Biodiversity is an important underpinning of ecological health. The most diverse habitats on our plantare tropical. Experience first-hand biodiversity along the south Atlantic coast in tropical Brazil. May inthe “Mata Atlântica, Littoral Norte and Costa Azul” of Brazil will reveal landscapes that inspired CharlesDarwin in 1832. While you are there, why not samba on a pristine colonial beach at Paraty, have “peixe”and a “caipirinha” on Rua de Praia in São Sebastião and view the twinkling continent from Ihla Bella atnight. Before you return, visit “Pão de Açúcar”, see “Cristo Redentor” on Corcovado and, maybe, bossanova on Ipanema or Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.
Participants will fly to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport for a two-week field class in coastalmarine ecology. Before driving to the south coast of Brazil, visit one of Brazil’s largest natural historymuseums at Ipiranga Park with over 1 million freshwater fish. On the coast, stay at the Center forMarine Biology (CEBIMAR) of the Universidad de São Paulo in Sao Sebastião. Daily field trips will explorethe diversity of coastal habitats ranging from the rainforest, preserved beaches and mangroves to anindustrially devastated estuary between Santos and Rio de Janeiro.
