The Terrestrial Ecotoxicology Research Group is led by professor Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Júnior and comprises researchers and students who have been investigating, since 2008, soil contamination in various regions of Rio Grande do Sul state. The group’s work focuses on the evaluation of organic and inorganic contaminants in terrestrial ecosystems through biomonitors and biomarkers and has received financial support (grants and scholarships) from various funding agencies (CNPq, FAPERGS, CAPES, etc.). The members of this research group are nationally recognized for their expertise in the area of terrestrial ecotoxicology through their participation in conferences and events in the area and the publication of scientific articles. The group studies the toxicity of soil contaminants using various biological models. It aims to create a cooperative network with other institutions to study this problem. To achieve these goals, the group concentrates its research in three areas: “Biomarkers for use in the toxicological evaluation of soils,” “Terrestrial invertebrates and plant species in ecotoxicological studies,” and “Wild rodents as tools for terrestrial ecotoxicology”.

Figure 1. Organisms used in terrestrial ecotoxicology studies.