RESEARCH LABORATORIES
RESEARCH LABORATORIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRADUATE PROGRAM
ICB5, UFG, Goiânia, GO
The research projects of graduate students are mainly developed in the following laboratories:
Laboratory of Theoretical Ecology and Synthesis (LETS – ICB5)
Includes approximately 55 m² of space with about six desktop computers, three high-performance workstations (see IT Resources section below), one multifunction printer/scanner, and a Leica stereomicroscope (model MZ12.5). In 2015, 16 workstations and two lab benches were installed to accommodate up to 24 people. There is also a cabinet with books from faculty members associated with the lab.
Team: José Alexandre, Luis Maurício Bini, Thiago Rangel, Adriano Melo.
Laboratory of Herpetology and Animal Behavior (ICB5)
Approx. 39 m², with three internet-connected computers, printers, sound recording equipment for amphibians (TASCAM DAP1, Marantz PMD 222, SONY TCD-D100), portable recorders, directional microphones (Sennheiser ME66, Sony ECM), digital scales, Garmin GPS, calipers (manual and digital), decibel meters, glassware and chemical reagents for fixing and preserving amphibians and reptiles, thermo-hygrometers, and field gear (flashlights, batteries, forceps, and tags). Students have access to key journals such as Amphibia-Reptilia, Copeia, Journal of Herpetology, Herpetologica, Herpetological Review, Herpetological Monographs, Revista Brasileira de Zoologia, and Applied Herpetology.
Team: Rogério P. Bastos and Natan M. Maciel.
Laboratory of Theory, Metacommunities, and Landscape Ecology (ICB5)
Approx. 55 m². Focused on landscape ecology using remote sensing and satellite imagery, multiscale theoretical models, and statistical analysis. Also supports field studies on aquatic organisms (e.g., aquatic insects, adult Odonata, zooplankton, phytoplankton, macrophytes, algae) and terrestrial systems (birds, amphibians, bees). Infrastructure includes three desktop PCs, five laptops, two printers, five stereomicroscopes, tables, and insect collection cabinets. A high-performance computing cluster was recently installed for mathematical modeling and is also used for postgraduate courses in quantitative ecology. The lab hosts a collaborative statistical support group for graduate and undergraduate students.
Team: Paulo De Marco Júnior, Alessandra Bertassoni.
Conservation Biogeography Laboratory – CB-Lab (ICB5)
Equipped for research in global change, ecological niche modeling, conservation planning, and ecosystem service modeling. Includes multiple computers, one laser printer, four workstations, three cabinets, and five desks, within a 55 m² area shared with the Applied Ecology and Conservation Lab.
Team: Rafael Loyola.
Applied Ecology and Conservation Laboratory (ICB5)
Equipped with several computers, a laser printer, one MacPro workstation, cabinets, and desks. Dedicated to computer-based work. Shares its 55 m² space with the CB-Lab.
Team: Daniel Brito.
Community Ecology and Functioning Laboratory (ICB5)
Approx. 55 m². Equipment includes four desktop computers, one MacPro workstation, printer, scanner, two drying ovens, two analytical balances, three digital dynamometers, two pole pruners, and tree climbing gear.
Team: Marcus Vinícius Cianciaruso, Fausto Nomura.
Ecological Interactions and Biodiversity Laboratory – LIEB (ICB1)
30 m². Includes two benches, a sink, refrigerator, desks, two PCs, three laptops, a laser printer, five steel cabinets, one Nikon SMZ1500 stereomicroscope, and three magnifying glasses.
Team: Mário Almeida Neto, Luisa Carvalheiro.
Genetics and Biodiversity Laboratory (ICB1)
Well-equipped for molecular marker (SSR) and DNA sequencing analyses. Equipment includes horizontal/vertical electrophoresis units, gel documentation system, eight thermocyclers, three centrifuges, pH meter, fume hood, two precision balances, tube shakers, heating mantle, shaker incubator, two ovens, and two autoclaves. Located within the Department of General Biology (ICB1).
Team: Mariana Telles, Thannya Nascimento, Rosane G. Collevatti.
Microscopy Laboratory (ICB5)
Approx. 66 m². Designed for identifying and counting small organisms via optical equipment. Includes two phase-contrast microscopes, one light microscope, eleven stereomicroscopes, and one stereomicroscope with a camera lucida. It is a shared facility used by students of various faculty members.
Team: Fausto Nomura.
Macroecology Laboratory (Regional Jataí)
25 m². Equipped for macroecological data analysis: three workstations for ecological modeling, two desktop computers for students, and one laser printer.
Team: Levi Carina Terribile, Matheus de Souza Lima-Ribeiro.
Ecology and Zoology Laboratory (Regional Jataí)
Supports vertebrate and invertebrate zoology research. Includes 4 laptops, 4 desktops, 3 Sony DSCHX200 cameras, 2 Garmin GPS (60csx), 20 Tigrinus camera traps, 1 magnifier, 8 steel cabinets, 160 hook traps, 120 Sherman traps, 2 Bushnell rangefinders, 4 Nikon Monarch binoculars, 4 short-range Motorola radios, mist nets, headlamps, digital scale, Canon EOS 500 camera, and Canon EX 380 flash.
Team: Levi Carina Terribile.
FACILITIES, COMPUTING RESOURCES, AND EXPERIMENTAL AREA IN AQUATIC ECOLOGY
In 2010, Prof. Thiago Rangel, with support from other faculty members, established a high-performance computing cluster in the Laboratory of Theoretical Ecology and Synthesis (LETS), using resources from various grants (CAPES Pro-Equipment, two CNPq Universal grants, CT-INFRA from FINEP, and the Rede Clima/MCTIC). The cluster, currently located on the ground floor of the new ICB5 building, has supported scientific computing needs of faculty and students from the Graduate Program as well as external collaborators.
Researchers from institutions such as UFS, UFSM, UFRJ, UEG, and UFRGS—particularly under the INCT EECBio framework—have used the system, highlighting the central role of the Graduate Program in high-performance computing for ecology and evolution. The cluster offers services such as an RStudio development portal (via cluster.eco.br), access to a UNIX environment via SSH and sFTP for Linux-based software, and a Windows environment via Remote Desktop for Windows-based software. Since 2017, system maintenance has been carried out by DTI fellows from EECBio. Currently, the cluster has 4 faculty members, 21 graduate students, and 5 postdocs registered as users.
In 2018, the system was expanded to 8 cores and 100 nodes, and a container system (lightweight virtual machines) was implemented to facilitate reproducibility and rapid deployment of research software, as well as integration of new machines. The LETS cluster was also integrated with UFG’s Computational Resource Center (CERCOMP), allowing access to two additional nodes with 80 cores and over 70 GB of RAM each. These nodes are standardized to match the Linux configuration of the original cluster and also support RStudio and SSH/sFTP services. This expansion has enhanced support for parallel computing and increased user capacity, totaling 10 nodes and 180 processing cores. An additional storage system with eight 10 TB hard drives was installed to expand data capacity in 2024/2025.
For 2019–2020, an estimated R$ 500,000 was allocated for acquiring equipment, including a high-capacity storage server (NAS) and about 20 new workstations. A smaller computing cluster is also planned for two PPG faculty members based at the Jataí regional campus (Professors Levi Carina and Matheus Lima Ribeiro).
The experimental area used by the Limnology faculty is part of the Aquatic Ecology Working Group under the INCT EECBio. It spans 936 m², with 80 water tanks of 500 liters each, arranged at ground level and individually connected for water inflow and outflow. Each tank has a float valve to maintain water level and an overflow system to prevent spillage. The independence of each tank enables multiple simultaneous experiments.
A 12-meter-long container is being installed to store experimental materials (e.g., reagents, probes, suction pumps). Research focuses on freshwater aquatic organisms and is expected to support 2–4 experimental cycles per year, each addressing different ecological questions. Initial experiments involve microorganisms (algae and zooplankton) and aim to answer questions such as:
i) Early warning signals of algal blooms;
ii) Effects of different dispersal strategies on community structure.
These studies involve researchers from multiple institutions affiliated with EECBio, as well as students from both graduate and undergraduate programs.
Team: Adriano S. Melo, João Carlos Nabout, Fabricio B. Teresa, Renato Bolson Dala Corte.
