Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira (Azores, Portugal) and the theoretical implications for biogeography of active volcanic islands

Abstract

Ongoing work shows that species richness patterns on volcanic oceanic islands are shaped by surface area changes driven by longer time scale (>1 ka) geological processes and natural sea level fluctuations. A key question is: what are the rates and magnitudes of the forces driving spatial changes on volcanic oceanic islands which in turn affect evolutionary and biogeographic processes? We quantified the rates of surface−area changes of a whole island resulting from both volcanogenic flows and sea level change over the last glacial−interglacial (GI) cycle (120 ka) for the volcanically active island of Terceira, (Azores, Macaronesia, Portugal). Volcanogenic activity led to incidental but long−lasting surface area expansions by the formation of a new volcanic cone and lava−deltas, whereas sea level changes led to both contractions and expansions of area. The total surface area of Terceira decreased by as much as 24% per time step due to changing sea levels and increased by 37% per time step due to volcanism per time step of 10 ka. However, while sea levels nearly continuously changed the total surface area, volcanic activity only impacted total surface area during two time steps over the past 120 ka. The surface area of the coastal and lowland region (here defined as area <300 m) was affected by sea level change (average change of 11% ƒ 10 ka for 120−0 ka) and intra−volcanic change (average change of 17% ƒ 10 ka for 120−0 ka). We discuss the biogeographic implications of the quantified dynamics, and we argue that surface area change is mainly driven by volcanic processes in the early stages of the island’s life cycle, while during the later stages, area change becomes increasingly affected by sea level dynamics. Both environmental processes may therefore affect biota differently during the life cycle of volcanic oceanic islands.

Full text

Frontiers of Biogeography
t

ReseaRch aRticle
© the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 1
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003
e-ISSN: 1948-6596 https://escholarship.org/uc/fb doi:10.21425/F5FBG45003

Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira (Azores, Portugal) and the
theoretical implications for the biogeography of active volcanic islands.
Kenneth F. Rijsdijk1,* , Simon Buijs2 , Rui Quartau3,4 , Robin Aguilée5 ,
Sietze J. Norder1,6 , Sérgio P. Ávila7,8 , Sara Maria Teixeira de Medeiros9 ,
João Carlos Carreiro Nunes9, Rui Bento Elias10 , Carlos S. Melo4,7,8,9 ,
Paulo Stocchi11 , Stacy Shinneman1 , Erik F. M. Koene12 ,
A.C. (Harry) Seijmonsbergen1 , W. M. (Thijs) de Boer1  and Paulo A. V. Borges6 
1
           
2
 

3
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4
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   
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9       
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1 1
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Highlights
•   


     

 
    



                
     

 

 
   





Abstract






























Keywords:



Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 2
Introduction



  



 




  





   
   


 


  



     



  




  
  


   
    
  

  
  

    




  
  







   

  




   

  

   
 
    


  


  
 


  
  

   

















    
     
  







  





Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 3









      
  
  
   





 
           





Setting




2






  
   
   


   





Geological factors leading to surface area
change







  
   

  





   










    





     




    
  

 
   


  

     
   





   


    








    



   

Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 4
Figure 1.        



     






Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 5


 


Sea level change at Terceira
    
  




   


   

     





    
   


Data and Methods



   





 





  


Figure 2.
     
  




   


Table 1.
Data  Method 




 



 






 


















Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 6




 
2


 













    

  
   






   



   
    
  









   






    


   

       

   
  










   


  


 




   

   




   

Figure 3. 
  








Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 7
Figure 4.



2




Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 8
Results



Volcanogenic change
   
  
  


22
 


 


Figure 5.          

2



2




Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 9
   
   

    







Sea level change


    
    
  



   




    


Combined change
      


22
   
    


2

   

2

2
2




 
 
    
   
    

2

2

2
    
2





 

  

    

2


    



22
Discussion




 


Table 2.

Process 
per 10 ka
Total surface

Total

surface area


surface area



surface area

     
    
    
     
    
    
     
    
    

Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 10
Figure 6.




          







    


Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 11
Table 3.



highest area


  
rates

rates

rates































++  



















++ +












  +


















++ +

Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 12
   
    
    
 
   
  

Implications for the Glacial Sensitive Model
    
2
















highest area


  
rates

rates

rates



























  +
 




















+ 












  +
Table 3.

Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 13


   
   
      




   
 



 
    

   
    


  

   



2

   
  








  
     

 


  
   
   













   


  

  





 

   










 


Biogeographic consequences of intra-island
volcanism


 
   
  
      
    





  












  






2

    
  
    

Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 14

 
  




   







     





           
   


        



Implications for the General Dynamic Model
  



  












    



   





 

   


    


   
 
  


 











   

  
 







   


    
     
    


 
     
2



  
  



  




   


   


Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 15
Acknowledgements

   
   


 
  

  



    








  


  
   
  


Authors Contributions:





Data Accessibility




Supplementary Materials:


 

                         



References
Ali, J.R. (2017) Islands as biological substrates:


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














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
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
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
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
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





Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 16
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



Tarphius
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
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
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
Drosophila
D. setosimentum
and D. ochrobasis



























































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Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 17
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


Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 18
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


Rijsdijk et al. Recent geospatial dynamics of Terceira and theoretic implications
Frontiers of Biogeography 2020, 12.3, e45003 © the authors, CC-BY 4.0 license 19
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