UMC is a research group that operates within the University of Évora (UE), Centre for Ecology and Environment (CEA).
Research in the CEA is divided in five areas:
Macroecology and Conservation;
Mediterranean Ecosystems;
Chemical Ecology;
Freshwater Ecology;
and Marine Ecology.
UMC includes a small, but highly focused team of researchers (currently eleven).

Three broad research questions are asked:
1) why are species where they are?;
2) where will species occur in the future?; and
3) why will they occur where they are predicted?.

The group favours multi-species analysis, cross taxon-comparisons, and the development of statistical techniques to test hypothesis about large-scale distributions of organisms. Particular emphasis is given to the exploration of GIS (Geographical Information Systems) capabilities in the study of macroecological patterns and processes. The group has been involved in 14 recent Portuguese- or European-funded projects, including NATURE-GIS and the PHRAME projects, and have another 10 proposals under evaluation. More information including current projects can be found at: http://www.cea.uevora.pt/umc.

RESEARCH TEAM: Miguel B. Araújo, Paulo A. V. Borges, Wilfried Thuiller