The ecological restoration of the Western Waste Rock Pile (PDE Oeste) is being carried out through the reconstruction of ecosystems functionally equivalent to the ironstone cangas of the Carajás Mountains, promoting the reestablishment of habitats aimed at the conservation of endemic species. Actions include defining strategies for implementing a functional substrate with physical and chemical properties favorable to the development of native vegetation, using ironstone canga topsoil and biotechnologies; selecting desirable plant species for the environments to be established on top of the pile; developing protocols for the propagation, cultivation, and monitoring of native plants; and conducting integrated, multidisciplinary monitoring of soil, climate, vegetation, and fauna variables to determine recovery status and identify the need for adjustments in the process. The project will be developed together with partner institutions and a multidisciplinary team, enabling progress in different aspects of restoration and in the application of a novel methodology for establishing complex ecosystems such as canga on a waste rock pile.
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Parauapebas-PA
Research Group
Biodiversity and Environmental Solutions
Area of activity
Biodiversidade
Recuperação de Áreas Degradadas
Vigência
Jan2026 to Dec2030
Coordinator
Cecílio Caldeira
PhD in Integrative Plant Biology
Researchers
PhD in Soil Science
PhD in Botany
PhD in Ecology and Natural Resources Management
PhD in Environmental Sciences
PhD in Entomology
PhD in Ecology and Biodiversity
PhD in Ecology
Cecílio Caldeira
PhD in Integrative Plant Biology
Cecílio Caldeira holds a PhD in Integrative Plant Biology from the Université de Montpellier/SupAgro (2013), a master’s degree in Plant Physiology from the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), and is an agronomist from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). As a researcher at ITV DS, he has experience in plant physiology and nutrition, large-scale phenotyping, analysis of large databases, and transcriptomics. He co-supervises students in Brazil and France.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Plantomics: Omics tools applied to the conservation and management of endemic and threatened plants
Projeto
PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
Projeto
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Projeto
Rare, endemic, and threatened plants of the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
Taxonomy and Propagation of Native Plant Species of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Conservation and Use of Jaborandi in the Carajás FLONA
Publicações relacionadas
Silvio Ramos
PhD in Soil Science
Silvio Ramos holds a PhD and a master’s degree in soil science, and a degree in Agronomy. As a researcher at ITV DS, he is a professor and coordinator of the graduate program in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources at ITV DS, as well as a lecturer at the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA). He works on the propagation and growth of native species, the recovery of mined areas, bioindicators, and soil carbon stocks. He teaches subjects related to forest restoration.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
Projeto
PDEoeste Monit&Bioindic
Projeto
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Projeto
Integrated Soil Health Monitoring
Projeto
Precision RAD and its contributions to the Impact Mitigation Hierarchy – IMH
Projeto
Monitoring environmental recovery and restoration at the properties of the South Atlantic Base Metals operating units
Projeto
Use of Basalt Powder and Mine Slag as Soil Conditioners and CO2 Compensators
Projeto
Impact of illegal mining in Vale’s mineral concession areas
Projeto
The road to Nature Positive at Mineração Paragominas S.A.
Projeto
Slope Stabilization and Cangas Restoration in Carajás Mountains
Projeto
Taxonomy and Propagation of Native Plant Species of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Conservation and Use of Jaborandi in the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
Brazil nut trees and other threatened species: ecology, propagation, and monitoring
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Geochemical Background of the Itacaiúnas River Basin II
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Markus Gastauer
PhD in Botany
Markus Gastauer holds a PhD in Botany from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), a post-doctorate in Ecology from the same institution, and a master’s degree in Entomology from the University of Bonn, Germany. He has a degree in Agronomy. As a researcher at ITV DS in the area of recovery of degraded areas, he is dedicated to monitoring and developing bioindicators. He also works as a collaborating lecturer at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) and the Federal University of Pará (UFPA). His research includes biodiversity patterns, restoration ecology, soil-plant interactions, and the dynamics of the Atlantic Forest.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
Projeto
PDEoeste Monit&Bioindic
Projeto
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Projeto
Precision RAD and its contributions to the Impact Mitigation Hierarchy – IMH
Projeto
Monitoring environmental recovery and restoration at the properties of the South Atlantic Base Metals operating units
Projeto
No Net Loss in Carajás
Projeto
Vale’s inventory of forest carbon emissions and removals
Projeto
The road to Nature Positive at Mineração Paragominas S.A.
Projeto
Offsets in the Araguaia Ferricretes: Characterization and restoration of geoenvironments and their biota to compensate for mining impacts
Projeto
Slope Stabilization and Cangas Restoration in Carajás Mountains
Projeto
Taxonomy and Propagation of Native Plant Species of the Iron Quadrangle
Projeto
Conservation and Use of Jaborandi in the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
Brazil nut trees and other threatened species: ecology, propagation, and monitoring
Publicações relacionadas
Rafael Assis
PhD in Ecology and Natural Resources Management
Rafael Assis holds a PhD in Ecology and Natural Resource Management from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, a master’s degree in Botany from the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), and a degree in Biological Sciences from the State University of Londrina (UEL). He was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oslo, where he coordinated the Biodiversity Research Consortium Brazil-Norway. Currently, as a researcher at ITV DS, he works on the ecology of Amazonian ecosystems, forest dynamics, ecological succession, and phytosociology, with an emphasis on soil-plant interactions and tree regeneration.
Projetos relacionados
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PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
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PDEoeste Monit&Bioindic
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PDEoeste FuncEcos
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PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
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PVA – Population Viability Analyses Applied to the Conservation and Management of Endemic and Threatened Species
Projeto
Rare, endemic, and threatened plants of the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
Socio-environmental Data Platform for the Bays of São Marcos and São José, Maranhão
Projeto
Biodiversity 4.0
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Douglas Ferreira
PhD in Environmental Sciences
Douglas Ferreira holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences and is a meteorologist with experience at CENSIPAM and INFRAERO. Since 2012, he has been a researcher at ITV DS, responsible for research on atmospheric monitoring, regional numerical modeling for mining, nowcasting with weather radar, and studies on atmospheric discharges. He also works on landslide susceptibility, socio-climatic risk, precipitation forecasts, and climate change. He is an external collaborator in the Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources at ITV DS.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
Projeto
PDEoeste Monit&Bioindic
Projeto
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Projeto
Hydroenvironmental Management in a Mining Territory – GEHAM Carajás
Projeto
Use of the Carajás Weather Radar
Projeto
Technologies for Simulating the Spread of Forest Fires
Projeto
Monthly Precipitation Forecast for Vale’s Areas of Interest
Projeto
Development of an online analysis and monitoring system for water quality in dams and water dynamics in the area of influence of the Vermelho River over the EFC
Projeto
DatalakeDS: Data science for sustainable development
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Juliana Galaschi
PhD in Entomology
Juliana Galaschi holds a PhD in Entomology from the University of São Paulo (USP), a master’s degree in Biosciences (Zoology) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), and a degree in Biological Sciences from PUCRS. As a researcher at ITV DS, she works in Zoology with an emphasis on Entomology, focusing on geometric morphometrics, chemical and molecular markers, and pollinators, particularly stingless bees.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
Projeto
PDEoeste FuncEcos
Projeto
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Projeto
Integrated Meliponiculture Project – Applied Science and Territorial Development
Projeto
Rare, endemic, and threatened plants of the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
Social and Environmental Business
Projeto
Molecular research as a tool for biodiversity conservation (Genomics of the Brazilian Biodiversity – GBB)
Projeto
Conservation and Use of Jaborandi in the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
Biodiversity 4.0
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Carolina Carvalho
PhD in Ecology and Biodiversity
Carolina Carvalho holds a PhD in Ecology and Biodiversity from São Paulo State University (UNESP), a master’s degree in Ecology and Evolution from the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), and a degree in Biological Sciences from UNESP. As a researcher at ITV DS, she investigates how landscape structure, human activities, and intraspecific variation influence ecological processes such as pollination and seed dispersal. Carvalho uses barcoding, metabarcoding, geotechnologies, and statistical methods to monitor species and understand ecological interactions.
She was an intern at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and at the Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO) in Portugal.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Plantomics: Omics tools applied to the conservation and management of endemic and threatened plants
Projeto
PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
Projeto
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Projeto
PVA – Population Viability Analyses Applied to the Conservation and Management of Endemic and Threatened Species
Projeto
Molecular research as a tool for biodiversity conservation (Genomics of the Brazilian Biodiversity – GBB)
Projeto
Brazil nut trees and other threatened species: ecology, propagation, and monitoring
Projeto
Biodiversity 4.0
Publicações relacionadas
Tereza Giannini
PhD in Ecology
Tereza Giannini holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of São Paulo (USP) and is a biologist at the same university’s Institute of Biosciences, having worked at the Naturalis Museum in Leiden, Holland, and at the Center for Ecology and Hydrology in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a researcher at ITV DS, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in biodiversity databases at USP’s Polytechnic School, including a research period at the University of Rio Negro in Bariloche, Argentina.
Docente em
Graduate studies
Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Tropical
Projetos relacionados
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PDEoeste Propagation and Cultivation
Projeto
PDEoeste Monit&Bioindic
Projeto
PDEoeste FuncEcos
Projeto
PDEoeste: restoration of cangas and conservation of rare species
Projeto
Hydrological and Climate Risks
Projeto
Rare, endemic, and threatened plants of the Carajás FLONA
Projeto
No Net Loss in Carajás
Projeto
Social and Environmental Business
Projeto
The road to Nature Positive at Mineração Paragominas S.A.
Projeto
DatalakeDS: Data science for sustainable development
Projeto
Biolink – Web platform for aggregating species diversity data in areas of interest to Vale
Projeto
Biodiversity 4.0
Projeto
Genetic differentiation and population size estimation of endemic birds from the “Carajás mosaic” of protected areas
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