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Assistant Professor
Room 103, 435 Old Glade Road (0330) Phone: (540) 231-6323
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Education| Research Interests|
Experience| Selected Publications
Dr. Barney's research interests are focused on identifying and evaluating the factors that interact along the invasion pathway that starts as a benign introduction and terminates in a widespread harmful invasion. By parsing this complex process into the contributing factors of 1) species characteristics, 2) receiving habitat dynamics, 3) source environment conditions, 4) propagule pressure, and 5) time since introduction, we are better able to understand existing invasions by empirically evaluating the components singly or in interaction. One current research project is to evaluate the invasion process conceptually in an attempt to identify knowledge gaps and advance our limited understanding of why some introduced species become invasive, but the largest fraction remain benign components of the environment. We are using the phast framework (Barney and Whitlow 2008) as a conceptual model to parse the invasion process into individual components that are then integrated via a factor-matrix.
Dr. Barney has lead an effort to evaluate the invasive potential of bioenergy crops, which are selected for potentially weedy characteristics under agronomic pretenses. The Barney lab is evaluating the invasive potential of perennial grasses, herbs, shrubs, and trees using risk assessments, niche modeling, and field studies across the eastern US. We are collaborating with bioenergy crop developers and many other universities in a large project that aims to deliver highly productive crops with minimal risk of escaping cultivation and becoming harmful invasive pests.
The Barney lab also conducts basic and applied research on invasive plant species of concern in Virginia and the region. Research topics include allelopathic interactions (root exudates, leachate via wet deposition, and biogenic volatile organic compound emissions), mechanisms of invasion (competition, "soil training", shading), impacts to invaded ecosystems, and the economic costs of invasion.
I am looking for graduate students interested in working in invasive plant ecology, biofuel ecology, or risk assessment-please contact me.