Sophie Westbrook

Research Groups: Dr. Antonio DiTommaso (DiTommaso Lab) 

Education

• 2019 A.B. Integrative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Research

My research focuses on the ecosystem services provided by non-crop plants in agricultural settings. I am particularly interested in strategies to enhance ecosystem services—or advance conservation goals—with minimal labor or yield costs. Specifically, I’m looking at different ways to establish wildflower strips along field edges. I’m also involved in a collaborative effort to support monarch butterflies by reintroducing milkweed plants into agroecosystems. Other interests include weed-crop competition, plant physiology, climate change, science communication, and cats.

Publications

• DiTommaso, A., Mohler, C. L., & Westbrook, A. S. (2022). Response of hairy galinsoga (Galinsoga quadriradiata) to nitrogen, phosphorus, and competition from lettuce. Weed Science. doi:10.1017/wsc.2022.40
• Averill, K. M., Morris, S. H., Westbrook, A. S., Hunter, M. C., & DiTommaso, A. (2022). Ivyleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea Jacq.) competition is not intensified by drought in silage corn in central New York State, USA. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. doi: 10.1139/CJPS-2022-0002
• Averill, K. M., Westbrook, A. S., Pineda-Bermudez, L., O’Briant, R. P., DiTommaso, A., & Ryan, M. R. (2022). Effects of Tertill® weeding robot on weed abundance and diversity. Agronomy, 12(8), 1754.
• Wolff, A., Westbrook, A. S., & DiTommaso, A. (2022). In the ruins: the neglected link between archaeology and weed science. Weed Science, 70(2), 135-143
• Magidow, L. C., DiTommaso, A., Westbrook, A. S., Kwok, M. J., Ketterings, Q. M., & Milbrath, L. R. (2022). Soil characteristics of North American sites colonized by the non-native, invasive vines black swallow-wort and pale swallow-wort. Northeastern Naturalist, 29(1), 108-132.
• Averill, K., Westbrook, A.S., Morris, S., Kubinski, E., & DiTommaso, A. (2022). Silage corn yield is reduced by burcucumber competition and drought in New York State. Weed Technology, 36(1), 86-92.
• Westbrook, A. S., Bhaskar, V., & DiTommaso, A. (2022). Weed control and community composition in living mulch systems. Weed Research, 62(1), 12-23.
• DiTommaso, A., Averill, K. M., Qin, Z., Ho, M., Westbrook, A. S., & Mohler, C. L. (2021). Biomass allocation of Vincetoxicum rossicum and V. nigrum in contrasting competitive environments. American Journal of Botany, 108(9), 1646–1661.
• Bhaskar, V., Bellinder, R. R., Reiners, S., Westbrook, A. S., & DiTommaso, A. (2021). Significance of herbicide order in sequential applications to target weeds in a sunn hemp living mulch. Weed Technology, 35(4), 565-573.
• Westbrook, A. S., Han, R., Zhu, J., Cordeau, S., & DiTommaso, A. (2021). Drought and competition with ivyleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea) inhibit corn and soybean growth. Frontiers in Agronomy, 3, 720287.
• Bhaskar, V., Westbrook, A. S., Bellinder, R. R., & DiTommaso, A. (2021). Integrated management of living mulches for weed control: a review. Weed Technology, 35(5), 856-868.
• Little, N. G., DiTommaso, A., Westbrook, A. S., Ketterings, Q. M., & Mohler, C. L. (2021). Effects of fertility amendments on weed growth and weed-crop competition: a review. Weed Science, 69(2), 132-146.
• DiTommaso, A., Milbrath, L. R., Marschner, C. A., Morris, S. H., & Westbrook, A. S. (2021). Seed germination ecology of meadow knapweed (Centaurea × moncktonii) populations in New York State, USA. Weed Science, 69(1), 111-118.
• Westbrook, A. S., & McAdam, S. A. (2021). Stomatal density and mechanics are critical for high productivity: insights from amphibious ferns. New Phytologist, 229(2), 877-889.
• Westbrook, A. S., & McAdam, S. A. (2020). Atavistic stomatal responses to blue light in Marsileaceae. Plant Physiology, 184(3), 1378-1388.