Barbara Baraibar Padro
- - PhD 2011 about Weed seed predation in cereal systems by the University of Lleida (Spain)
- - MS 2005 in Organic agriculture by the University of Barcelona (Spain)
- - BS 2004 in Agriculture Engineering by the University of Lleida (Spain)
My current research focuses in understanding how cover crop mixtures affect different ecosystem services provisioning in organic agriculture. As I specialized in weed ecology, I’m especially interested in how these cover crops “cocktails” can help to manage weeds and the mechanisms that are driving their responses. But I also like to look at a broader picture and try to understand the role that landscape plays in shaping plant communities and ecosystem services provisioning with the ultimate aim to design agro-ecosystems that can accommodate both diversity and production. Before coming to Penn State I did my PhD in the University of Lleida, in Spain (2007-2011) on weed seed predation by harvester ants and granivorous rodents.
Daedlow, D., Westerman, P.R., Baraibar, B., Rouphael, S., Gerowitt, B. (2014). Weed seed predation rate in cereals as a function of seed density and patch size, under high predation pressure by rodents. Weed Research 54, 186–195.
Baraibar, B., Daedlow, D., De Mol, F., Gerowitt, B. (2012). Density dependence of weed seed predation by invertebrates and vertebrates in winter wheat. Weed Research, 52, 79–87. (Abstract)
Baraibar, B., Torra, J., Westerman, P. R. (2011). Harvester ant (Messor barbarus L.) density as related to soil properties, topography and management in semi-arid cereals. Soil Applied Ecology 51, 60-65. (Abstract)
Baraibar, B., Ledesma, R., Royo-Esnal, A., Westerman, P.R. (2011). Assessing yield losses caused by the harvester ant Messor barbarus (L.) in winter cereals. Crop Protection 30:1144-1148. (Abstract)
Baraibar, B., Carrión, E., Recasens, J., Westerman, P.R. (2011). Unravelling the process of weed seed predation: developing options for better weed control. Biological Control, 56:85-90. (Abstract)
Baraibar, B., Westerman, P.R., Carrión, E. & Recasens J. (2009). Effects of irrigation and tillage in cereal fields on weed seed removal by predators. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46:380-387. (pdf)
Baraibar, B. (2013). La depredación de semillas de malas hierbas, una función ecológica a conservar y potenciar. Ecosistemas 22(1):62-66. Monográfico: Conservación de la Biodiversidad en los Sistemas Agrarios. Open access. Available at www.revistaecosistemas.net