Gabrielle Beca

Gabrielle Beca is a wildlife ecologist and her biggest interest is in understanding if digging mammals can assist in the recovery and establishment of disturbed environments. Her PhD research with the Ecosystem Restoration and Intervention Ecology (ERIE) group at University of Western Australia investigates the role of the threatened Australian marsupial woylie (Bettongia penicillata) as ecosystem engineer in restoring degraded landscapes in Western Australia, as well as its potential importance as seed disperser.

Before starting her PhD, Gabrielle studied the influence of agricultural landscapes on the persistence of terrestrial mammals in Atlantic Forest fragments in Brazil. Through her research, she hopes to increase our knowledge on plant–animal interactions, which can aid in conservation and restoration strategies, linked to animal translocation and landscapes restoration efforts.