Dr. Brent Mortensen

I earned a B.S. in Biology at Brigham Young University-Idaho before working on my master’s degree at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. My master’s research focused on plant-insect interactions, detailing a mechanism by which quaking aspen defend themselves against herbivores. After earning my M.S. in Biology, I researched how species coexist and the effects of species diversity for my PhD at Iowa State University. Specifically, I examined the interactions between plant diversity and herbivory in grasslands. During this time, I began working with the Nutrient Network, a global collaboration to assess human impacts on grassland ecology. After completing my PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, I began working at Benedictine College teaching courses in plant and general biology and continue to study questions related to plant communities, herbivory, and biodiversity in the field, lab, and through computer modeling. I am also interested in pedagogy and work with biologists around the world to develop new tools to improve learning in biology.

CLASSES

• General Biology I
• Plant Biology
• Plant Taxonomy
• Plants and Civilization
• Principles of Biology

EDUCATION

Ph.D

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Iowa State University, 2017

Master of Science

Biology

University of Alaska-Fairbanks, 2009

Bachelor of Science

Biology

Brigham Young University-Idaho, 2006

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Herbivore effects on plant diversity in global grasslands in relation to nutrient addition
• Indirect effects of consumers on resource diversity via changes in resource stability
• Small mammal foraging behavior in relation to plant community structure
• Consumer-resource models, including effects on community diversity and species coexistence
• Methods to improve grassland restoration success
  Learning in the biological sciences, including methods to improve classroom instruction

PUBLICATIONS

Seabloom, E. W., E. T. Borer, Y. M. Buckley, E. E. Cleland, K. F. Davies, J. Firn, W. S. Harpole, Y. Hautier, E. M. Lind, A. S. MacDougall, J. L. Orrock, S. M. Prober,…B. Mortensen,…et al. (2015) Plant species’ origin predicts dominance and response to nutrient enrichment and herbivores in global grasslands. Nature Communications 6. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8710

Borer, E. T., E. W. Seabloom, D. S. Gruner, W. S. Harpole, H. Hillebrand, E. M. Lind,…B. Mortensen,…et al. (2014) Herbivores and nutrients control grassland plant diversity via light limitation. Nature 508:517–520. DOI: 10.1038/nature13144

Mortensen, B., D. Wagner, and P. Doak. (2013) Parental resource and offspring liability: The influence of extrafloral nectar on oviposition by a leaf-mining moth. Oecologia 172:767-777. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2525-3

Mortensen, B. Plant resistance against herbivory. (2013) Nature Education Knowledge 4:5.

Lind, E. M., E. Borer, E. Seabloom, P. Adler, J. D. Bakker, D. M. Blumenthal, M. Crawley, K. Davies, J. Firn, D. S. Gruner, W. S. Harpole, Y. Hautier, H. Hillebrand, J. Knops, B. Melbourne, B. Mortensen, A. C. Risch, M. Schuetz, C. Stevens, and P. D. Wragg. (2013) Life history constraints in grassland plant species: a growth-defense tradeoff is the norm. Ecology Letters 16:513-521. DOI: 10.1111/ele.12078

Seabloom, E. W., E. T. Borer, Y. Buckley, E. E. Cleland, K. Davies, J. Firn, W. S. Harpole, Y. Hautier, E. Lind, A. Macdougall, J. L. Orrock, S. M. Prober,…B. Mortensen,…et al. (2013) Predicting invasion in grassland ecosystems: is exotic dominance the real embarrassment of richness? Global Change Biology 19:3677-3687. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12370

Adler, P. B., E. W. Seabloom, E. T. Borer, H. Hillebrand, Y. Hautier, A. Hector, L. R. O'Halloran, W. S. Harpole,…B. Mortensen,…et al. (2011) Productivity is a poor predictor of plant species richness. Science 333:1750-1753. DOI: 10.1126/science.1204498

Mortensen, B., D. Wagner, and P. Doak. (2011) Defensive effects of extrafloral nectaries in quaking aspen differ with scale. Oecologia 165:983-993. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1799-6

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

Jan. 2016 - Mortensen, B., K. Abbott, B. Danielson. Trade-offs with plant defense are not prerequisites to diversity. 2016. ISU Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Annual Spring Symposium, Ames IA.

Sep. 2014 - Fetty, N. Iowa State students learn about ecology thru on-campus prairie. Web log post: Iowa Environmental Focus. The University of Iowa Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research.

Sep. 2014 - Colon, C. Prairie provides hands-on experience. Web log post: Iowa State Daily.com. Iowa State Daily.

Dec. 2013 - Mortensen, B. and S. Harpole. Reciprocal effects of insect and mammal herbivores with tallgrass prairie diversity. Iowa Department of Transportation Living Roadway Trust Fund report.

Feb. 2012 – ISU Biological Sciences Club presentation: Transformations: growing prairies and developing scientists.

Jan. 2010 - Mortensen, B., D. Wagner, and P. Doak. Scales of a predator mediated defense against an aspen specialist. Entomological Society of Alaska Annual Meeting, Fairbanks, AK. (*Student presentation award)

Aug. 2008 - Mortensen, B., D. Wagner, and P. Doak. 2008. Aspen-herbivore conflict at different scales: Extrafloral nectary mediated defenses in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Milwaukee WI.