Matthew Barnes

Matthew Barnes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech University, where his research focuses on forecasting biological invasions and advancing methodologies for invasive species management and ecological impact assessment.

Education:

• B.A. in Biology (minor in Sociology) from Southwestern University
• Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame

Research Interests: Dr. Barnes employs species distribution models, GIS, environmental DNA (eDNA) surveillance, and experimental approaches to investigate aquatic invasions and human-environment interactions. His work emphasizes eDNA applications for detecting invasive species like apple snails and dreissenid mussels, with particular focus on airborne eDNA for ecosystem monitoring, eDNA kinetics in aquatic systems, and biomass-concentration relationships.

Publication Trends: His 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveal concentrated research on eDNA methodologies across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, invasive species detection/control (especially Pomacea maculata), and habitat conservation. Key interdisciplinary themes bridge molecular ecology, conservation biology, and spatial analysis, with growing emphasis on airborne eDNA applications for biodiversity monitoring.

Teaching and Mentoring: Dr. Barnes teaches Introduction to Freshwater Ecology, Quantitative Methods in Natural Resources Management, and Natural Resources Policy to undergraduate and graduate students while actively mentoring researchers in invasive species ecology and eDNA techniques.

Laboratory and Team: His research group at Texas Tech utilizes cutting-edge molecular tools and spatial modeling to address invasive species challenges, with projects spanning the Lower Pecos River ecosystem, amphibian pathogen surveillance, and innovative control strategies for aquatic invasions.