Local Context

The program is an international research initiative led by Brazil, developed to understand the climatological, ecological, biogeochemical and hydrological functioning of Amazonia, the impact of changes in land use, and the interactions between Amazonia and the global biogeophysical system. The Ecologica Institute’s project is located on the Bananal Island, Tocantins, and occurred between 2003 and 2008. Its partners were American Space Agency (NASA), University of São Paulo (USP) and the University of New Hampshire.

The project is part of the Millennium Institute Project LBA approved in CNPq. The carbon and energy tower is installed in a ecotonal area. The predominant biomes in Bananal Island are areas of ecological tension, marked by the transition of ecosystems with a high potential for biodiversity. The research area is located in the arc of deforestation, a region hit by intense changes in land use.

Project Description

The Canguçu Research Center is the basis of support for the project activities. The LBA involves the effort to establish an experimental site for long-term measurements that complement and offer a comprehensive view of the physical and biotic system, and to strengthen the local structure and empower regional human resources, to achieve a core of research.

The project carried out the installation of an energy and carbon flux tower, which is responsible for generating different weather, climate, energy and carbon variables, which are analyzed by professionals with the most diverse backgrounds. The results have been presented at scientific meetings in Brazil and in several countries, and published in major scientific journals. The project has already generated various doctoral theses and dissertations.

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Project Presentation (Portuguese)