RESEARCH
The Invasive Species Collaborative is actively confronting the invasive species crisis by producing original research, connecting across branches of knowledge, and training the next generation of policy-minded scientists.
Publications and presentations
Invasion science requires interdisciplinary teams and creative thinkers. The ISC brings together experts from diverse disciplines to promote regional, national, and global scholarship.
Publications | 2024
- Blossey, B., Nuzzo, V., & Endriss, S.B. (2024). From ecological menace to roadside attraction: 28 years of evidence to support successful biocontrol of purple loosestrife. Ecosphere. doi: 10.1002/ecs2.70089
- de Almeida, C., Reid, J.L., Reffeira de Lima, R., Guesdes Pinto, L.S., & Gorne Viani, R.A. (2024). High-diversity Atlantic Forest restoration plantings fail to represent local floras. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2024.12.001
- Gawel, A.M., Wald, D.M., & Rogers, H.S. (2024). Community perceptions of invasive species and environmental management in a US island territory. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.14394.
- Miles, L.S. Adams, R., Francioli, Y.Z., Card, D.C., Castoe, T.A., & Booth, W. (2024). A chromosome-level reference genome for the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, with identification of sex chromosomes. Journal of Heredity. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esae071
- Creed, R.P., Thomas, M.J., Meeks, A.L., & Brown, B.L. (2024). Ectosymbionts improve host gill function in a freshwater cleaning symbiosis. Symbiosis. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-024-01025-y
- Miles, H.H., Salom, S., Shively, T.J., Bielski, J.T., McAvoy, T.J., & Fearer, C.J. (2024). A review of potential biological controls for Ailanthus altissima. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saae041
- Bellangue, D., Barney, J., Flessner, M., Kubesch, J., O’Rourke, M., Tracy, B., & Reid, J.L. (2024). Site preparation and planting strategies to improve native forb establishment in pasturelands. Agronomy. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14112676
- Wang, S., Liao, Z., Cao, P., Schmid, M., Zhang, L., Bi, J., Endriss, S., Zhao, Y., Parepa, M., Hu, W., Akamine, H., Wu, J, Ju, R., Bossdorf, O., Richrds, C., & Li, B. (2024). General purpose genotypes and evolution of higher plasticity in clonality underlie knotweed invasion. bioRxiv [pre-print]. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.13.618084
- Shively, T.J., Barney, J.N., Reid, J.L., & Salom, S.M. (2024). The bioherbicide Verticllium nonalfalfae effectively removes Ailanthus altissima but leaves many other nonnative plants. Invasive Plant Science and Management. https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2024.27
- Drake, J., O’Malley, G. Kraft, J., & Mims, M. (2024). Combining graph theory and spatially-explicit, individual-based models to improve invasive species control strategies at a regional scale. Landscape Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-024-01978-x
- Bell, S.S., McElmurray, P., Creed, R.P., & Brown, B.L. (2024). Impacts of invasion on a freshwater cleaning symbiosis. Oecologia. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-024-05600-4
- McAvoy, T.J., Foley, J.R., BArnett, S.D., Mays, R., Dechaine, A., & Salom, S.M. (2024). Laboratory assessment of predation and fecundity of Laricobius species (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), predators of hemlock woolly adelgid. Biocontrol Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2024.2405155
- Holl, K.D., Reid, L. Zahawi, R.A., de Siqueira, L.P., & Brancalion, P.H.S. (2024). A call for practical spatially patterned forest restoration methods. Restoration Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14266
- Lee. H., Hildebrand, R., Cai, W., & Buyuktahtakin, E. (2024). Algorithms for finding the best pure Nash Equilibrium in edge-weighted budgeted maximum coverage games. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2409.04078
- Tang, Q., Vargo, E.L., Ahmad, I., Jiang, H., Varadinova, Z.K., Dovih, P., Kim, D., Bourguigon, T., Booth, W., Schal, C., Mukha, D.V., Rheindt, F.E., & Evans, T.A. (2024). Solving the 250-year-old mystery of the origin and global spread of the German cockroach. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2401185121
- Booth, W. (2024). Population genetics as a tool to understand invasion dynamics and insecticide resistance in indoor urban pest insects. Current Opinion in Insect Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2024.10116
- Kastner, M., Goetz, S.M., Baker, K.M, Siers, S.R., Paxton, E.H., Nafus, M.G., & Rogers, H.S. (2024). Gape-limited invasive predator frequently kills avian prey that are too large to swallow. Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11598
- Sharma, G, Haak, D. Westwood, J.H., Askew, S., & Barney, J.N. (2024). Transgenerational phenotypic responses to herbicide stress are more rapid than to shade and simulated herbivory in Arabidopsis. PubMed. doi: 10.1111/tpj.16923
- Beall, M.C., Barney, J.N., Welbaum, G.E., & Reid, J.L. (2024). Implications of germination tolerances on invasion potential of Anthraxon hispidus. PLOS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0303638
- Barney, J.N., O’Malley, G., Ripa, G.N., Drake, J., Franusich, D., & Mims, M.C. (2024). A silent spring, or a new cacophony? Invasive plants as maestros of modern soundscapes. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. doi:10.1002/fee.2729
- Kinsley A, Kao SYZ, Enns EA, Escobar LE, Qiao H, Craft ME, Muthukrishnan R, Larkin DJ, & Phelps NDB. (2024). Modeling the risk of aquatic species invasion spread through boater movements and river connections. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14260
- Nogales, M., McConkey, K.R., Carlo, T.A., Wotton, D.M., Bellingham, P.J., Traveset, A., Gonzalez-Castro, A., Heleno, R., Watanabe, K., Ando, H., Rogers, H., Heinen, J.H., & Drake, D.R. (2024). A review on the state of the art in frugivory and seed dispersal on islands and the implications of global change. Botanical Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-023-09296-8
Publications | 2023
- Brainard DC, Haramoto ER, Leon RG, Kells JJ, Van Wychen LR, Devkota P, Jugulam M, & Barney JN (2023) A survey of weed research priorities: Key findings and future directions. Weed Science, 71: 4 330-343. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2023.24
- Copenheaver CA, Peterson JA, Goldbeck DeBose K, & Barney JN (2023). Non-native plants observed in North America by 18th century naturalists. Ecoscience. https://doi.org/10.1080/11956860.2023.2180925
- IPBES (2023). Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Roy, H. E., Pauchard, A., Stoett, P., and Renard Truong, T. (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7430682
- Fletcher, R.A., Atwater, D.Z., Haak, D.C., Bagavathiannan, M.V., DiTommaso, A., Lehnhoff, E., Paterson, A.H., Auckland, S., Govindasamy, P., Lemke, C., Morris, E., Rainville, L., & Barney, J.N. (2023). Adaptive constraints at the range edge of a widespread and expanding invasive plant. AoB PLANTS, 15(6), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plad070
- Reed, E.M.X., Cathey, S., Braswell, C., Agarwal, P., Barney, J.N., Brown, B.L., Heminger, A., Kianmehr, A., Salom, S., Schenk, T., Sharma, G., & Haak, D.C. (2023). The state of play in invasive species policy: Insights from invasive species laws and regulations in 21 US states.BioScience, 73(10), 738-747. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biad078
- Van de Vuurst, P., Qiao, H., Soler-Tovar, D., & Escobar, L.E. (2023). Climate change linked to vampire bat expansion and rabies virus spillover.Ecography. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.06714
- Sorice, M.G., Rajala, K., Brown, B.L., Masterson, V., & Fuhlendorf, S.D. (2023). Relationship with the land as a foundation for ecosystem stewardship. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 21(6), 282–288. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2651
- Reed, E.M.X., Schenk, T., Brown, B.L., Rogers, H.S., Haak, D.C., Drake, J.C., & Barney, J.N. (2023). Holistic valuation of non-native species requires broadening the tent. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 38(6), 497-498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2023.01.004
Publications | 2022 and earlier
- Haak, D.H., Salom, S., Barney, J.N., Lakoba, V.T., Brooks, R.K., Fletcher, R.A., Foley, J.R., Heminger, A., Maynard, L.D., McElmurray, P., Seo, H-J., & Sharma, G. (2022). Transformative learning in graduate global change education drives conceptual shift in invasive species co-management and collaboration. Environmental Education Research,28(9), 1297-1315. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2055746
- Brown, B.L. & Barney, J.N. (2021). Rethinking Biological Invasions as a Metacommunity Problem. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.584701
- Lakoba, V.T., Brooks, R.K., Haak, D.C., & Barney, J.N. (2020). An analysis of US state regulated weed lists: a discordance between biology and policy. BioScience, 70(9), 804-813. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa081
- Barney, J.N., Schenk, T., Haak, D.C., Salom, S., Brown, B., & Hotchkiss, E.R. (2019). Building Partnerships and Bridging Science and Policy to Address the Biological Invasions Crisis. Invasive Plant Science and Management,12(1), 74-78. https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2018.33
Presentations
- Barney JN (2024, June 17), Coordination and consistency needed in US state invasive species policies. 2024 World Biodiversity Forum. Davos, Switzerland.
- O’Malley G (2024, April 10), Hokie for a Day.
- O’Malley G (2024, April 7), SEEDS Blacksburg Nature Center Spring Festival.
- ISC Steering Committee (2024, February 7), State of the University Address.
- Barney JN (2024, April 9), Briefing on the ISC to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
- Barney JN (2024, April 5), Briefing on the ISC to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Deans Advisory Council.
- Barney JN (2024, February 22), Invasive species research now and in the future at Virginia Tech: Opportunities for collaboration. CeZAP Distinguished Seminar Series.
- O’Malley G, Drake J, Mims M, Lahondere C, Salom S, Rogers H, Barney JN, & Sorice M (2024, February & March), Global Change IX Invasive Species: Consequences and Possible Remediation. Lifetime Learning Institute.
- Brown B, Salom S, Schenk T, Haak D. Barney JN, & Harriman H (2024, January, February, & March), Invasive species in Virginia and the Invasive Species Working Group. Hahn Horticulture Garden Lunch and Learn.
- Barney JN (2024, January 26), Presentation on the ISC at the Global Change Center Faculty Retreat.
- Brown BL, Barney JN, Drake J, Escobar L, Haak D, Mims M, Reed EMX, Rogers H, Salom S, Schenk T, & Sorice M (2023, April 23), An Introduction to the VT Invasive Species Working Group: Destination Area 2.0. VT College of Science Roundtable.
- Reed EMX, Schenk T, Haak D, Brown B, & Salom S (2022, December 16), Integrating policy and biology for invasive species management. Federal Organisms in Trade – Hitchhikers Work Group (Chair: Craig Martin, USFWS). Virtual.
- Reed EMX (2022, December 2), Studying policy to inform biology: an invasive species case study. Virginia Tech Entomology Seminar Series, Blacksburg VA.
- Reed EMX, Agarwal P, Barney JN, Braswell C, Brown BL, Cathey S, Heminger A, Kianmehr A, Sharma G, Salom S, Schenk T, & Haak DC (2022, November 7-11), Biological invasion laws among USA states reveal a fragmented policy landscape. North American Invasive Species Management Association Annual Conference. Kissimmee, FL.
- Reed EMX (2022, September 19-21), Invited Panelist/Speaker, Breakout Session: “Biological Invasions in the Southeast US: Impacts, Management, and What’s On the Horizon”, Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Symposium.
- Reed EMX (2022, August 30), State-Level Invasion Policy in Virginia and the Eastern United States, presentation, Blue Ridge Partnership of Invasive Species Management (PRISM).
- Reed EMX (2022, April 13), Population and landscape genetics of the anthropophilic invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus. Virginia Tech, Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology Program. Seminar Series. Blacksburg VA.
- Reed EMX (2021), Effects of Urbanization Intensity on Genetic Connectivity of the Invasive Mosquito Aedes albopictus, Virginia Tech, Department of Biological Sciences. Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Seminar Series. Postdoc Flash Talk. Blacksburg, VA.
- Barney JN, Brooks R, Lakoba VT, & Haak D (2021), U.S. State Noxious Weed Lists are Reactive, Not Coordinated, and Incongruous With Biology. National Invasive Species Awareness Week, sponsored by the North American Invasive Species Management Association.
- Barney JN, Salom S, Haak DC, Lakoba VT, & Schenk T (2020), Connecting stakeholders to bridge the knowing-doing gap in biological invasions. Ecological Society of America, Symposium on Translational Invasion Ecology: Bridging Research and Practice to Address One of the Greatest Drivers of Global Change.
- Salom S, Barney JN, Haak DC, Lakoba VT*, & Schenk T (2019), Advocacy, science, and policy of invasive species: Results of a visit to DC by a graduate student class. 60th Annual Southern Forest Insect Work Conference. Savannah, GA.
Graduate student research
The ISC is dedicated to supporting graduate student research, outreach, and professional development opportunities. The 2024-2025 Graduate Student Grant Program opened during the fall semester and after a competitive selection process, 11 projects and 12 students were funded. Click below to learn more about grant awardees and their respective research.
2024-2025 Cohort
- Synteny analysis surrounding the male sex determining locus in A. albopictus and A. aegypti – Christen Hughes, Department of Biochemistry
- Host plant specific transcriptome adaptations in the spotted lanternfly – Brian Ruether, Department of Biological Sciences
- Acoustic monitoring and fine-scale error rates of detection for an invasive and native anuran in the southwestern U.S. – Grace O’Malley, Department of Biological Sciences
- Understanding the invasion genomics of a globally resurging indoor urban pest insect in low-income housing – Camille Block, Department of Entomology
- You can wriggle, but you can’t hide: Detecting invasive worms with eDNA in turfgrass – Jordan Thompson, Department of Entomology
- Enhancing invasive ant baiting and biocontrol efficiency with a simple molecule – Chloe Liu and Charly Hartle, Department of Entomology
- The genetic diversity and spread of the invasive aphid species, Metopolophium festucae cerealium, in the U.S. – Shirin Parizad, Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
- Impacts of brown tree snake on trophic dynamics of Micronesian starlings using stable isotope analysis – Zia Cryster, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
- Whom to trust: Examining the role of trust in invasive species management – Miguel Diaz-Manrique, School of Public and International Affairs
- Characterizing the phytobiome of Ailanthus altissima and its changes following inoculation with the proposed fungal biocontrol agent Verticillium nonalfalfae – Harrison Miles, Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
- Soil nutrient availability as a predictor of invasive plant establishment on restored streams – Gabrielle Ripa, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
2023-2024 Cohort
- Understanding embryonic development and respiratory activities of bed bugs – Morgan Wilson, Department of Entomology
- Developing control methods (trapping) for the invasive Asian needle ant – Charly Hartle and Chloe Liu, Department of Entomology
- Response of macroinvertebrates to invasion and stream restoration – Matt Sharpe, Entomology and Gabrielle Ripa, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
- How soil nutrient availability impacts establishment of invasive plants – Gabrielle Ripa, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
- Effects of a biocontrol agent on the invasive Tree of Heaven’s fungal community – Anyelina Mangru and Tim Shively, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
- Using sound to monitor invasive and native frog species – Grace O’Malley, Department of Biological Sciences
- Seed dispersal networks and traits for invasive fruiting plants in Appalachia – Abir Jain, Department Fish and Wildlife Conservation
U.S. Army veteran and Tillman Scholar Tim Shively, a Ph.D. student in plant pathology, physiology, and weed science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is studying a biological control agent for the invasive tree-of-heaven. Inspired to serve by 9/11, Shively earned his undergraduate degree and commission at West Point.
