Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory » Pest Management Research » People & Locations » Natalie West

Natalie M West
Research Ecologist


Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon Reprint Icon will take you to the publication reprint.)
Early impacts of invasive shrub removal on riparian arthropod communities - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Branson, D.H., Muscha, J.M., Campbell, J.W. 2023. Early impacts of invasive shrub removal on riparian arthropod communities. Ecological Restoration. 41(4):189-198. https://doi.org/10.3368/er.41.4.189.
Agricultural Research Service weed science research: past, present, and future - ()
Young, S.L., Anderson, J.V., Baerson, S.R., Bajsa Hirschel, J.N., Blumenthal, D.M., Boyd, C.S., Boyette, C.D., Brennan, E.B., Cantrell, C.L., Chao, W.S., Chee Sanford, J.C., Clements, D.D., Dray Jr, F.A., Duke, S.O., Porter, K.M., Fletcher, R.S., Fulcher, M.R., Gaskin, J., Grewell, B.J., Hamerlynck, E.P., Hoagland, R.E., Horvath, D.P., Law, E.P., Madsen, J., Martin, D.E., Mattox, C.M., Mirsky, S.B., Molin, W.T., Moran, P.J., Mueller, R.C., Nandula, V.K., Newingham, B.A., Pan, Z., Porensky, L.M., Pratt, P.D., Price, A.J., Rector, B.G., Reddy, K.N., Sheley, R.L., Smith, L., Smith, M., Snyder, K.A., Tancos, M.A., West, N.M., Wheeler, G.S., Williams, M., Wolf, J.E., Wonkka, C.L., Wright, A.A., Xi, J., Ziska, L.H. 2023. Agricultural Research Service weed science research: past, present, and future. Weed Science. 71(4):312-327. https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2023.31.
Vegetative vs. sexual reproduction varies widely in an invasive plant species across western North America - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Gaskin, J.F., Cortat, G., West, N.M. 2023. Vegetative vs. sexual reproduction varies widely in an invasive plant species across western North America. Biological Invasions. 25:2219–2229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-023-03035-1.
Pollinators and other beneficial insects within two brassicaceous oilseeds and a cover crop mix under evaluation as fallow surrogates for dryland production systems of the northern Great Plains - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Campbell, J.W., Rand, T.A., Allen, B.L., Jabro, J.D., Rana Dangi, S., West, N.M., Morphew, A.R. 2024. Pollinators and other beneficial insects within two brassicaceous oilseeds and a cover crop mix under evaluation as fallow surrogates for dryland production systems of the northern Great Plains. Journal of Kansas Entomological Society. 96(3), 2023, pp. 78-92. https://doi.org/10.2317/0022-8567-96.3.78.
Comparing three collection methods for pollinating insects within electric transmission rights-of-ways - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Campbell, J.W., Abbate, A., West, N.M., Straub, L., Williams, G. 2023. Comparing three collection methods for pollinating insects within electric transmission rights-of-ways. Journal of Insect Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-023-00460-4.
Genetic diversity and structure of Crupina vulgaris (common crupina): A noxious rangeland weed of the western United States - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Gaskin, J.F., Chapagain, N., Schwarzländer, M., Tancos, M.A., West, N.M. 2023. Genetic diversity and structure of Crupina vulgaris (common crupina): A noxious rangeland weed of the western United States. NeoBiota. 82:57-66. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.82.90229.suppl1.
High genetic diversity in the landscape suggests frequent seedling recruitment by Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit. (leafy spurge) in the northern U.S - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Gaskin, J.F., Milan, J., Rand, T.A. 2022. High genetic diversity in the landscape suggests frequent seedling recruitment by Euphorbia virgata Waldst. & Kit. (leafy spurge) in the northern U.S. Biological Invasions. 25:645-652. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-022-02954-9.
Does Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) depend on insects for seed production? - (Abstract Only)
Estimating local eradication costs for invasive Miscanthus populations throughout the eastern and midwestern United States - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Lowry, C., Matlaga, D., West, N.M., Williams II, M.M., Davis, A. 2022. Estimating local eradication costs for invasive Miscanthus populations throughout the eastern and midwestern United States. Invasive Plant Science and Management. 15(3):115-121. https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2022.20.
Variation in reproductive mode across the latitudinal range of an invasive Russian knapweed - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Gaskin, J.F., Littlefield, J., Rand, T.A., West, N.M. 2022. Variation in reproductive mode across the latitudinal range of an invasive Russian knapweed. AoB Plants. 14(4). Article plac032. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plac032.
Biological control of leafy spurge - ()
West, N.M., Gaskin, J.F. 2022. Biological control of leafy spurge. In: Van Drieshe, R. G., Winston, R.L., Lopez, T.M., editors. Contributions of Classical Biocontrol to the U.S. Food Security, Forestry, and Biodiversity, 1985-2022. Morgantown, WV: FHAAST. p.266-281.
Herbivory changes biomass allocation but does not induce resistance among ramets of an invasive plant - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Becker, Z.Q., Ode, P.J., West, N.M., Pearse, I.S. 2022. Herbivory changes biomass allocation but does not induce resistance among ramets of an invasive plant. Arthropod-Plant Interactions. 16:297-307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-022-09897-x.
Coyote and porcupine spread Russian olive seeds through endozoochory - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Campbell, J.W., West, N.M. 2022. Coyote and porcupine spread Russian olive seeds through endozoochory. Journal of Wildlife Management. 86(6). Article e22242. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22242.
Inconsistent annual compensation for floral herbivory by an iterocarpic thistle - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Louda, S.M. 2021. Inconsistent annual compensation for floral herbivory by an iterocarpic thistle. American Journal of Botany. 108(10):1889-1901. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1744.
Flood dynamics dictate distributions of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. (Russian olive) on a riverine floodplain - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Reinhold, A., Poole, G.C., Espeland, E.K. 2020. Flood dynamics dictate distributions of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. (Russian olive) on a riverine floodplain. Biological Invasions. 22:3493-3499. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-020-02352-z.
Post-dispersal factors influence recruitment patterns but do not override the importance of seed limitation in populations of native thistle - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Rand, T.A., West, N.M., Russell, F., Louda, S.M. 2020. Post-dispersal factors influence recruitment patterns but do not override the importance of seed limitation in populations of native thistle. Oecologia. 193(1):143-153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04656-2.
Decoupled recovery of ecological communities after reclamation - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Sylvain, Z.A., Branson, D.H., Rand, T.A., West, N.M., Espeland, E.K. 2019. Decoupled recovery of ecological communities after reclamation. PeerJ. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7038.
Considering weed management as a social dilemma bridges individual and collective interests - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bagavathiannan, M.V., Graham, S., Zhao, M., Barney, J.N., Coutts, S.R., Caicedo, A., De Clerck-Floate, R., West, N.M., Blank, L., Metcalf, A.L., Lacoste, M., Moreno, C., Evans, J.A., Burke, I., Beckie, H. 2019. Considering weed management as a social dilemma bridges individual and collective interests. Nature Plants. 5:343-351. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-019-0395-y.
Oilfield reclamation recovers productivity but not composition of arthropod herbivores and predators - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Sylvain, Z.A., Espeland, E.K., Rand, T.A., West, N.M., Branson, D.H. 2019. Oilfield reclamation recovers productivity but not composition of arthropod herbivores and predators. Environmental Entomology. 48(2):299-308. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvz012.
Cumulative herbivory outpaces compensation for early floral damage on a monocarpic perennial thistle - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Louda, S.M. 2017. Cumulative herbivory outpaces compensation for early floral damage on a monocarpic perennial thistle. Oecologia. 186(2):495-506. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-4027-9.
Secondary invasion and re-invasion after Russian-olive removal and revegetation - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Espeland, E.K., Muscha, J.M., Scianna, J., Kilian, R., West, N.M., Petersen, M.K. 2017. Secondary invasion and re-invasion after Russian-olive removal and revegetation. Invasive Plant Science and Management. 10:340-349. https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2017.36.
Soils determine early revegetation establishment with and without cover crops in northern mixed grass prairie after energy development Reprint Icon - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Espeland, E.K., Hendrickson, J.R., Toledo, D.N., West, N.M., Rand, T.A. 2017. Soils determine early revegetation establishment with and without cover crops in northern mixed grass prairie after energy development. Ecological Restoration. 35(4):311-319.
Short term impacts provide a management window for minimizing invasions from bioenergy crops - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Matlaga, D.P., Muthukrishnanan, R., Spyreas, G.R., Forester, J.D., Jordan, N.R., Davis, A.S. 2017. Short term impacts provide a management window for minimizing invasions from bioenergy crops. Frontiers in Plant Science. 8:767.
Oilfield reclamation in mixed grass prairie restores nematode but not plant communities - (Abstract Only)
Data driven weed management: Tracking herbicide resistance at the landscape scale - ()
Endres, A., West, N.M., Evans, J.A., Schlessinger, L. 2017. Data driven weed management: Tracking herbicide resistance at the landscape scale. In: Kraska, J., Honaker, B., Macy, M., Spencer-Kuhlmann, L., Williams, N., Mantell, S., Harris, T., Hemme, M., editors. Agricultural Law Symposium, Plowing New Ground: The Intersection of Technology and Agricultural Law. Little Rock, AR: University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review. p. 425-436.
Spatial variation in seed bank dynamics of two annual brome species in the northern Great Plains - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Espeland, E.K., Mangold, J., West, N.M. 2016. Spatial variation in seed bank dynamics of two annual brome species in the northern Great Plains. Prairie Naturalist. 48(2):96-101.
Evaluating the role of landscape in the spread of invasive species: the case of the biomass crop - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Muthukrishnan, R., West, N.M., Davis, A.S., Jordan, N.R., Forester, J. 2015. Evaluating the role of landscape in the spread of invasive species: the case of the biomass crop. Journal of Applied Ecology. 317:6-15.
Mitigating the potential for invasive spread of the exotic biofuel crop, Miscanthus x giganteus - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Pitman, S.E., Muthukrishnan, R., West, N.M., Jordan, N.R., Davis, A.S., Forester, J.D. 2015. Mitigating the potential for invasive spread of the exotic biofuel crop, Miscanthus x giganteus. Biological Invasions. 17(11):3247-3261 doi 10.1007/s10530-015-0950-z.
Managing spread from rhizome fragments is key to reducing invasiveness in Miscanthus x giganteus - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Matlaga, D.P., Kalita, P., Davis, A.S. 2014. Managing spread from rhizome fragments is key to reducing invasiveness in Miscanthus x giganteus. Invasive Plant Science and Management. 7:517-525.
Vegetative dispersal of perennial bioenergy crops as a potential invasion route - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Matlaga, D., Davis, A.S. 2015. Vegetative dispersal of perennial bioenergy crops as a potential invasion route. Invasive Plant Science and Management. 7:517-525.
Quantifying targets to manage invasion risk: light gradients dominate the early regeneration niche of naturalized and pre-commercial Miscanthus populations - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
West, N.M., Matlaga, D.P., Davis, A.S. 2014. Quantifying targets to manage invasion risk: light gradients dominate the early regeneration niche of naturalized and pre-commercial Miscanthus populations. Biological Invasions. 16:1991-2001.