The general objective of the Graduate Program in Ecology at UNICAMP (PPG-Ecology) is to train Masters and PhD’s with in-depth knowledge of ecology and of how ecological science is inserted in, and subsidizes social and economic development.
Biodiversity, Conservation, and Environmental Change
The objective of this line of research is to provide a broad and rigorous knowledge about Brazilian biodiversity, the threats it faces, and how to best preserve biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services. Furthermore, it aims to apply sound ecological concepts for the sustainable management of ecosystems, thus providing a solid theoretical basis for environmental management and the implementation of scientifically based public policies. All ecological levels are studied, from the diversity of the genetic heritage to the diversity of biomes.
Population Dynamics and Interspecific Interactions
The objective of this line of research is to study the physiology and behavior of organisms in the context of their ecology and evolutionary processes. It seeks to understand the dynamics and structure of plant and animal populations in relation to biotic and abiotic factors, and to study ecological interactions in the context of natural and agricultural communities. Thus, aiming to understand changes in populations of different groups of organisms in response to environmental stimuli and stresses, in addition to enabling the study of the natural history of organisms, as well as their physiological and behavioral adaptations, focusing mainly on native organisms in Brazil to obtain an in-depth description of the biology of poorly studied tropical organisms.
Structure, Dynamics, and Functioning of Ecosystems
The study of communities and ecosystems in our program aims to describe the structure and functioning of plant, invertebrate, vertebrate, and marine communities. Research is carried out in all Brazilian biomes and along the coast of Brazil from the North to the extreme south of the country. By doing so, it aims to understand how communities are structured and study the role of historical and functional factors, or how the structure of communities affects the functioning of natural ecosystems. This line touches on some of the biggest challenges humanity faces today.
Systematics and Evolution of Biodiversity
This line aims at the description, nomenclature, classification, diversity, understanding of patterns of distribution and evolution of species using classical methods of morphological studies, as well as implementing modern methods of molecular biology for the reconstruction of kinship relationships and species delimitation. In addition, the objectives of this line are also to understand how ecological interactions are organized in nature and how they shape the functioning of ecological systems at different spatial and temporal scales, or the understanding of how microevolutionary processes, such as gene flow and the evolution of reproductive isolation, affect macroevolutionary patterns displayed in the phylogenetic trees of organisms.
