William E. Jensen

                 Associate Professor

                 Department of Biological Sciences, Emporia State University 

                 Ecology, Wildlife Conservation, Ornithology, Mammalogy

                 Director, ESU Natural Areas, Schmidt Museum of Natural History

                 Department of Biological Sciences

                 Campus Box 4050

                 Emporia State University

                 1200 Commercial St.

                 Emporia, KS  66801

                 (620)341-5339

                 wjensen1 AT emporia.edu

Ph.D., Biology, Kansas State University (2003)
M.S., Biological Sciences, Emporia State University (1999)
B.S., Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Missouri-Columbia (1996)

Teaching:

I teach courses in Wildlife Management, Natural Resource Policies, Conservation Biology, Field Ecology, Ornithology, and Mammalogy at ESU.  Theoretical perspectives are emphasized as well as practical research and management applications.  My Ornithology and Mammalogy courses also emphasize field identification and natural history of birds and mammals.  Where possible, I incorporate student projects with extracurricular research and wildlife management activities.  Past examples include involvement of our Wildlife Management class in preparing recovery plans for species of conservation concern in Kansas.

Research:

My research interests are in the areas of population and behavioral ecology, with taxonomic emphases toward birds and mammals of conservation concern in the Great Plains.  Much of my past and current research explores consequences of woody encroachment in grasslands to bird and mammal populations.  I advise Masters-level graduate students within these research areas at ESU.   If you are interested in graduate research related to my interests, please contact me.  I also welcome opportunities to work with undergraduate researchers.   

I am also serving as Faculty Advisor for the ESU Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society and as ESU's technical representative in the Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. 

Publications:

Tsakiris, E. T., M. D. Jacobson, A. M. Long, and W. E. Jensen.  2013.  Abundance and diversity of arthropods in lark sparrow nests.  Southwestern Naturalist 58:113-117. 

Prendergast, J. A. and W. E. Jensen.  2012.  Relation between reproduction and fat reserves in female muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus).  Mammalia 76:219–221. 

Long, A. M., W. E. Jensen, and R. S. Matlack.  2012.  Effects of prescribed burning on avian nest survival in the southern Great Plains.  Journal of Wildlife Management 76: 899-906.  

Prendergast, J. A. and W. E. Jensen.  2012.  Consequences of parasitic mite infestation on muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus).  Western North American Naturalist 71:516-522. 

Jacobson, M. D., E. T. Tsakiris, A. M. Long, and W. E. Jensen. 2011. No evidence for observer effects on Lark Sparrow nest survival.  Journal of Field Ornithology 82:184-192. 

Prendergast, J. A., W. E. Jensen, and S. D. Roth.  2010.  Trends in abundance of hibernating bats in a karst region of the southern Great Plains.  Southwestern Naturalist 55:331-339.

Rivers, J.W., W. E. Jensen, K. L. Kosciuch, and S. I. Rothstein.  2010.  Community-level patterns of host use by the brown-headed cowbird, a generalist brood parasite.  Auk 127:263-273.

Aber, J. S., S. W. Aber, L. Buster, W.E. Jensen, and R. O. Sleezer.  2009.  Challenge of infrared kite aerial photography: A digital update.  Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 112:31-39.  

Long, A. M., W. E. Jensen, and K. A. With.  2009.  Orientation of grasshopper sparrow and eastern meadowlark nests in relation to wind direction.  Condor 111:395-399.  

Rahmig, C. R., W. E. Jensen, and K. A. With.  2009.  Grassland bird responses to land management in the largest remaining tallgrass prairie.  Conservation Biology 23:420-432.      

Schook, D. M., M. D.Collins, W. E. Jensen , P. J. Williams, N. E. Bader, and T. H. Parker.  2008.  Geographic patterns of song similarity in the Dickcissel, Spiza americana. Auk 125:953-964.  

With, K. A., A. W. King, and W. E. Jensen.  2008.  Remaining large grasslands may not be sufficient to prevent grassland bird declines.  Biological Conservation 141:3152 –3167.  

Frey, C. M., W. E. Jensen, and K. A. With.  2008.  Topographic patterns of nest placement and habitat quality for grassland birds in the Flint Hills.  American Midland Naturalist 160:220-234.  

Sandercock, B. K., W. E. Jensen, C. K. Williams, and R. D. Applegate.  2008.  Demographic sensitivity of population change in northern bobwhite.  Journal of Wildlife Management 72:970-982.  

Jensen, W. E. and J. F. Cully, Jr.  2005a.  Density-dependent habitat selection by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in tallgrass prairie.  Oecologia 142:136-149.  

Jensen, W. E. and J. F. Cully, Jr.  2005b.  Geographic variation in Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism on Dickcissels (Spiza americana) in Great Plains tallgrass prairie.  Auk 122:648-660. 

Chace, J. S., C. Farmer, R. Winfree, D. Curson, W. E. Jensen, C. Goguen, and S. K. Robinson.  2005.  Cowbird (Molothrus spp.) Ecology: a review of factors affecting the distribution and abundance of cowbirds across spatial scales.  Ornithological Monographs 57:45-70. 

Jensen, W. E. and E. J. Finck.  2004.  Variation in edge effects on nesting Dickcissels (Spiza americana) in relation to edge type of remnant tallgrass prairie in Kansas.  American Midland Naturalist 151:192-199.  

Herkert, J. R., D. L. Reinking, D. A. Wiedenfeld, M. Winter, J. L. Zimmerman, W. E. Jensen, E. J. Finck, R. R. Koford, D. H. Wolfe, S. K. Sherrod, M. A. Jenkins, J. Faaborg, and S. K. Robinson.  2003.  Effects of prairie fragmentation on the nest success of breeding birds in the midcontinental United States.  Conservation Biology 17:587-594. 

Jensen, W. E., D. A. Robinson, Jr., and R. D. Applegate. 2000. Distribution and population trend of Lesser Prairie-chickens in Kansas. Prairie Naturalist 32:169-175.

Robinson, D. A., Jr., W. E. Jensen, and R. A. Applegate.  2000.  Observer effect on a rural mail carrier survey population index. Wildlife Society Bulletin 28:330-332. 

Current graduate students:

Nathan Holoubek received his B.S. in Wildlife Ecology, Management, and Research (minor in Conservation Biology) from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Nathan is leading a research effort on bird responses to restoration of Cross Timbers savanna for his M.S. thesis.  Nathan is also serving as the Graduate Student Naturalist for ESU's Natural Areas. 

Lab alumni:

Anthony Dalisio received his B.A. in Circumpolar Studies from Sterling College.  He studied song divergence among bird populations in high-elevation life zones for his M.S. thesis.

Levi Jaster received his B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from Northwest Missouri State University.  For his M.S. thesis, Levi investigated demographic patterns of Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) in restored grasslands of western Missouri.

Ashley Long received her B.S. in Biology from Northland College.  Ashley studied avian responses to prescribed burning in the southwestern Great Plains for her M.S. thesis here at ESU (degree received spring 2010).  We collaborated with Dr. Raymond Matlack at West Texas A&M University for this project.

Jeff Miller received his B.S. in Environmental Science and Biology from the University of Dubuque.  Jeff investigated habitat use by bats in the Red Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma for his thesis.

Jeff Prendergast received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Emporia State University.  Jeff investigated the effect of mink (Mustela vison) presence on muskrat  (Ondatra zibethicus) foraging behavior and reproduction.