The ferruginous caves of the Amazon are home to a highly specialized fauna: from occasional visitors to species exclusive to the underground environment. Identifying and monitoring these species is essential for defining areas of influence and proposing environmental protection measures.
The project aims to overcome the main deficits in taxonomic knowledge – such as the absence of formal species descriptions, the lack of data on geographical distribution, abundance, and response to environmental factors. Innovative approaches are used to combine traditional ecology techniques with modern tools in genetics, genomics, bioacoustics, and data modeling. Among the strategies adopted are the use of DNA barcodes and environmental DNA metabarcoding (eDNA), which allow species to be identified from soil, water or sediment samples without the need to directly collect individuals. Genetic references are also being generated for invertebrates, bats, and plants associated with caves, expanding the available database.
Cavities – Biological Diversity
Canaã dos Carajás-PA
Conceição do Araguaia-PA
Parauapebas-PA
Research Group
Cavities – Biological Diversity
Area of activity
Biodiversidade
Value
R$ 2.549.109,25 (2025)
Coordinator
Santelmo Vasconcelos
PhD in Plant Biology
Researchers
PhD in Zoology
PhD in Biology
PhD in Computer Science
PhD in Biology (Ecology)
Santelmo Vasconcelos
PhD in Plant Biology
Santelmo Vasconcelos holds a PhD in Plant Biology, a master’s degree in Genetics, and a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, all from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). He completed internships at the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew). He has been an adjunct researcher at ITV DS since 2015, with experience in genetics, molecular biology, metagenomics, phylogenetic systematics, and genomic evolution, focusing on vascular plants and cave-dwelling invertebrates from the Amazon.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
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Leonardo Trevelin
PhD in Zoology
Leonardo Trevelin holds a PhD in Zoology from the Federal University of Pará / Emílio Goeldi Museum of Pará (UFPA/MPEG), with a sandwich doctorate at the University of Kent. He also holds a master’s degree in Zoology and a bachelor’s degree in Ecology from São Paulo State University (UNESP). As an assistant researcher at ITV DS, he works with landscape ecology and genetics, mammal ecology, forest restoration, and subterranean ecology.
He is a collaborating professor in master’s and graduate programs, with a focus on Chiroptera.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
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Valéria Tavares
PhD in Biology
Valéria Tavares holds a PhD in Biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics) from the City University of New York / American Museum of Natural History (CUNY/AMNH), a master’s degree in Ecology, Conservation and Wildlife Management from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), and a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the same university.
As a full researcher at ITV DS, she leads the Biodiversity and Environmental Solutions group. A lecturer and advisor in graduate programs at various institutions, she has experience in phylogenetic systematics, taxonomy, mastozoology, ecology, and conservation, with a focus on bats (Chiroptera), geographic diversity, faunal monitoring, and community ecology analyses.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
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Brazil nut trees and other threatened species: ecology, propagation, and monitoring
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Ronnie Alves
PhD in Computer Science
Ronnie Alves holds a PhD in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) from the University of Minho. He is a senior researcher and leader of the Environmental Intelligence group at ITV DS. He has worked as a visiting researcher at international universities and as a postdoctoral fellow at renowned institutions. He is also a permanent professor in the Graduate Program in Computer Science at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA).
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Monthly Precipitation Forecast for Vale’s Areas of Interest
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Rafael de Fraga
PhD in Biology (Ecology)
Rafael de Fraga holds a PhD in Ecology from the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), a master’s degree in Ecology, and a degree in Biological Sciences from the Positivo University Center. He completed a sandwich doctorate at Macquarie University, Australia, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA) and ITV DS. He is an assistant researcher at ITV DS, with experience in herpetology, ecological diversity metrics, niche theory, landscape genomics, and fauna monitoring. He works in the conservation of Amazonian biodiversity, applying statistical methods and habitat connectivity models, and integrating research groups in conservation and taxonomy.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
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Publicações relacionadas
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