Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T10:02:15.807Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Interdisciplinary research as a strategy for environmental science and management in Brazilian Amazonia: potential and limitations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 November 2010

PHILIP M. FEARNSIDE*
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia-INPA, CP 478, Manaus-Amazonas, CEP 69011–970, Brazil
*
*Correspondence: Dr Philip M. Fearnside Tel: +55 92 3643 1822 e-mail: [email protected]

Summary

Interdisciplinary research has wide applicability to the environment and its management, and few areas can rival Brazilian Amazonia in terms of interdisciplinary challenges. Brazil's Ministry of Science and Technology currently makes interdisciplinary research an explicit priority, and to this end directs financing to large networks of researchers working in different institutions and fields. An impressive number of programmes support and carry out interdisciplinary research in the region, with varying success. Shifts in funding priorities are needed to maximize further advances.

Type
THEMATIC ISSUE: Interdisciplinary Progress in Environmental Science & Management
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bammer, G. (2005) Integration and implementation sciences: Building a new specialization. Ecology and Society 10: 6 [www document]. URL http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol10/iss2/art6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
da Silva, C.G. & de Melo, L.C.P., eds (2001) Ciência e Tecnologia e Inovação: Desafio para a Sociedade Brasileira. Livro Verde. Brasília, DF, Brazil: Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia (MCT) & Academia Brasileira de Ciências (ABC): 278 pp. [www document]. URL http://www.mct.gov.br/index.php/content/view/18970.htmlGoogle Scholar
da Silva, C.G., de Melo, L.C.P. & Pires, T.C., eds (2002) Memória da Conferência Nacional de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação. Parcerias Estratégicas, Edição Especial Volume 4. Brasília, DF, Brazil: Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos (CGEE), Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia: 237 pp.Google Scholar
de Carvalho Filho, C.A.A., ed. (2005) Seminários Temáticos da 3° Conferência Nacional de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação. Parcerias Estratégicas, Edição Especial No. 20. Brasília, DF, Brazil: Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos (CGEE), Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia: 553 pp.Google Scholar
Ewel, K.C. (2001) Natural resource management: The need for interdisciplinary collaboration. Ecosystems 4: 716722.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fearnside, P.M. (2003) Desafios estratégicos para ciência e tecnologia na Amazônia. In: A Floresta Amazônica nas Mudanças Globais, ed. Fearnside, P.M., pp. 115124. Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA): 134 pp.Google Scholar
Fearnside, P.M. (2005) Deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia: history, rates and consequences. Conservation Biology 19: 680688.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fearnside, P.M. (2009) Science and carbon sinks in Brazil. Climatic Change 97: 373378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunderson, L.H. & Holling, C.S. (2002) Panarchy Synopsis: Understanding Transformations in Human and Natural Systems. Washington, DC, USA: Island Press: 508 pp.Google Scholar
Holling, C.S. (1998) Two cultures of ecology. Conservation Ecology 2 (2): 4 [www document]. URL http://www.consecol.org/vol2/iss2/art4/CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kinzig, A.P. (2001) Bridging disciplinary divides to address environmental and intellectual challenges. Ecosystems 4: 709715.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laurance, W.F., Cochrane, M.A., Bergen, S., Fearnside, P.M., Delamônica, P., Barber, C., D'Angelo, S. & Fernandes, T. (2001) The future of the Brazilian Amazon. Science 291: 438439.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Loehl, C. (1990) A guide to increased creativity in research – Inspiration or perspiration? Biotropica 40: 123129.Google Scholar
Sioli, H. (1980) Foreseeable consequences of actual development schemes and alternative ideas. In: Land, People and Planning in Contemporary Amazonia, ed. Barbira-Scazzocchio, F., pp. 257268. Cambridge, UK: Centre of Latin American Studies Occasional Paper No. 3, Cambridge University: 313 pp.Google Scholar
Snow, C.P. (1959) The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press: 107 pp.Google Scholar
Tress, B., Tress, G., De' camps, H. & d'Hauteserre, A. (2001) Bridging human and natural sciences in landscape research. Landscape and Urban Planning 57: 137141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tress, B., Tress, G. & Fry, G. (2005 a) Clarifying integrative research concepts in landscape ecology. Landscape Ecology 20: 479493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tress, B., Tress, G. & Fry, G. (2005 b) Integrative studies on rural landscapes: Policy expectations and research practice. Landscape and Urban Planning 70: 177191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, R.L. (1987) Integration in land research for third world development planning: an applied aspect of landscape ecology. Landscape Ecology 1: 107117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Fearnside supplementary material

Fearnside supplementary material

Download Fearnside supplementary material(File)
File 24.6 KB