1. Centre for studies of Adaptations of Aquatic Biota of the Amazon ADAPTA ‐ AMAZONIA http://adapta.inpa.gov.br

2. Coordinator Adalberto Luis Val (INPA) Steering Committee Jansen Alfredo Sampaio Zuanon (INPA) Rogério Gribel (INPA) Francisco de Assis Leone (USP ‐ RP) Bernardo Baldisseroto (UFSM) José Augusto Baranauskas (USP ‐ RP) Helder Lima de Queiroz (Mamirauá) Total (PhD Researchers): 93 [Bolsistas de Produtividade CNPq: 11; Pesquisadores residentes na Amazônia: 38; Estrangeiros: 12; Outros: 32 ] Total Published papers: 2267 Total Books: 84

3. OBJETIVES AND GOALS 1. To identify and describe the adaptive capacity and sensitivity of organisms of the aquatic biota of the Amazon (microorganisms, plants, fishes, invertebrates and aquatic mammals) facing environmental challenges. 2. To characterize similarities, dissimilarities and evolutionary convergences among species exposed to similar environmental challenges (natural and anthropogenic) and similarities and adaptive differences for a single species exposed to different environmental conditions.

4. 3. To define a group of robust bioindicators to monitor aquatic environmental quality in the Amazon. 4. To recommend ten products (enzymes, proteins, antibiotic, growth genes, hormones, etc) with a potential commercial value. 5. To contribute to training local students. 6. To decode and socialize the obtained scientific information. 7. To assure the conditions for long ‐ term duration of ADAPTA.

5. LINES OF RESEARCH 1.BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT Schematic representation for collection and biological analysis of elements from aquatic flora and fauna in similar environments (A) and one or more species in environments presenting different challenges (B).

6. Rio Negro Rio Solimões Manaus VÁRZEA - IGAPÓ

7. high várzea 3.0 - 1.0 m (54 - 20 d y -1 ) 103 species 27 species Zonation of species in the Várzea low várzea 7.0 - 3.0 m (240 - 54 d y -1 ) 94 species chavascal 6.0 - 8.0 m (300 - 200 d y -1 ) 8 species (Wittmann 2001)

8. Schöngart et al., 2005

9. 2) BIOMARKERS AND FUNCTIONAL GENNOMICS 3) APPLIED PROGRAMMES a)production; b) science; c) training; a)d) evaluation

10. METHODOLOGY The innovative character of this proposal consists in learning from the organisms responses to the environmental challenges and use them as valuable information, senso lato, to man. For the success of ADAPTA project it is necessary a solid functional and organizational structure that will allow a general articulated view leading beyond the reductionist description of biodiversity in the Amazon.