Research
Researchers within the Center for Research on Invasive Species use state-of-the-art science to tackle problems in agriculture, natural resources and human impacts caused by invasive species. Most of this effort is focused in Idaho and the surrounding Pacific Northwest region.
There are 17 faculty from three colleges, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the College of Natural Resources and the College of Science participating in this center.
Faculty research
Sanford Eigenbrode’s research program investigates insect-plant interactions, chemical ecology and agroecology. He leads research focused on monitoring and modeling newly invasive insects in the Pacific Northwest, collaborates on deciphering the mechanistic basis of host plant specificity in candidate biological control agents for invasive weeds, and assess climate change effects on interspecies interactions within biological invasions.
Mark Schwarzländer’s research program studies biological based management of exotic plant invasions and the understanding of mechanisms that explain the invasiveness of exotic plant species. He leads research on the outcomes of biologically based integrated pest management of exotic plant invaders across spatial scales and the consequences for respective invaded native plant communities.
Timothy Prather’s research includes invasive plant biology, invasive plant impacts, modeling plant invasions and plant community restoration. He is leading research into interactions between invasive plants and native species, integrating interactions at local to regional scale models. He also participates in outreach efforts to identify research questions and implement findings from research through University of Idaho Extension and through an outreach objective of the U of I Rangeland Center.