title: Comparative biochemistry and physiology in Brazil: a critical appraisal.
abstract: Brazil stood out as the country with the highest number of submissions to the editorial project dedicated to Latin America by the journal Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Therefore, we felt that it was important to critically discuss the state of comparative biochemistry and physiology in this country. Our study is based on data collected from the ISI Web-of-Science. We analyzed publication trends through time, availability of novel approaches and techniques, patterns of collaboration among different geographical regions, patterns of collaboration with researchers abroad, and relative efforts dedicated to the study of biochemical and physiological adaptation of native fauna representing different terrestrial Brazilian biomes. Overall, our data shows that comparative biochemistry and physiology is a lively and productive discipline, but that some biases limit the scope of the field in Brazil. Some important limitations are the very heterogeneous distribution of research nuclei throughout the country and the absence of some important approaches, such as remote sensing and the use of molecular biology techniques in a comparative or evolutionary context. We also noticed that international collaboration far surpasses interregional collaboration, and discuss the possible causes and consequences of this situation. Finally, we found that Brazilian comparative biochemistry and physiology is biome-biased, as the Amazonian fauna has received far more attention than the whole pool of fauna representing other terrestrial biomes. We discuss the possible causes of these biases, and propose some directions that may contribute to invigorate the field in the country.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo/SP, Brazil. Electronic address: navas@usp.br.
authors.forename: Carlos Arturo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Navas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Guilherme
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chaui-Berlinck
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Eduardo P W
authors.initials: JEPW
authors.lastname: Bicudo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vânia R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Pivello
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001669:Biochemical Phenomena; D001671:Biochemistry; D001938:Brazil; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005843:Geography; D007391:International Cooperation; D010828:Physiology, Comparative; D011643:Publishing