Dr. Jacob Barney

FACULTY AFFILIATE   |   Global Change Center

School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

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jnbarney@vt.edu  •  540-231-6323

Dr. Barney’s research program at Virginia Tech focuses on the processes and consequences of invasive plant species on our natural and managed ecosystems. In relation to global change, he studies how invasive plants respond to novel climate scenarios, which may increase the number and distribution of habitats susceptible to invasion.  Dr. Barney is particularly interested in risk assessment as it pertains to reducing the risk of future invasions, and has applied this extensively in studying the risk of introducing exotic bioenergy crops. Dr. Barney also focuses on identifying the impacts of invasive plants in a holistic manner to better understand the consequences to biodiversity and ecosystem processes.

At Virginia Tech, Dr. Barney teaches undergraduate courses in Biological Invasions and Ecological Agriculture, and at the graduate level Advanced Biological Invasions.

Barney serves as an Associate Editor for Invasive Plant Science and Management, on the Executive Committee of the Northeastern Weed Science Society, and the Board of Directors for the Weed Science Society of America. He also regularly serves in advisory capacities at the local, state, and national level on bioenergy crops and invasive species. Dr. Barney has published more than 35 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters on subjects pertaining to invasive plant ecology, ecological impacts of invasive plants, chemical ecology, risk assessment, and bioenergy.