The Graduate Program in ECMVS was established at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in mid-1988. The first cohort of students was enrolled in February of 1989, therefore completing 15 years in 2004. The program is a joint effort of the Departments of Botany, General Biology (through its Ecology and Genetics Divisions) and Zoology, associated with the Institute of Biological Sciences. Even considering the increasing number of post graduation programs in Ecology in Brazil, ECMVS Program continues to be unique in the country in its goals and applied orientation.

Major research areas of the ECMVS Program

1 – Ecology and Behaviour of Wildlife

 2 – Biodiversity Conservation

 3 – Environmental education and management

 4 – Ecological processes and pathways

 5 – Applied ecology in the management of natural resources

 6 – Development, standardization and certification of new methodologies of data acquisition and quantitative treatment of environmental data.

Where are the former students of ECMVS Program ?

A significant number of our students find jobs in small consultancy firms, NGO organizations and in Brazilian governamental offices. The present coordination is engaged in a rapid change of the main focus of the program. We are working with the faculty in order to start/apply for projects devoted to applied areas of Ecology such as water resource management, recovery of degraded areas, ecology of urban areas. To reach this goal, it is very important to enhance our field courses, giving the students more chances of discovering research topics more related to the national reality and real needs of the internal market.

Some examples of former ECMVS students actual position

Professor Anthony Brome Rylands

Research Axis: Ecology and behavior of neotropical primata

Patrícia Medici – researcher on reintroduction program to conservation of black lion tamarin at the Pontal do Paranapanema – SP – IPÊ Institute

André Hirsch – geoprocessing tools to define priority areas for primate conservation – assistent professor in Zoology at PUCMINAS

Former Students

Ilmar Bastos – president of FEAM – environmental office of Minas Gerais State government

Ricardo Bonfim Machado e Luiz Paulo Pinto members of the Conservation International Brazil

Elena Charlote Landau- landscape ecology and corridors design – TEAM researcher

Dr. PhD Gustavo Alberto Bouchardet Fonseca Research Axis: Conservation and management of mammals, conservation biology.

Former Students

João Faria Macedo – researcher of EPAMIG – the Minas Gerais State agriculture agency

Onildo Marini Filho – coodinator for the endangered species of Brazilian fauna – IBAMA the Brazilian environmental agency

Dr. Rogério Parentoni MartinsResearch Axis: Insect Ecology (tropical bees), behavioral ecology, theorectical ecology.

Former Students

José Francisco Gonçalves Jr – PhD Student

Marcelo Moretti – MSc. Student

Leaf breakdown of riparian detritus in altitudinal streams at Espinhaço Cordillera (Brazil) and Portugal. The aim of the study is the energy flux dynamics in tropical and temperate environments, calling attention to the need to protect the riparian vegetation in streams.

Pablo Moreno– PhD Student

Manuelzão Project stimulates integrated articulations, actions and partnerships with governmental departments, NGOs and private companies, aiming the freshwater biomonitoring and restoration of Rio das Velhas watershed.

Prof. Dr. Marcos Callisto Research Axis: Benthos and insect-macrophyte ecology, bioindicatores of water quality.

Professor Ricardo Motta Pinto Coelho (ECMVS, coordinator)Research axis: Management of reservoirs, ecophysiology of plankton, environmental education on www (distance education).

Marcos Antônio Reis Araújo – advicer of GFA program of international cooperation Brazil-Germany GTZ-IEF-Promata

Magda Greco – advicer of the Science and Tecnology secretary of Minas Gerais State

Former Students

Andrei Roos – environmental regulations of Brazilian fauna – IBAMA the Brazilian environmental agency

Professor Marcos Rodrigues Research Axis: Ecology and conservation of birds.

Marcelo Vasconcelos – assistent professor in Zoology UNIMONTES

Former Students

Professor ECMVS graduate students are frequently participating in activities developed by several Brazilian environmental programs like LTER, CI-TEAM iniciative and MMA/PROBIO

Professor Francisco Antonio Rodrigues Barbosaesearch Axis: General Limnolgy, Conservation and management of water resources.

Coordinator of the Long Term Ecological Research Program (PIE/PELD Brazil) – the LTER study is located at the Rio Doce State Park. Several dissertations and theses of ECMVS program are currently developing in this site

Diptera ecology and behavior – Ph.D. thesis of Julio Cesar Fontenelle

Water quality monitoring at the Rio Doce Park lakes– Ph.D. thesis of Fábio Garcia

A mandatory field course, lasting three weeks is offered annually…

During this period the students learn many techniques such as animal capture, observation and classification....

Artibeus lituratus Platyrrhinus sp.

Marsúpio de um Didelphis albiventris

Oligoryzomys sp.

Akodon cursor.

Gracilinanus agilis.

...observations on the animal behavior...

…techniques for water analyses

... plant morphology... and adaptations to the environment...

Coleta de amostras de sedimento

The last field course took place at the Rio Preto State Park...

...and the the next field course will be at the Serra do Rola Moça State Park in association with Instituto Estadual de Florestas de Minas Gerais and Fundação Biodiversitas. The students wil be trained in the methology of management plan of the Park

Results from dissetations and thesis are currently used to elaborate the endangered species list for Brazilian fauna and flora. They are also used in documents that indicate priority areas for biodiversity conservation in Brazil