Dr. Gina Wimp
My research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that structure biodiversity, as well as the global change factors that erode biodiversity and ecosystem services. During the course of my career, I have worked in a variety of different systems (Western Riparian Forests, East Coast Salt Marshes, and Eastern Deciduous Forests) to understand how eco-evolutionary relationships between plants and arthropods structure the extraordinary diversity we find in arthropod communities. I have also examined how global change factors in salt marsh ecosystems (nutrient loading, sea level rise, and habitat fragmentation) are causing the deterioration of arthropod biodiversity and ecosystem services. Finally, I have been working with local, state, and federal agencies on developing ways to restore native ecosystems and enhance resilience to global change.