Research topics

Ecophysiology, behavioral ecology, natural history and evolutionary biology.

Population and metapopulation dynamics and structure. Movement at the individual level. Habitat selection. Plant-animal interactions, hosts and parasites. Evolutionary processes and fitness consequences. Life-history traits and trade-offs.

Structure of local communities. Patterns in species richness. Modelling of species distribution. Geographic variation.

Dynamics of primary and secondary production; biogeochemical cycles and energy flux; ecosystem structure and functioning.

Biodiversity and methods to reduce species’ extinction rates. Spatial heterogeneity and scale effects at the dynamics of ecological processes, as habitat connectivity, habitat loss and fragmentation. Species management, with emphasis on fisheries resources, exotic and invasive species. Species inventory and monitoring programs. Reserve designs. Public policies for biodiversity conservation.

Theory, modelling and ecological methods for environmental management (global changes, ecosystem monitoring and restoration, aquatic pollution and environmental contamination). Approaches and methods used in environmental education.