID | Unique identifier associated with an event |
samplingProtocol | Sampling method used during the event |
samplingEffort | Description of effort during the sampling event |
eventDate | The date of the event |
year | The year of the event |
month | The month of the event |
day | The day of the event |
eventRemarks | Astronomical low tide height during the event |
country | Country where the event took place |
countryCode | The unique code of the country where the event took place |
locationID | An identifier for the location information from Geonames |
decimalLatitude | The geographical latitude of the event |
decimalLongitude | The geographical longitude of the event |
geodeticDatum | The geodetic datum upon which the geographical coordinates are based |
coordinatePrecision | The precision of the coordinates |
coordinateUncertaintyInMetres | The uncertainty of the coordinates, in metres |
type | Type of dataset |
ownerInstitutionCode | Identifier code of the owner institution |
habitat | The habitat in which the event took place |
waterBody | The water body in which the event took place |
rightsHolder | The rights holder of the dataset |
bibliographicCitation | Bibliographic citation of the dataset publication |
occurrenceID | Unique identifier associated with the occurrence of a species |
basisOfRecord | The specific nature of the data record |
organismQuantity | An enumeration value for the quantity of a species |
organismQuantityType | The quantification scale of the quantity of a species |
occurrenceStatus | A statement about the presence or absence of a species in a location |
scientificName | The full scientific name, with authorship and date information, if known |
scientificNameID | Unique identifier of a species, obtained from WoRMS |
kingdom | The full scientific name of the kingdom in which the taxon is classified |
phylum | The full scientific name of the phylum in which the taxon is classified |
class | The full scientific name of the class in which the taxon is classified |
order | The full scientific name of the order in which the taxon is classified |
family | The full scientific name of the family in which the taxon is classified |
genus | The full scientific name of the genus in which the taxon is classified |
specificEpithet | The specific epithet of the species |
taxonRank | The taxonomic rank of the most specific name in scientificName |
recordedBy | Person(s) responsible for sampling the occurrence |
A total of 238 taxa (Table
Fieldwork was financed by our own resources. Laboratory work and initial data processing was mostly funded by Fundação Para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) though the grants SFRH/BD/8730/2002 (FPL) and SFRH/BD/8232/2002 (PAR). Final data curation and manuscript preparation were funded by the research project "ThermalBuffer" under the references POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031088 and PTDC/BIA-BMA/31088/2017. We thank Nuno Queiroz, Sílvia Pereira, Madalena Branco, Alexandra Sá-Pinto and Diana Barbosa for their help during fieldwork.
JP: Data curation and manuscript preparation
PAR: In situ and laboratory identifications, field and laboratory work and manuscript preparation.
AMS: In situ and laboratory identifications, field and laboratory work and manuscript preparation.
CM: Data curation and manuscript preparation.
RS: Data curation and manuscript preparation.
FPL: In situ and laboratory identifications, field and laboratory work, data curation and manuscript preparation.
Study locations along the Portuguese coast (Western Iberia) visited in the years of 2001 and 2002. Location details and sampling dates can be found in Table
Examples of shores and tide levels surveyed in the present study. A - Mindelo, in northern Portugal, B - Santa Cruz, in central Portugal and, C - Dona Ana, in southern Portugal. D - High intertidal at Monte Clérigo, with
A - A team of two people performing the SACFOR survey at Martinhal, B - Substrate scraping in a mussel bed, C - Identification of species in the lab under a stereomicroscope, D -
Names of the locations visited in this study, sampling date, coordinates and low tide height on the day of sampling. Map reference numbers are cross-referenced with Fig.
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1 | Moledo do Minho | 2001-09-19 |
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-1.70 |
2 | Vila Praia de Âncora | 2001-09-20 |
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-1.60 |
3 | Afife | 2002-11-07 |
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-1.58 |
4 | Montedor | 2001-09-20 |
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-1.60 |
5 | Forte da Vigia | 2001-09-19 |
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-1.71 |
6 | Praia Norte | 2002-11-06 |
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-1.69 |
7 | Amorosa | 2002-06-25 |
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-1.24 |
8 | Mindelo | 2001-09-17 |
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-1.57 |
9 | Vila Chã | 2001-09-17 |
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-1.57 |
10 | Labruje | 2002-11-05 |
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-1.69 |
11 | Angeiras | 2002-11-05 |
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-1.69 |
12 | Cabo do Mundo | 2001-09-18 |
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-1.68 |
13 | Homem do Leme | 2001-09-18 |
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-1.68 |
14 | Valadares | 2001-09-16 |
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-1.40 |
15 | Miramar | 2002-11-04 |
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-1.58 |
16 | Aguda | 2001-09-16 |
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-1.40 |
17 | Buarcos | 2002-01-02 |
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-1.44 |
18 | Nazaré | 2001-10-19 |
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-1.48 |
19 | São Martinho do Porto | 2001-10-19 |
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-1.48 |
20 | Baleal | 2001-10-18 |
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-1.59 |
21 | Papoa | 2001-10-18 |
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-1.58 |
22 | São Bernardino | 2002-12-03 |
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-1.42 |
23 | Santa Cruz | 2002-12-04 |
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-1.51 |
24 | São Lourenço | 2002-12-04 |
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-1.50 |
25 | Ericeira | 2001-10-17 |
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-1.59 |
26 | São Julião | 2002-12-04 |
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-1.49 |
27 | Magoito | 2001-10-17 |
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-1.58 |
28 | Adraga | 2002-12-06 |
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-1.40 |
29 | Abano | 2002-12-05 |
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-1.48 |
30 | Cabo raso | 2001-10-16 |
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-1.47 |
31 | Avencas | 2001-10-16 |
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-1.49 |
32 | Cabo Espichel | 2001-12-06 |
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-0.91 |
33 | Portinho da Arrábida | 2002-12-06 |
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-1.39 |
34 | São Torpes | 2002-10-08 |
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-1.63 |
35 | Oliveirinha | 2001-11-17 |
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-1.35 |
36 | Queimado | 2002-10-08 |
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-1.63 |
37 | Vila Nova de Milfontes | 2001-11-17 |
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-1.35 |
38 | Zambujeira do Mar | 2001-11-16 |
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-1.45 |
39 | Vale dos Homens | 2002-10-07 |
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-1.64 |
40 | Monte Clérigo | 2001-11-16 |
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-1.44 |
41 | Arrifana | 2002-10-07 |
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-1.64 |
42 | Castelejo | 2001-11-15 |
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-1.45 |
43 | Martinhal | 2002-10-06 |
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-1.53 |
44 | Ingrina | 2001-11-15 |
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-1.45 |
45 | Praia da Luz | 2001-11-14 |
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-1.38 |
46 | Porto de Mós | 2002-10-06 |
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-1.53 |
47 | Dona Ana | 2001-11-14 |
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-1.38 |
48 | Castelo | 2002-10-05 |
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-1.38 |
49 | Olhos de Água | 2002-10-05 |
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-1.38 |
List of species surveyed, scientifc name ID from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and taxonomic ranks.
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Number of taxa identified per Phylum in each location. A -
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Moledo do Minho | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 33 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 76 |
Vila Praia de Âncora | 3 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 40 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 89 |
Afife | 3 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 32 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 85 |
Montedor | 6 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 26 | 3 | 41 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 121 |
Forte da Vigia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 49 |
Praia Norte | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 44 |
Amorosa | 4 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 29 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 81 |
Mindelo | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 34 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 72 |
Vila Chã | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 37 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 73 |
Labruje | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 60 |
Angeiras | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 65 |
Cabo do Mundo | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 58 |
Homem do Leme | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 66 |
Valadares | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 26 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
Miramar | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
Aguda | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 68 |
Buarcos | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 53 |
Nazaré | 1 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 84 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 144 |
São Martinho do Porto | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 26 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 61 |
Baleal | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 43 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 88 |
Papoa | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 49 |
São Bernardino | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 45 |
Santa Cruz | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 44 |
São Lourenço | 6 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 66 |
Ericeira | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 30 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
São Julião | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
Magoito | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 48 |
Adraga | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
Abano | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 |
Cabo raso | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 37 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 75 |
Avencas | 2 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 69 |
Cabo Espichel | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
Portinho da Arrábida | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 55 |
São Torpes | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 29 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 69 |
Oliveirinha | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 29 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 65 |
Queimado | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 23 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 70 |
Vila Nova de Milfontes | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 28 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 56 |
Zambujeira do Mar | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 37 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 74 |
Vale dos Homens | 6 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 68 |
Monte Clérigo | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 33 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 73 |
Arrifana | 8 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 25 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 69 |
Castelejo | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 38 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 74 |
Martinhal | 3 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 19 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 69 |
Ingrina | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 32 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 70 |
Praia da Luz | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 23 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 60 |
Porto de Mós | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 62 |
Dona Ana | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 24 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 52 |
Castelo | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 26 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
Olhos de Água | 5 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 58 |