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- Areawide Pest Management Program
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- Steve Young

Steve  Young    National Program Leader Steve Young, NPLWeeds and Invasive Pests Crop Production and ProtectionOffice of National Programs
Email: stephen.young@usda.gov  Phone: 301-504-6252Fax: 301-504-6191
Research
The focus of my work has been to address the why and how questions related to improving the management practices of natural and agricultural ecosystems. My primary interest is in weedy and invasive plants, but similar lines of research could be applied to challenges in the associated fields of entomology, plant pathology, soil microbiology, restoration ecology, agronomy, animal science, and human nutrition. By developing management approaches that account for the ecology and biology of systems at a range of scales, environmental and human health can be sustained over the long term along with profitability. My ultimate goal is to provide science-based information that people can use to understand how to better manage systems and think critically about the techniques and practices, which are needed to protect the land and support livelihoods both now and in the future.  National Program Leader For ARS ProjectsProject TitleArea-wide Management of Agricultural PestsUsing Aerial Application and Remote Sensing Technologies for Targeted Spraying of Crop Protection ProductsEndemic Plant Pathogens for Biological Control of Invasive Aquatic and Terrestrial WeedsNext-Generation Approaches for Monitoring and Management of Stored Product InsectsResilience of Integrated Weed Management Systems to Climate Variability in Midwest Crop Production SystemsForecasting, Outbreak Prevention, and Ecology of Grasshoppers and Other Rangeland and Crop Insects in the Great PlainsDiscovery and Development of Microbial-Based Biological Control Agents for Use Against Invasive Weeds in the United StatesWeed Biology and Development of Improved Management Technologies for Invasive and Herbicide-Resistant WeedsDevelopment and Implementation of Biological Control Programs for Natural Area Weeds in the Southeastern United StatesDevelopment of Ecological Strategies for Invasive Plant Management and Rehabilitation of Western RangelandsNovel Weed Management Tools from Natural Product-Based DiscoveriesPrecision Integrated Weed Management in Conventional and Organic Crop Production SystemsIntegrated Weed Management and Restoration Strategies to Protect Water Resources and Aquatic and Wetland Ecosystems of the Far Western U.S.Biological Control and Habitat Restoration for Invasive Weed ManagementIntegrate Vegetative Bud-based Propagation and Seeds in Restoration of Rangeland Native Plant CommunitiesBiological Control of Invasive Pests in Agroecosystems and Wetland, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystems in the Far Western U.S.  **Professional Preparation** INSTITUTIONMAJOR/AREA OF STUDYDEGREEYEAR(s)University of California, DavisSoils    & BiogeochemistryPh.D.2007University of IdahoPlant    ScienceM.S.2000Washington State UniversityHorticultureB.S.1996 **Appointments** 2021 - presentNational Program Leader, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD2018 - 2021Assistant Professor, Utah State University, Logan, UT2015 - 2018Adjunct Assistant Professor, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY2014 - 2018Director, Northeastern IPM Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY2010 - 2014Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska, North Platte, NE2008 - 2010Post Doctoral Research Assistant, Washington State University, Prosser, WA **Publications (selected)** **Young SL** (2020) A unifying approach for IWM. Weed Science 68:435-436. https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2020.60**Young SL**, Kettenring KM (2020) The social-ecological system driving effective invasive plant management: two case studies of non-native Phragmites. Journal of Environmental Management 2020 Aug 1; 267:110612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110612**Young SL** (2018) Beyond precision weed control: a model for true integration. *Weed Technology* 32(1):7-10.**Young SL**, Clements DR, DiTommaso A (2017) Climate dynamics, invader fitness, and biotic resistance in an invasion-factor framework. *Invasive Plant Science and Management* 10(3): 215-231Volesky JD, **Young SL**, Jenkins KH (2016) Cattle grazing effects on *Phragmites australis* in Nebraska. *Invasive Plant Science and Management* 9(2):121-127.**Young SL** (2015) When an invasive plant fails to invade. *Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment* 13(8):450-451.Han C, **Young SL** (2014) Drought and grazing disturbances and resistance to invasion by warm- and cool-season perennial grassland communities. *Ecological Restoration* 32:28-36.**Young SL**, Pierce FJ, Nowak P (2014) Introduction: Scope of the problem – rising costs and demand for environmental safety for weed control. *In***Young SL**, Pierce FJ (eds) *Automation: The Future of Weed Control in Cropping Systems*. New York: Springer, pp. 1-10**Young SL**, Giles DK (2014) Targeted and microdose chemical applications. *In***Young SL**, Pierce FJ (eds) *Automation: The Future of Weed Control in Cropping Systems* New York: Springer, pp. 139-150**Young SL**, Meyer GE, Woldt W (2014) Future directions for automated weed management in precision agriculture. *In***Young SL**, Pierce FJ (eds) *Automation: The Future of Weed Control in Cropping Systems* New York: Springer, pp. 249-260Han C, **Young SL** (2013) Ecology of musk thistle (*Carduus nutans*) seed germination for grasslands of temperate climates. *Weed Science* 61:549-556.**Young SL** (2012) True integrated weed management. *Weed Research* 52:107-111.**Young SL**, Kyser GB, et al (2011) The role of light and soil moisture in resistance to invasion by yellow starthistle (*Centaurea solstitialis*). *Restoration Ecology* 19:599-606.**Young SL**, Kyser GB, et al (2010) Spatio-temporal relationship between water depletion and root distribution patterns of *Centaurea solstitialis* and two native perennials. *Restoration Ecology* 18:323-333.**Young SL** JN Barney, et al (2009) Functionally similar species confer greater resistance to invasion: implications for grassland restoration. *Restoration Ecol*. 17(6):884-892.**Young SL** and VP Claassen (2008) Native perennial grasses in highway medians: pre- and post-plant techniques for establishment in a Mediterranean climate. *Invasive Plant Science and Management* 1(4):368-375.**Young SL** (2004) Natural product herbicides for control of annual vegetation along roadsides. *Weed Technology* 18(3):580-587.


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