The ICAE belongs to the Faculty of Sciences of the University of the Andes. Although its offices and laboratories are found in the city of Mérida, its radius action covers different ecosystems throughout the Venezuelan geography. Founded in 1969 as Group of Vegetable Ecology and was known as Center of Investigations of Ecology of the Andes Tropical (CIELAT) since 1985 till 1999 (historical report). The institute has achieved and realizes investigations upon ecology and environment in diverse scales and themes, particularly in tropical ecosystems, which mostly result and giving form to scientific production. Another aspect of ICAE and precursor organizations which is just as important is to represent their contribution in the formation of professionals in the area at the pre-grad level in the formation of Biology Graduates in charge of the Department of Biology and at the postgrad level in the Postgraduates in Tropical Ecology, in charge of the professoral staff of ICAE. Lines of Research: - Ecophysiology of plants, - Ecology of populations and communities, - Ecosystems and agro ecosystems, - Ecology regional and the landscape, - Ecology and development, - Dynamic tropical environment.