09-10-2026

A project led by the Gaspar Frutuoso Foundation and the University of the Azores has received up to 300,000 euros in funding from the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation and will study, over a three-year period, the persistence of native and endemic species in exotic forests and transitioning habitats on various islands in the Azores.
Ponta Delgada, September 2026 – When a rare species persists in a forest altered by humans, does that mean it has found a lasting refuge, or that its population is on the verge of disappearing? This is one of the central questions of LASTISLANDS – Legacy tAxa Survivors in Transitional ISLAND Systems, a scientific project that launched in the Azores on September 30 and aims to understand the conditions under which native and endemic species are able to persist in exotic forests and other transitional habitats.
The project is led by the Azores Biodiversity Group at the University of the Azores, part of CE3C—the Center for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Change—and coordinated by researcher Paulo Borges. With a duration of 36 months, LASTISLANDS receives financial support of up to 300,000 euros from the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation, through a collaboration agreement with the Gaspar Frutuoso Foundation and the University of the Azores.

LAST-ISLANDS addresses a question with direct implications for biodiversity conservation: Can exotic forests and transitional habitats serve as true refuges for native species, or are they merely preserving remnant populations that may disappear in the future? The project aims to distinguish between populations capable of persistence and isolated populations that may be subject to what is known as an “extinction debt.”
The research will draw on existing data concentrated on Terceira Island and will be expanded to the islands of São Miguel, Santa Maria, São Jorge, Pico, and Flores, covering different contexts of exotic forests and transition habitats. The study will pay particular attention to spiders, beetles, and bryophytes—such as mosses—by integrating ecological, landscape, taxonomic, and genetic data.

Throughout the project, the team will seek to identify which landscape and habitat characteristics favor the persistence of these species and assess the role of factors such as the size and connectivity of forest patches, vegetation structure, moisture, and proximity to areas of native forest. The results will be used to develop decision-support models and maps capable of identifying areas where restoration, ecological connectivity, or monitoring may be priorities. In addition to scientific output, LAST-ISLANDS plans to make data available via open access, publish scientific papers, issue conservation recommendations, and host an exhibition dedicated to the “hidden” biodiversity that persists in the transformed landscapes of the Azores.

The project thus aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity in the Azores and to provide scientific evidence to support future conservation decisions, particularly in habitat management, ecological restoration, and the enhancement of connectivity between natural areas.

 02-10-2026

Candidaturas abertas até 12 de outubro

Nem todos os projetos começam no laboratório. Alguns começam com quem decide fazer parte deles.

A Fundação Gaspar Frutuoso tem aberta uma oportunidade de estágio ao abrigo do Programa Estagiar L, para integração no seu Gabinete de Projetos.

A oportunidade permite desenvolver experiência numa área diretamente ligada à gestão e acompanhamento de projetos de investigação e I&D, proporcionando contato com diferentes fases do ciclo de vida dos projetos, desde a preparação de candidaturas ao acompanhamento da sua execução.

No âmbito do estágio, a pessoa selecionada irá apoiar as atividades do Gabinete de Projetos, nomeadamente:

• Apoio na submissão de candidaturas a projetos de investigação;
• Acompanhamento físico e financeiro de projetos de investigação;
• Submissão de pedidos de pagamento às respetivas entidades financiadoras dos projetos de I&D;
• Apoio ao Conselho Diretivo na gestão e promoção de projetos de investigação e desenvolvimento;
• Apoio à gestão documental, material e financeira do Gabinete e dos projetos;
• Acompanhamento diário das atividades do Gabinete de Projetos, incluindo o atendimento ao público.

A experiência permitirá um contacto próximo com os processos de gestão de projetos de investigação, financiamento e apoio à atividade científica, num contexto institucional ligado à Universidade dos Açores e ao desenvolvimento de projetos de I&D.

As candidaturas encontram-se abertas até 12 de outubro, ao abrigo do Programa Estagiar L.

👉 Consulta a oferta disponível na plataforma Emprego Jovem e candidata-te.

O próximo projeto pode começar contigo.

 02-10-2026

On September 29, the University of the Azores welcomed a delegation from the European Commission to its Angra do Heroísmo Campus as part of a visit dedicated to presenting research projects and equipment supported by the Azores 2030 Program.

During the visit, the BioMUST4All project and the PORBIOTA equipment were presented, providing an opportunity to highlight the main results achieved and demonstrate how investment in science and innovation contributes to knowledge and the enhancement of the Azores’ natural heritage.

The visit also provided an opportunity to highlight the complementarity among different research projects and infrastructures, as well as their capacity to generate knowledge and support responses to challenges related to biodiversity and the region’s sustainability.

Biodiversity is of strategic importance to the Azores, not only as natural heritage to be preserved but also as a resource with the potential to contribute to the region’s economic and social development. In this context, scientific research plays a fundamental role in generating knowledge, monitoring natural resources, and creating solutions that allow for the harmonization of resource utilization with their preservation.

The visit thus helped bridge the gap between science, public policy, and the local community, highlighting the impact of European investments on research conducted in the Azores and their contribution to more sustainable regional development.

The initiative included a presentation of the projects and their results to the visiting delegations, and also provided an opportunity to interact with the teams and infrastructure involved.