Gabriela Nuñez-Mir, Ph.D.
University of Illinois Chicago
Gabriela Nuñez-Mir, Ph.D.
Gabriela is a quantitative ecologist and a third-generation conservationist from the Dominican Republic. Growing up in a Caribbean island with high levels of endemism, Gabriela has always been very aware of the destructive impacts of invasive species. Today, her research program leverages large bodies of ecological data to investigate the dynamics of biological invasions at regional to continental scales. Prior to becoming faculty, Gabriela joined UIC in 2021 as a Bridge to the Faculty Scholar. Before that, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University, studying the range dynamics of a high-profile invasive insect. In 2018, she obtained her Ph.D. from the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University.
Project Summary
America's Next Top Invaders: Forecasting invasive range size of invasive plants using a traits-based framework
Prevention of biological invasions is crucial, as eradication of established invasive species is generally unfeasible. Identifying potentially invasive species and their impacts is an important aspect of early detection and rapid response, an important prevention strategy. A promising approach to identifying potential invasives hinges on evaluating the relationship between species traits and invasion success. To achieve this, Gabriela will compile a comprehensive traits database for ~900 non-native plant species in the U.S. to evaluate these traits as predictors for invasion success. This work will produce a watchlist of potentially invasive plants that will support invasive policy and management in the state of Illinois and nationwide.
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