Applied Ecology
Most of the research I do is applied mammal ecology. I'm particularly interested in interactions between mammal species (like predation), including how humans influence these interactions. I study wildlife at the community and individual level using various tools like camera traps and GPS collars. I am increasingly interested in working with large datasets to understand processes at continental scales.
Most of the research I do is applied mammal ecology. I'm particularly interested in interactions between mammal species (like predation), including how humans influence these interactions. I study wildlife at the community and individual level using various tools like camera traps and GPS collars. I am increasingly interested in working with large datasets to understand processes at continental scales.
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Carnivore ecology and conservation
Many terrestrial carnivores have declined in the face of global change, but a few are doing better than ever. Coyotes are one of these successful species, and were the focus of my PhD years. We studied the top-down effects of coyotes in South Carolina - answering questions like how their diets shift through time and how they influence the behavior of smaller carnivores. We also conducted the first continental-scale analysis of coyote diets and found that a variety of factors influence what they eat, including the presence of wolves, human development, and snow cover. We have also been advocates for small carnivores generally – in terms of their ecological importance and conservation need. Key Collaborators: David Jachowski, Courtney Marneweck, Lisette Waits, John Kilgo, Michael Muthersbaugh, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Related 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. 2022. Middle out ecology: small carnivores as sentinels of global change. Mammal Review Marneweck C, …, A Jensen, et al. 2021. Shining the spotlight on non-apex carnivores: global status and threats. Biological Conservation |
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Human-wildlife interactions
Humans are integrated into nearly all of the research I do, but we are front and center in some projects. For example, during my Masters, we investigated wildlife use of undercrossings and escape ramps along a fenced highway in California. We showed that large, open undercrossings closer to streams accommodated the most species, and that deer did not use the escape ramps as much as we hoped. This research adds to the growing body of research investigating ways to mitigate the effects of roads on wildlife. 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: John Perrine, Anthony Giordano, California Department of Transportation, Aaron Bunch, Lily Thompson Related 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 |
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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. Key collaborators: Sara Bombaci, David Jachowski Related publications Jensen A, S Bombaci, et al. 2021. Attracting diverse students to field experiences requires adequate pay, flexibility, and inclusion. BioScience Jensen A. Who can work for free? How higher pay will make the environmental and natural resource sciences more inclusive. SACNAS STEM and Culture Chronicle. Link |
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Spatial ecology
We track animals and use big observational datasets to answer questions about their ecology. In South Carolina, we tracked coyotes to better understand what extrinsic and intrinsic factors shape their movement ecology. We also tracked female deer and their fawns to better understand the nuanced interactions among all three that lead to predation events. At the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, we are integrating data from camera traps, iNaturalist, and museums to understand what influences mammal ecology across North America. We get excited about the stories animals can tell us using these large datasets. Key Collaborators: Roland Kays, Liz Kierepka, David Jachowski, John Kilgo, Michael Muthersbaugh, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Publications are in the works |
