Name:  Janet Lensing

 

Address:

University of Kentucky

Department of Entomology

S-225 Agricultural Sciences Bldg. North

Lexington, KY 40546

lensingjr@yahoo.com

 

Qualifications:

B.A. Biology, Hendrix College, Conway, AR; 1998

 

Expertise and Research Interests:

Insect and Spider Ecology

 

Current Research:

          I am currently investigating how changes in precipitation, as predicted by global climate change models, affect the arthropods of the forest-floor leaf-litter community.  While altering rainfall, I am monitoring changes in the abundance and diversity of the arthropods and also measuring the impact on the rate of decomposition of leaf litter.  I will also examine how these precipitation changes affect trophic cascades in this system.  I will determine whether spiders have different impacts on Collembola and leaf litter decomposition depending on the amount of rainfall in the system. 

 

Memberships:

Phi Beta Kappa; inducted 1998

Harrison Garman Entomology Club, Treasurer, 2001-2002

 

Honors and Awards:

Dean’s Academic Scholarship, 2000-present

Research Assistantship, 2000-present

Phil Richards Scholarship, 2000-2002

Education Award, Completed term of service with AmeriCorps National

          Civilian Community Corps, 1999.

 

Publications and Presentations:
Lensing, J.R. and D.H. Wise.  In prep.  A test of the hypothesis that predation by gnaphosid spiders limits densities of a juvenile wolf spider. 

 

Lensing, J.R. and D.H. Wise.  Poster.  A test of the hypothesis that predation by gnaphosid spiders limits densities of a juvenile wolf spider.  Presented at Ecological Society of America Meeting, 2001.

 

Lensing, J.R., K. Moraytis, G. Park, S.E. Kelley.  The Red Queen: coevolution of a viral pathogen and its host as evidence for the advantage of sex.  Presented as a poster at Emory University, Atlanta GA 1997.  Presented as a talk at National Conference for Undergraduate Research, Salisbury MD 1997 and Hendrix College 1998.