Abstract
This Data Descriptor provides a harmonised biodiversity data compilation derived from 149 datasets collected between 2006 and 2023 during environmental impact assessment and ecological monitoring of two hydroelectric developments in Portugal. The input datasets were collected under standardised field protocols and curated jointly by private consultants, academic institutions and two successive dam operators (EDP and Movhera). Datasets were standardised to Darwin Core and published on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Their validated records were harmonised across datasets into a single compilation accessible as a citable GBIF occurrence download. Overall, the compiled dataset contains 1,989,401 biodiversity records, including occurrence and abundance data for nearly 3,800 taxa from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems spanning six biological kingdoms. Here we detail the spatial, temporal and taxonomic coverage of the compilation, the workflow used for data harmonisation and quality control, and the structure of the published files. The dataset supports research on hydropower impacts, long-term biodiversity trends and conservation planning, and illustrates a practical model for transparent biodiversity data sharing by the private sector.
Data availability
The compiled occurrence download described in this Data Descriptor is openly available through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) as a Darwin Core Archive, cited in the References as Múrias et al. (2025). The 149 input monitoring datasets that underpin this compilation are also accessible via GBIF using the dataset DOIs listed in Supplementary Table 1. Updates to the input datasets will be reflected on their respective GBIF landing pages. To obtain a compilation that reflects any later updates, users should generate a new GBIF occurrence download from the same set of source datasets (which will result in a new download DOI).
Code availability
No custom code was generated for this work.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank EDP and Movhera for embracing the challenge of making publicly available the extensive biodiversity data collected as part of the AHBS and AHFT hydroelectric projects. Special appreciation is extended to all field personnel involved in data collection, as well as to the various institutional coordinators who provided continuous support, clarification, and prompt responses throughout the data curation process. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Professor José Vítor Vingada, who coordinated the fieldwork on fish and terrestrial mammals (including wolf, otter, and Iberian desman) during the first phase of the AHBS project (2008–2014), and who passed away prematurely in March 2019. This work was supported by EDP – Energias de Portugal, S.A., and Movhera – Hidroelétricas do Norte, S.A. The work also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 857251 (BIOPOLIS Teaming project).
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T.M. led the conceptualization of the study, coordinated data curation activities, and contributed to writing the manuscript. J.M. and V.B. were responsible for the overall project framework and management on behalf of EDP and Movhera, respectively, including coordination with institutional stakeholders. R.F. contributed to the conceptualization of the data publication strategy and supported data standardization and curation in alignment with GBIF protocols. P.B. oversaw the scientific design and supervision of the biodiversity monitoring programs and contributed to data structuring and validation, as well as to the writing of the manuscript. All authors read, revised, and approved the final manuscript.
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Múrias, T., Figueira, R., Madeira, J. et al. Long-term biodiversity monitoring data from two hydroelectric dam projects in northeast Portugal, 2006–2023.
Sci Data (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-06636-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-06636-2
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