Taxa Focus: Invertebrates

Butternut trees, decimated by an invasive fungus, could make a comeback as researchers pinpoint habitats where they can thrive.

Six interdisciplinary projects bring together faculty, students, and partners to advance environmental solutions and strengthen the university’s research portfolio.

Dr. Michael Schwarz talks about the rapid invasion of blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay, its ecological and economic impacts, and the promising potential for turning this challenge into an opportunity.

Over the past 80 years, the invasive brown tree snake has eradicated most of Guam’s bird population, disrupting seed dispersal. Researchers suggest that without the need to attract bird dispersers, plants can invest more in defense – potentially making Guam’s peppers spicier.

An alum returns as an industry partner, collaborating with her former professor on a research project to examine treatments for beech leaf disease and oak wilt, two serious threats to forest health.

A new study found that species introductions, more than extinctions, are reshaping how seeds move across 120 islands worldwide.

Invasive species often thrive because they have no natural predators — yet surprisingly, some of them are not only edible to humans, but downright delicious, with flavors that could enhance a Thanksgiving table spread.

Armed with maps and 19th-century handwriting, students are reconstructing what Indiana’s forests looked like before the invasive Dutch elm disease reshaped the landscape in the early 1900s.

As the invasive spotted lanternfly continues to spread throughout Virginia, one Virginia Tech scientist says fighting the insect’s favorite tree may be the key to slowing the growth of both.

Non-native salamanders threaten California tiger salamanders by interbreeding with them, putting the native species at risk of genetic extinction. Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed models showing that managing pond water levels and selectively removing hybrids can help protect the native salamander population.

Dr. Lindsay Miles joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about her research on bed bugs, focusing on genomic sequencing, the history of bed bug populations, and the implications of their mutations.