The PPGGBC graduate program at UESB includes a single Field – Genetics, Biodiversituy and Conservation – divided into three research areas, as described below:

Research Area 1: Biodiversity and Conservation (BC)

The studies in BC are focused on the terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity and their responses to biotic and abiotic features and human activities, particularly from semiarid region and transition zones along the state of Bahia. The main goal is to evaluate the composition and structure of regional diversity in terms of populations, communities, landscape and/or historic processes. The data related to the impacts of human activities on biodiversity provide useful information to conservation and sustainable managements practices along with the restoration of degraded areas.

Research Area 2: Genetics (GEN)

As the primary source of the biological diversity, the genetic diversity should be estimated and evaluated under distinct complexity levels. Therefore, the genetic studies are informative tools to biodiversity conservation. The studies in this area focus mainly on the understanding of evolutionary, phylogenetic and biogeographic processes and relationships to the resolution of taxonomic uncertainties, inferences about genetic structure and to evaluation of the interaction between genotypes and environment. These data are essential to successful conservation programmes and to the sustainable utilization of local genetic resources.