INSTITUI ES DE PESQUISA EM MEIO AMBIENTE: o caso do BIOTA e do LBA

This article questions the possibility that environmental research programs be considered as institutions. To analyse this problematic it proposes not only a theoretical approach but also a case study. The case study, necessary to understand the relationship research programinstitution, is base on two important environmental research programs that deals with biodiversity (BIOTA) and global environmental change). As a result of the analysis is the consideration that the research program can be considered as an instituion and as such it is necessary to plan the institutional design since the beggining of the program.