Biodiversity, Ecosystems Functions and Sustainability

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According to the recent publication of the Regional Diagnosis on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Americas, prepared by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), it is estimated that about 30% of the biodiversity of populations in the Americas have already declined since the beginning of European colonization and this number should increase in the coming years. At the axis of this scenario are human beings and their disordered actions, promoting deforestation and the consequent fragmentation and loss of habitats, hunting, roadkill, pollution and climate change. It is well known that ecosystems around the world have a wide variety of functions and promote a wide range of services provided by their biodiversity, which are of crucial importance to human well-being, health and quality of life. Although ecosystem restructuring and management have provided some benefits such as increased food production for human consumption, these changes have generated large environmental costs, impairing ecosystem functions and services. On the other hand, because they occur unequally among ecosystems, such changes can worsen inequalities in access to environmental services, further contributing to poverty. The Brazilian case is of particular concern due to the disorderly economic growth occurring since the post-war period. The theme "Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Sustainability" has a strategic dimension that aims for, in an integrated and multidisciplinary way, the integrated development of scientific and technological knowledge, underpinning priority actions of biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, environmental health and human well-being, mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Five sub-themes will focus on Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Strategic Natural Resources, Environmental Health and Human Well-being, Climate Change.

 


UFSCar PrInt Capes - Biodiversity, Ecosystems Functions and Sustainability


UFSCar PrInt Capes - Biodiversidade, Funções Ecossistêmicas e Sustentabilidade

  

Topics

  1. Biodiversity
  2. Ecosystem Services
  3. Strategic Natural Resources
  4. Environmental Health and Human Well-being
  5. Climate Changes

Objectives

Consolidate, expand research networks and increase international visibility in this theme through the mobility of students and faculty and attracting researchers from abroad.

To achieve this objective, we wish to promote international research networks in biodiversity, ecosystem services and sustainability, by strengthening and expanding existing collaborations, as well as by nucleating new research networks with institutions of excellence from abroad. In order to do so, the international recognition of UFSCar in this area will be leveraged. In this sense, we will expand the mobility and attraction of foreign researchers of recognized expertise, increasing the visibility of PPGs and projecting internationally our research in Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Sustainability. The sub-theme “Biodiversity” will consolidate studies at the three levels of biodiversity: genes, species and ecosystems, promoting studies on conservation, monitoring, mapping, modeling, management and valuation of ecosystem goods and services. In the sub-theme “Ecosystem Services”, we will improve our knowledge in ecosystem services of our different biomes, as well as the promotion of PD&I in new agricultural, agroindustry and agroforestry technologies based on the sustainable use of Brazilian socio-biodiversity and proper inputs to sustainable agriculture, agroecological basis and organic production. In the sub-theme “Strategic Natural Resources”, we seek to contribute to national water security, technological development and innovation in areas such as management and recovery of water reservoirs and watersheds, and reduction of environmental impacts on natural ecosystems. In the sub-theme "Environmental Health and Human well-being", we will study the consequences of environmental impacts on environmental health and the consequent human well-being; the strengthening of research at the frontier of knowledge such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, bioinformatics, nanotechnology, modeling and simulation. Finally, under the “Climate Change” sub-theme, we intend to identify the environmental impacts that may lead to local, regional and / or global climate change, as well as to propose and elaborate urban climate models which can evaluate changes in the biophysical environment arising from the urbanization process and population density.

Involved Graduate Programs

Strategic Countries

Until August 2019
Australia; Austria; Belgium; Canada; China; Cuba; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Italy; India; Japan; Netherlands; Norway; Portugal; Russia; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom (U.K); United States (USA).

From September 2019

Argentina; Australia; Austria; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Cuba; Czech Republic; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; India; Ireland; Italy; Japan; Mexico; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Portugal; Russia; South Africa; South Korea; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom (UK); United States (USA); Uruguay

Coordination

Current
Vandoir Bourscheidt, PhD.
print.bio@ufscar.br

Previous

Victor Satoru Saito, PhD.

Luiz Eduardo Moschini, PhD.