Editor’s choice

(Just accepted)

Paulo E.A.S. Câmara & Micheline Carvalho-Silva

Abstract

Botany is one of the oldest science done above the parallel 60oS, and more than 180 years have passed since the first professional botanist collected plants in Antarctica. Far from being a barren place, plants constitute an important part of polar ecosystems. Worldwide, Brazil is one the only 29 countries with consultative status and to currently develop botanical studies in Antarctica. In this paper, we discuss the importance of polar science to Brazil and the role that Brazil has in the international austral polar scientific community, as well as the importance of the newly inaugurated scientific station.