Research themes

The TropEco Lab has been engaging with research tackling distinct questions, which can be grouped into tree main research themes:

1. Research synthesis: bringing together datasets from different sources to understand biodiversity patters across large spatial scales.
2. Long-term ecological monitoring: going back to the same field sites and adopting standardized methods to monitor the drivers and consequences of biodiversity changes in tropical ecosystems.
3. Interdisciplinary work: bringing together knowledge from distinct disciplines and stakeholders to inform conservation strategies and environmental decision-making.

Previous projects

Scaling Up TAOCA: a technological tool to support low-carbon research with Amazonian terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity

Scaling Up TAOCA (05/2023-06/2024) aimed to expand TAOCA (https://www.taoca.net/), a novel technological tool that stores, curates and integrates Amazonian biodiversity data. To achieve this, we strengthened TAOCA’s computational power to receive freshwater datasets and run multiple training workshop with data owners and stakeholders about TAOCA’s usability and potential for future research. The project funded by the ‘Climate Impacts and Mitigation/Net Zero Decarbonisation award’ (ID: 2170839).

UK-Brazil Workshop: Integrated Perspectives on Biodiversity and Climate Change in Amazonia

This project (03-07/2024) brought together scientists, early-career researchers and policy/decision-makers from Amazonia, Brazil and the UK to discuss and propose solutions for the socio-environmental challenges faced by Amazonia (Belém, 16-18/July/2024). We adopted a multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary perspective to create a research hub connecting a wide range of perspectives and fields that span beyond environmental science and other STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines. Photo by Filipe França.

SynPAm: Synthesis for Policy in Amazonia 

SynPAm (05/2023-07/2024) aimed to address questions relevant to stakeholders by having them (and their contributions) as part of the scientific process (i.e. knowledge co-production). To achieve this, SynPAm adopted social sciences approaches to co-produce a research manuscript and policy briefing with decision-makers, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, NGOs and scientists in biodiversity conservation in the Brazilian Amazon. SynPAm was funded by ‘Research England’s Policy Support Funding’ via Policy Bristol (ID: 1989427). Photo by Filipe França.

Voices of Amazonia: knowledge co-production to enhance environmental policy and practices 

 ‘Voices of Amazonia’ (10/2023-06/2024) aimed to consolidate and extend a network among researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers in the Brazilian Amazon through prior/ongoing collaborations. To achieve this and create a space for knowledge co-production, we organised a 3-day workshop with scientists and stakeholders in Belém, Brazil. During this workshop, we co-produced a list of priority questions for conservation science, and co-designed a [i] briefing note outlining key recommendations for future environmental research, policy and practices; and [ii] grant application focused on addressing key stakeholder-relevant questions related to Amazonia’s conservation challenges. The project was funded by the ‘2023 Cabot Institute Seedcorn Fund’ (ID: 2258319; c. £5k). Photo by Flávio Forner.

CO-SPACE: CO-designing Sustainable Pathways to Adaptative Communities and Ecosystems WorkShop

CO-SPACE (06-07/2023) delivered a workshop and group meetings with a multidisciplinary team to co-design and submit a grant proposal addressing the impacts of climate change on human and ecosystem health in the Brazilian Amazon. The project involved collaboration with local stakeholders such as NGOs and Indigenous communities, whilst our workshop brought together experts from different disciplines, including areas such as health, human, social, environmental and climate sciences from five countries: UK, Canada, USA, Brazil, and Germany. CO-SPACE was funded by the ‘Elizabeth Blackwell Institute Rapid Research Funding’ (ID: 2170839; £9.4k) and Trent University (CAD$ 3.7k). Key outputs: Nóbrega et al. 2023. Photo by Flávio Forner.

FOR-TRAITS: Understanding FOResT species’ Responses to environmentAl change and Influence on ecosysTem functionS

FOR-TRAITS (06/2022-05/2023) aimed to purchase a stereomicroscope with Motorised Focus, Camera, and imaging software to measure invertebrate and plant functional traits, which are functionally relevant features of organisms’ morphology, ecology, or life history that can be measured at the individual level. This is currently a key piece of equipment for environmental research in the School of Biological Sciences. FOR-TRAITS was funded by the Liv Sidse Jansen Memorial Foundation (ID: 1777136; £22k). Photo by Filipe França.

BIOCLIMATE: BIOdiversity responses to CLIMAte and land-uses change in Tropical forest Ecosystems

BIOCLIMATE (03/2020-12/2023) aimed to improve our knowledge of the fauna biodiversity contributions to ecosystem functioning and post-disturbance recovery. The project assembled new information on species-specific contributions to ecosystem processes crucial to understanding climate resilience and post-disturbance forest recovery; and adopted both next-generation (i.e. environmental DNA, ingested DNA, bioacoustics) and well-established techniques (i.e. camera traps and vegetation census) to monitor tropical forest fauna. BIOCLIMATE was funded by the BNP Paribas Foundation (Climate & Biodiversity Initiative; 675K €). Key outputs: Berenguer et al. 2021, Rossi et al. 2022, Metcalf et al. 2022, Saranholi et al. 2024, and Rossi et al. 2025. Photo by Hannah Griffiths.

SYNERGIZE: SYNthesising Ecological Responses to deGradation In amaZonian Environments

SYNERGIZE (01/2020-03/2023) aimed to foster a multi- and trans-disciplinary network to understand how human-driven and climate-associated forest disturbances affect Amazonian aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. The project brought together researchers with complementary expertise and used modelling approaches of large multi-scale datasets from distinct Amazonian regions to synthesize knowledge and promote cost-effective and integrative solutions for landscape management, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem recovery. SYNERGIZE was funded by CNPq/MCTIC/Sinbiose (442354/2019-3; R$ 490k). Key outputs: Carvalho & Resende et al. 2023, Stegmann et al. 2024, and Isaac et al. 2025, as well as the creation of the TAOCA platform. Photo by Hans ter Steege.

SEM-FLAMA: Solutions to reduce the socio-environmental impacts from fires on protected Amazonian forests for sustainable use 

SEM-FLAMA (04/2019-04/2022) aimed to understand the relationships between fire management practices, forest fires and their socio-environmental consequences within two protected forests for sustainable use that are frequently degraded by fires: Tapajós National Forest (FLONA-Tapajós) and Extractive Reserve Tapajós-Arapiuns (RESEX), both in Pará, eastern Brazilian Amazon. SEM-FLAMA was funded by CNPq-Prevfogo-IBAMA (441949/2018-5; R$ 123k). Key outputs: Barlow et al. 2020, Morais et al. 2021, França et al. 2020b, and Carmenta et al. 2023. Photo Flávio Forner.

PELD-RAS: Long-Term Ecological Research Program of the Sustainable Amazon Network

PELD-RAS (phase 1 [2017-2021], phase 2 [2021-2023]) aimed to increase our understanding of the longer-term ecological impacts of local human-driven disturbances (e.g. logging and fires) and climate-associated stressors on Amazonian forest biodiversity and functioning. For this, we monitored network of >40 forest sites distributed along a gradient of human-modified forests, ranging from preserved primary forests to disturbed primary forests and secondary forests in three regions of the Eastern Amazon. PELD-RAS was funded by CNPq-PELD-CAPES (441573/2020-7 [R$ 463k] and 441659/2016-0 [R$ 796k]). Outputs: França et al. 2020a, Nunes et al. 2021, and Vedovato et al. 2023. Photo by Filipe França.

RESFLORA: Functional Resilience of Amazonian Forests 

RESFLORA (01/2019-04/2022) aimed to quantify the ecological impacts of distinct forest disturbances (e.g. deforestation, selective logging and wildfires), and to evaluate the drivers of biodiversity and ecological functioning in second-growth forests from three biogeographically distinct Amazonian regions that differ in environmental attributes, human occupation history, and land use and cover changes: Tapajós, Belém and Xingu. RESFLORA was funded by MCIC/CNPq (grant code: 420254/2018-8; R$ 53k). Key outputs: Elias et al. 2022, Nunes et al. 2022, and Jackovac et al. 2022. Photo Paulo Brando.

AFIRE: Assessing ENSO-induced Fire Impacts in tropical Rainforest Ecosystems

AFIRE (06/2016-04/2018) expanded the number of permanent forest plots from 20 to 38 sites in the Santarém region, which was highly impacted by the drought conditions and wildfires during the 2015-16 El Niño.  The project investigated the impacts of the 2015-16 El Niño drought and wildfires on plants, carbon dynamics, birds, dung beetles and fauna-mediated ecological process across a gradient of forest modification. AFIRE was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC; NE/P004512/1; £283k). Key outputs: Silva et al. 2019, Withey et al. 2019, França et al. 2021, and Berenguer et al. 2021. Photo Paulo Brando.

PELD JARI: Long-term monitoring of forest management

PELD-JARI (02/2010-06/2016) assessed the biological impact of selective logging and plantation forestry in the Jari region between the Amapá and Pará states, at the northeast Brazilian Amazon. The studied 1.7-Mha landscape was a mosaic of exotic tree plantations, regenerating secondary forests and selective logging areas, immersed within a large matrix of almost intact primary forests. PELD-Jari was funded by CNPq (Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development). Outputs: Griffiths et al. 2015, França et al. 2016a, França et al. 2016b, França et al. 2017, França et al. 2018, Heathcoat et al. 2019, Christie et al. 2020, Costa et al. 2022, Cerullo et al. 2023, and França & Beiroz et al. 2024. Photo by Filipe França.

Partners and funders

Our work would not be possible without the generous support of numerous organisations and project partners.

Partner labs

Funders