Link to Google Scholar
Please email me if you are unable to access any of my publications | alexjojensen@gmail
Please email me if you are unable to access any of my publications | alexjojensen@gmail
Global change ecology
One of the key ways in which organisms can respond to global change is via shifting or expanding their distributions to include newly suitable conditions. In my current role as a postdoc, I am using iNaturalist data to identify where natural range expansions are occurring for North American mammals. This work not only highlights the utility of citizen science data for tracking changes in species distributions, but also that humans likely limit the ability of many species to track a changing climate. Roads are an important signature of global change. At Cal Poly, I evaluated the efficacy of infrastructure along Highway 101 to reduce roadkill while still facilitating ecological connectivity. Using camera traps, I quantified medium-large mammal use of wildlife crossings and found that large open crossings associated with riparian corridors accommodated the most species. Key Collaborators: Roland Kays, Benjamin Goldstein, Michael Cove, John Perrine, California Department of Transportation |
Selected publications
Jensen A, J Perrine, et al. 2022. Mammal use of undercrossings is influenced by openness and proximity to riparian corridors. Wildlife Research Jensen A, J Perrine, et al. 2022. Quantifying Wildlife Use of Escape Ramps along a Fenced Highway. Human Wildlife Interactions |
Selected publications
Jensen A, et al. 2023. Risk from a top predator and forest structure influence scavening by smaller carnivores. Ecosphere Jensen A, C Marneweck, J Kilgo, D Jachowski. 2022. Coyote diets in North America: geographic and ecological patterns during range expansion. Mammal Review Marneweck C, …, A Jensen, et al. 2021. Shining the spotlight on non-apex carnivores: global status and threats. Biological Conservation |
Carnivore ecology and conservation
Terrestrial carnivores play important ecological roles, and my work informs their management and conservation. At Clemson University, I was focused on top-down effects from coyotes – a novel apex predator in the southeastern US. I was particularly interested in how coyotes respond to resource pulses as a test of optimal foraging theory. My work also informs carnivore ecology and conservation at continental and global scales. At the continental scale, I conducted a meta-analysis of coyote diet, which highlighted the non-stationarity of their ecological roles and a combination of both intrinsic (coyote mass) and extrinsic (presence of wolves, human footprint) factors which shape their diet. In addition, I was heavily involved in work championing small carnivores as important ecological indicators who deserve more research and funding given their global population declines. Key Collaborators: David Jachowski, Courtney Marneweck, Lisette Waits, John Kilgo, Michael Muthersbaugh, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources |
Socio-environmental justice
We are committed to making the environmental sciences more inclusive to historically underrepresented groups. There are barriers to entry, at the societal level, as well as within our field. One of those barriers is pay - someone with limited income will not be able to work for no or little pay. Using a nationwide survey of environmental science students, we showed that pay was indeed a barrier for many students, particularly those who were low-income and non-white. We are also interested in integrating social science, environmental justice, and ecology more generally. We are excited about an ongoing project aimed at understanding how faculty select graduate students, particularly as it relates to equity and inclusion. We are also exploring parallels between people's attitudes on non-native species and human immigration. We surveyed people across the southeastern US and are excited to explore this concept of nativeness though this interdisciplinary approach. Key collaborators: Sara Bombaci, David Jachowski, Aaron Bunch, Lily Thompson |
Selected publications
Jensen A and S Bombaci. 2024. Shaping scientists: How faculty values influence graduate student recruitment and diversity, equity, and inclusion. BioScience Jensen A, S Bombaci, et al. 2021. Attracting diverse students to field experiences requires adequate pay, flexibility, and inclusion. BioScience |