Islands harbour evolutionary and ecologically unique biota, which are currently disproportionately threatened by a multitude of anthropogenic factors, including habitat loss, 2568 Biodivers Conserv (2018) 27:2567-2586 1 3 invasive species and climate change. Native forests on oceanic islands are important refugia for endemic species, many of which are rare and highly threatened. Long-term monitoring schemes for those biota and ecosystems are urgently needed: (i) to provide quantitative baselines for detecting changes within island ecosystems, (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management actions, and (iii) to identify general ecological patterns and processes using multiple island systems as repeated 'natural experiments'. In this contribution, we call for a Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS) for monitoring the remaining native island forests, using bryophytes, vascular plants, selected groups of arthropods and vertebrates as model taxa. As a basis for the GIMS, we also present new, optimized monitoring protocols for bryophytes and arthropods that were developed based on former standardized inventory protocols. Effective inventorying and monitoring of native island forests will require: (i) permanent plots covering diverse ecological gradients (e.g. elevation, age of terrain, anthropogenic disturbance); (ii) a multiple-taxa approach that is based on standardized and replicable protocols; (iii) a common set of indicator taxa and community properties that are indicative of native island forests' welfare, building on, and harmonized with existing sampling and monitoring efforts; (iv) capacity building and training of local researchers, collaboration and continuous dialogue with local stakeholders; and (v) long-term commitment by funding agencies to maintain a global network of native island forest monitoring plots.

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Oceanic islands face very serious environmental issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and proliferation of invasive alien species. The Island Ecological Structure (IES) includes the key natural resources, biophysical functions and ecological processes within this territorial unit, in order to ensure the existence of a continuum naturale across the island. The delimitation of the IES shall consider the many inter-relationships between all biophysical and cultural variables, contributing therefore to a better understanding of the socio-ecological system. This paper presents a methodological proposal for mapping IES. A case-study based on consistent biophysical and land policy criteria was conducted for S. Miguel Island (Archipelago of the Azores, Portugal). The results have showed that the Island Ecological Structure covers about 75% of its total area. The land use conflictive areas within the Island Ecological Structure (21%) have also been identified and should be addressed by Land Management Plans in order to minimize the conflict effects.

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