Brigitte Tenhumberg, Professor
School of Biological Sciences & Department of Mathematics
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

My work spans four broad areas of inquiry:

(1) Quantifying biological drivers of plant and insect population dynamics: I use stage structured population models to identify key factors shaping population dynamics.
(2) Optimal decisions in behavior and life history: I use mathematical models predicting ultimate causes for the evolution of specific phenotypes.
(3) Transient dynamics: Traditional models focus on long term (stable) dynamics, and ignore the often dramatically different transient dynamics that happen before the system stabilizes. Recently there is increasing recognition that frequent disturbances like fire or drought prevent populations in many systems from reaching stable dynamics.
(4) Population management: My research evaluates alternative perturbation methods for stage structured population models; perturbation analysis is the cornerstone for identifying which life history stage should be targeted to most effectively reach one's management goal.

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2022

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Modeling the evolution of herbicide resistance in weed species with a complex life cycle, K. Harrison Holmes, John L. Lindquist, Richard Rebarber, Rodrigo Werle, Melinda K. Yerka, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

2021

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Dynamic Observers for Unknown Populations, Chris Guiver, Nathan Poppelreiter, Richard Rebarber, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Stuart Townley

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Spectral properties of a non-compact operator in ecology, Matthew Reichenbach, Richard Rebarber, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Optimal resource allocation and prolonged dormancy strategies in herbaceous plants, J. Colton Watts and Brigitte Tenhumberg

2020

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Does masting scale with plant size? High reproductive variability and low synchrony in small and unproductive individuals, Michał Bogdziewicz, Jakub Szymkowiak, Rafael Calama, Elizabeth E. Crone, Josep M. Espelta, Peter Lesica, Shealyn Marino, Michael A. Steele, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Andrew Tyre, Magdalena Żywiec, and Dave Kelly

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Towards understanding factors influencing the benefit of diversity in predator communities for prey suppression, Amanda N. Laubmeir, Richard Rebarber, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

2019

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Southern Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Adult Emergence and Population Growth Assessment After Selection With Vacuolar ATPase-A double-stranded RNA Over Multiple Generations, Adriano E. Pereira, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Lance J. Meinke, and Blair D. Siegfried

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Contemporary sexual selection does not explain variation in male display traits among populations, J. Colton Watts, Allissa Flynn, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Eileen Hebets

2018

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Presence of fruits decreases probability of retaining flowers in a sequentially flowering plant, Shivani Jadeja and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Time-lagged effects of weather on plant demography: drought and Astragalus scaphoides, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Elizabeth E. Crone, Satu Ramula, and Andrew J. Tyre

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Temporal Variation in Predation Risk May Explain Daily Rhythms of Foraging Behavior in an Orb-Weaving Spider, J. Colton Watts, Thomas C. Jones, Ashley Herrig, Madeleine Miller, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

2017

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Assessing the Influence of Temporal Autocorrelations on the Population Dynamics of a Disturbance Specialist Plant Population in a Random Environment, Eric A. Eager, Diana Pilson, Helen M. Alexander, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Phytophagous insect oviposition shifts in response to probability of flower abortion owing to the presence of basal fruits, Shivani Jadeja and Brigitte Tenhumberg

2016

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Success of sexual reproduction in a specialized nursery pollination mutualism, Andrew J. Gebara II, Shivani Jadeja, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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SIMPLE ADAPTIVE CONTROL FOR POSITIVE LINEAR SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS TO PEST MANAGEMENT, Chris Guiver, Christina Edholm, Yu Jin, Markus Mueller, Jim Powell, Richard Rebarber, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Stuart Townley

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Effects of temporal variation in temperature and density dependence on insect population dynamics, C. V. Haridas, Lance J. Meinke, Bruce E. Hibbard, Blair D. Siegfried, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Modeling shattercane dynamics in herbicide-tolerant grain sorghum cropping systems, Rodrigo Werle, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and John L. Lindquist

2015

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Variation in the local population dynamics of the short-lived Opuntia macrorhiza (Cactaceae), C. V. Haridas, Kathleen H. Keeler, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Integral projection models show exotic thistle is more limited than native thistle by ambient competition and herbivory, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Tomomi Suwa, Andrew J. Tyre, F. Leland Russell, and Svata M. Louda

2014

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Native insect herbivory limits population growth rate of a non-native thistle, James O. Eckberg, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Svata M. Louda

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Variation in the local population dynamics of the short-lived Opuntia macrorhiza (Cactaceae), Chirakkal V. Haridas, Kathleen Keeler, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Effects of Virus on Plant Fecundity and Population Dynamics, Holly R. Prendeville, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Diana Pilson

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Comparison of the wing polyphenic response of pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) to crowding and predator cues, Swapna R. Purandare, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Jennifer A. Brisson

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Estimating the Frequency of Cry1F Resistance in Field Populations of the European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Blair D. Siegfried, Murugesan Rangasamy, Haichuan Wang, Terence A. Spencer, Chirakkal V. Haridas, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Douglas V. Sumerford, and Nicholas P. Storer

2013

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Disturbance Frequency and Vertical Distribution of Seeds Affect Long-Term Population Dynamics: A Mechanistic Seed Bank Model, Eric A. Eager, Chirakkal V. Haridas, Diana Pilson, Richard Rebarber, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Creating an Interdisciplinary Research Course in Mathematical Ecology, Glenn Ledder and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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An Interdisciplinary Research Course in Theoretical Ecology for Young Undergraduates, Glenn Ledder, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and G. Travis Adams

2012

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Insect herbivory and propagule pressure influence Cirsium vulgare invasiveness across the landscape, James O. Eckberg, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Svata M. Louda

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Larval Performance and Kill Rate of Convergent Ladybird Beetles, Hippodamia convergens, on Black Bean Aphids, Aphis fabae, and Pea Aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum, Travis M. Hinkelman and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Influence of aphid honeydew on the foraging behavior of Hippodamia convergens larvae, Swapna R. Purandare and Brigitte Tenhumberg

2011

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Population Dynamics of the Western Prickly Pear, Opuntia macrorhiza (Cactaceae), Kathleen H. Keeler and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Priority resource access mediates competitive intensity between an invasive weevil and native floral herbivores, Svata M. Louda, Tatyana A. Rand, A. A. R. Kula, A. E. Arnett, N. M. West, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

2010

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Structured Population Dynamics: An Introduction to Integral Modeling, Joseph Briggs, Kathryn Dabbs, Michael Holm, Joan Lubben, Richard Rebarber, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Daniel Riser-Espinoza

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Contributions of demography and dispersal parameters to the spatial spread of a stage-structured insect invasion, Tom E. X. Miller and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Ignoring Population Structure Can Lead to Erroneous Predictions of Future Population Size, Brigitte Tenhumberg

2009

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Parameterizing the growth-decline boundary for uncertain population projection models, Joan Lubben, Derek Boeckner, Richard Rebarber, Stuart Townley, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Model complexity affects transient population dynamics following a dispersal event: A case study with pea aphids, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Andrew J. Tyre, and Richard Rebarber

2008

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Management Recommendations Based on Matrix Projection Models: The Importance of Considering Biological Limits, Joan Lubben, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Andrew J. Tyre, and Richard Rebarber

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Herbivore-Mediated Ecological Costs of Reproduction Shape the Life History of an Iteroparous Plant, Tom E. X. Miller, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Svata M. Louda

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Monte Carlo analysis of parameter uncertainty in matrix models for the weed Cirsium vulgare, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Svata M. Louda, James O. Eckberg, and Masaru Takahashi

2007

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ROBUST POPULATION MANAGEMENT UNDER UNCERTAINTY FOR STRUCTURED POPULATION MODELS, A. Deines, E. Peterson, Derek Boeckner, J. Boyle, A. Keighley, J. Kogut, J. Lubben, Richard Rebarber, R. Ryan, Brigitte Tenhumberg, S. Townley, and Andrew J. Tyre

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Identifying mechanistic models of spatial behavior using pattern-based modeling: An example from lizard home ranges, Andrew J. Tyre, Gregory D. Kerr, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and C. Michael Bull

2006

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Optimal Time Allocation in Parasitic Wasps Searching for Hosts and Food, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Gitta Siekmann, and Michael A. Keller

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Identifying landscape scale patterns from individual scale processes, Andrew J. Tyre, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and C. Michael Bull

2004

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Kangaroo management options IN THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN, Ron Hacker, Steve McLeod, John Druhan, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Udai Pradhan

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The Sweet Tooth of Adult Parasitoid Cotesia rubecula: Ignoring Hosts for Nectar?, Gitta Siekmann, Michael A. Keller, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Predicting predation efficiency of biocontrol agents: linking behavior of individuals and population dynamics, Brigitte Tenhumberg

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DO HARVEST REFUGES BUFFER KANGAROOS AGAINST EVOLUTIONARY RESPONSES TO SELECTIVE HARVESTING?, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Andrew J. Tyre, Anthony R. Pople, and Hugh P. Possingham

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Linking Wild and Captive Populations to Maximize Species Persistence: Optimal Translocation Strategies, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Andrew J. Tyre, Katriona Shea, and Hugh P. Possingham

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The role of local spatial heterogeneity in the maintenance of parapatric boundaries: agent based models of competition between two parasitic ticks, Andrew J. Tyre, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and C. Michael Bull

2003

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Indirect evidence of density-dependent population regulation in Aponomma hydrosauri (Acari: Ixodidae), an ectoparasite of reptiles, Andrew J. Tyre, C. Michael Bull, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Neil Chilton

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IMPROVING PRECISION AND REDUCING BIAS IN BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS: ESTIMATING FALSE-NEGATIVE ERROR RATES, Andrew J. Tyre, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Scott A. Field, Darren Niejalke, Kirsten Parris, and Hugh P. Possingham

2002

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Optimization Strategies for Captive Breeding, Brigitte Tenhumberg

2001

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Feeding and survival in parasitic wasps: Sugar concentration and timing matter, Gitta Siekmann, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and Michael A. Keller

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Using Cox’s Proportional Hazard Models to Implement Optimal Strategies: An Example from Behavioral Ecology, Brigitte Tenhumberg, M. A. Keller, and Hugh P. Possingham

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The Effect of Resource Aggregation at Different Scales: Optimal Foraging Behavior of Cotesia rubecula, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Michael A. Keller, Andrew J. Tyre, and Hugh P. Possingham

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Optimal patch-leaving behavior: A case study using the parasitoid Cotesia rubecula, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Mike A. Keller, Hugh P. Possingham, and Andrew J. Tyre

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Predicting Risk to Biodiversity as a Function of Aquifer Pressure in GAB Mound Springs, A. J. Tyre, Brigitte Tenhumberg, and H.P. Possingham

2000

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Stochastic Variation in Food Availability Influences Weight and Age at Maturity, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Andrew J. Tyre, and Bernie Roitberg

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Hidden mechanisms generate negative feedbacks in a stochastic model: A comment on Murray, Andrew J. Tyre and Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Swapping space for time and unfair tests of ecological models, Andrew J. Tyre, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Michael A. McCarthy, and Hugh P. Possingham

1998

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Life-history decisions under predation risk: Importance of a game perspective, Amos Bouskila, Michael E. Robinson, Bernard D. Roitberg, and Brigitte Tenhumberg

1995

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Submaximal Oviposition Rates in a Mymarid Parasitoid: Choosiness Should Not Be Ignored, Amos Bouskila, Ian C. Robertson, Michael E. Robinson, Bernard D. Roitberg, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Andrew J. Tyre, and Ed vanRanden

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Estimating Predatory Efficiency of Episyrphus balteatus (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Cereal Fields, Brigitte Tenhumberg

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Syrphids as natural enemies of cereal aphids in Germany: Aspects of their biology and efficacy in different years and regions, Brigitte Tenhumberg and Hans-Michael Poehling