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
- 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
- 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.2024.101166
- 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
- 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. Our inaugural Graduate Research Grant program opened in fall 2023, and seven projects were awarded. The ISC will host another round of grants in Fall 2024. Stay tuned for more information!
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 & Environmental Sciences
- How soil nutrient availability impacts establishment of invasive plants | Gabrielle Ripa, School of Plant & Environmental Sciences
- Effects of a biocontrol agent on the invasive Tree of Heaven’s fungal community | Anyelina Mangru and Tim Shively, School of Plant & 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.
