PEERS – Platform for Enhancing Ecological Research & Sustainability
- July 13th, 2012
- Biodiversity
- Print Article
It was created a platform of scientific collaboration in Portugal by The Center for Environmental Biology (http://cba.fc.ul.pt/), Faculty of Science, University of Lisbon, the Centre for Functional Ecology (http://cfe. uc.pt /) at the University of Coimbra, and the Azorean Biodiversity Group (http://cita.angra.uac.pt/biodiversidade/) at the University of the Azores.
This strategic partnership has the core mission to develop research in ecology, improving knowledge about the role of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning, including all levels of biological organization and the interactions between these.
The research activities developed by these three research groups extend to the entire country, including the Macaronesian archipelagos of Azores and Madeira.
This partnership aims to:
a) Create research of excellency at the interface between studies of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity in order to better understand the functioning of ecosystems and contribute to mitigate the impacts of global change;
b) Promote studies at local, regional and global scales, contributing for the conservation of natural resources in Portugal;
c) Contribute to fundamental and applied research in natural and modified ecosystems in mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores;
d) Promote the interface between the natural sciences and social sciences in order to stimulate research on the interaction between biology, ecology, environment and society;
e) Promote the interface between the natural sciences and technology, to develop technology solutions that support the rational use of natural resources;
f) To promote awareness, information and public participation of citizens in environmental matters, as the foundation for the enhancement of the environment and conservation of natural ecosystems;
g) Promote the production and dissemination of knowledge as key actions to boost the development of a scientific and technological culture in ecology and environment in Portugal.