Dr. Gabriela I. Pirk is a biologist from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, where she obtained her PhD in Biology. Her research is focused on Community Ecology, and in particular on animal–plant interactions and the effects animals and plants have on each other. Her doctoral studies were on interactions between harvester ants and seeds in the Monte desert. Her postdoctoral studies focused on the indirect effects leaf-cutting ants have on plants’ tolerance to herbivory in NW Patagonia. She holds a position as an Independent Researcher from CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina) in the Instituto de
Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (CONICET - Universidad Nacional del Comahue), Bariloche. Her current research is on the functional role of ants in arid ecosystems of Patagonia, especially those functions related to ecosystem services. She is a Professor at the Universidad Nacional del Comahue, where she is the co-chair of the Department of Ecology. She teaches General Ecology, Applied Ecology and a graduate course on the ecology of arid and semiarid environments.
Dr. Gabriela I. Pirk is a biologist from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, where she obtained her PhD in Biology. Her research is focused on Community Ecology, and in particular on animal–plant interactions and the effects animals and plants have on each other. Her doctoral studies were on interactions between harvester ants and seeds in the Monte desert. Her postdoctoral studies focused on the indirect effects leaf-cutting ants have on plants’ tolerance to herbivory in NW Patagonia. She holds a position as an Independent Researcher from CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina) in the Instituto de
Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (CONICET - Universidad Nacional del Comahue), Bariloche. Her current research is on the functional role of ants in arid ecosystems of Patagonia, especially those functions related to ecosystem services. She is a Professor at the Universidad Nacional del Comahue, where she is the co-chair of the Department of Ecology. She teaches General Ecology, Applied Ecology and a graduate course on the ecology of arid and semiarid environments.