Research Areas

The Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution has active scientific research in the following areas:

• Macroecology 
  Works in this line of research seek to describe the main patterns of biodiversity and test hypotheses about ecological and evolutionary mechanisms related to the organization of populations and communities at smaller geographic scales. In this sense, projects in this research line have a clearer immediate application in terms of biodiversity conservation, mainly in terms of providing subsidies for conservation programs in a regional and/or national context. In this line of research, more basic projects are also developed describing more general patterns of biodiversity in a more zoological and botanical sense (i.e., focusing on species), including descriptions of new species, phylogenetic relationships, biodiversity shortfalls and behavioral patterns. In a more ecological context, this line includes projects on the structure and dynamics of communities and ecosystems (including patterns of ecological interactions). For operational reasons, it is expected that many of the projects in this line, including one of the PELDs associated with the PPG, have a strong regional insertion and involve the Cerrado biome as a model study system. In a more explicit context of biodiversity conservation, this line includes the most theoretical/methodological projects in terms of new strategies to optimize conservation programs, including definition of red lists and systematic and spatial planning. More importantly, more immediate applications of these theoretical and methodological aspects imply knowledge about public policies and interactions with government agencies and NGOs, so that this line of research makes room for such actions. Teachers: Adriano S. Melo, Joaquin Hortal, Fabricio Villalobos, José Alexandre Diniz-Filho, Levi Carina Terribile, Luis Maurício Bini, Marcus Cianciaruso, Mário Almeida Neto, Luisa Carvalheiro, Matheus Ribeiro, Paulo De Marco Jr., Rafael D. Loyola , Thiago F. Rangel.

• Limnology
  Studies in this line of research use continental aquatic ecosystems as models for describing patterns and testing general ecological theories. Different types of aquatic ecosystems (lotic and lentic) are evaluated in these studies, including those created by human activities (hydroelectric reservoirs, human supply, irrigation or animal watering). In general, different Brazilian hydrographic basins are studied, but there is a focus on basins and regions of the Cerrado biome (especially the floodplain of the Araguaia River). Large-scale spatial and comparative limnology studies are also carried out with contrasting patterns of biodiversity from tropical and temperate environments (particularly because of the interaction between PPG professors and Finnish scientists). Different biological groups, in general, delimited according to habitat use (phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos and fish) are investigated in this line of research. The study approaches used are also diverse, such as observational, experimental and modeling studies, as well as meta-analysis studies. Recently (2018), with the creation of the INCT in Biodiversity Conservation Ecology Evolution (UFG), experiments are being used with greater frequency (eg to study how dispersion affects the structure of communities, the effects of climate change and early indicators of the process of eutrophication). In general, the following concepts and themes are investigated in this line of research: determinants of (spatial and temporal) variation in biodiversity (alpha, beta and gamma diversity), metacommunities, bioindicators and impact of land use and other anthropogenic activities (eg , eutrophication and hydrological regulation) on aquatic communities. Teachers: Luis Maurício Bini, Adriano S. Melo, João Carlos Nabout, Fabricio Teresa, Jascielle Bortolini, Priscilla de Carvalho.

• Molecular Ecology and Evolution
  This line seeks to use the methods of genetics and molecular phylogeny to test hypotheses in ecology and evolution, at different hierarchical levels, ranging from aspects related to population genetic structure at different scales (individuals, places, landscapes and demes) to patterns at phylogeographic scales involving regional-level differences in species or complexes of closely related species. A current highlight in this line of molecular ecology is the integration between molecular approaches to assess genetic differentiation between individuals at a landscape scale, with strong integration with the areas of remote sensing and environmental analysis (also with strong implications for conservation). The PELD in the municipality of Silvania is an example of these applications on a regional scale, associating molecular analysis with landscape ecology techniques. Other areas of action in this line also involve comparative analyzes based on phylogenetic analyzes (usually made from molecular data), which include models of diversification and phenotypic evolution, as well as evaluation of adaptation processes and natural selection explaining differentiation at the population level. Teachers: José Alexandre Diniz Filho, Natan Maciel e Rosane G. Colevatti.

• Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
  Works in this line of research seek to describe the main patterns of biodiversity and test hypotheses about ecological and evolutionary mechanisms related to the organization of populations and communities at smaller geographic scales. In this sense, works in this line have a clearer immediate application in terms of biodiversity conservation, mainly in terms of providing subsidies for conservation programs in a regional and/or national context. In this line of research, more basic projects are also developed describing more general patterns of biodiversity in a more zoological and botanical sense (i.e., focusing on species), including descriptions of new species, phylogenetic relationships and behavioral patterns. In a more ecological context, this line includes projects on the structure and dynamics of communities and ecosystems (including patterns of ecological interactions). For operational reasons, it is expected that many of the projects in this line, including one of the PELDs associated with the PPG, have a strong regional insertion and involve the Cerrado biome as a model study system. In a more explicit context of biodiversity conservation, this line includes the most theoretical/methodological projects in terms of new strategies to optimize conservation programs, including definition of red lists and systematic and spatial planning. More importantly, more immediate applications of these theoretical and methodological aspects imply knowledge about public policies and interactions with government agencies and NGOs, so that this line of research makes room for such actions. Teachers: Daniel Brito, Fausto Nomura, Joaquin Hortal, Marcus Cianciaruso, Mário Almeida Neto, Paulo De Marco Jr., Luisa Carvalheiro, Rafael D. Loyola, Luisa Carvalheiro, Rogério Bastos.