Timothy Leslie

Timothy Leslie

I am currently finishing my Ph.D. in Entomology at Penn State University. I have long held an interest in biodiversity science and agroecology, and both areas are intertwined throughout my past and present research endeavors.

My interest in biodiversity stemmed from working on insect biodiversity surveys for several state and national parks with Dr. Ke Chung Kim from Penn State. The information gathered from these surveys served to support biological conservation efforts in the parks.

The concept of biodiversity carried over into my work in agroecosystems, where I have investigated how pest management practices may impact non-target insect communities in systems ranging from orchard fruits to vegetables and field crops. My graduate research, advised by Dr. Shelby Fleischer, examined how genetically-modified Bt crops may directly or indirectly impact beneficial non-target beetle communities. I recently expanded this research to consider the influence of field margins on insect diversity within crop fields, which is especially relevant in the heterogeneous landscape of Pennsylvania.

I enjoy the challenge of working with community-level data, and have utilized numerous multivariate statistical tools to summarize how insect communities respond to agricultural management practices or environmental factors. By developing strong collaborations with taxonomic specialists, all of my work has emphasized species-level identification, to enable the highest resolution of biodiversity and functional roles. I have also worked on numerous population dynamics studies, examining the role of biological controls agents in regulating insect pest populations.

As a member of the Weed Ecology team at Penn State, I look forward to working on projects that combine the fields of landscape ecology, conservation biological control, and sustainable agriculture. Part of this research will be to investigate the bottom-up relationship between field margin plant assemblages and insect diversity, and how this relates to important agricultural functions (i.e., pest control, pollination) provided by insects. Using this knowledge, we hope to better understand how to manage landscapes to maximize functional biodiversity in agroecosystems.

Outside of work, I like to stay active in many sports including soccer, tennis, hiking and racquetball. I have been playing piano for over 20 years and enjoy both playing and composing music. I am an avid supporter of the arts, and you can often find me at a museum or a musical performance with my wife.

Contact Tim.

Publications

  1. Leslie, T. W., W. van der Werf, F. J. J. A. Bianchi, A. Honek. Evidence for coupled population dynamics of three aphid species and a shared predator. Agricultural and Forest Entomology (accepted with revisions 2007).
  2. Leslie, T. W., G. A. Hoheisel, D. J. Biddinger, J. R. Rohr, S. J. Fleischer. 2007. Transgenes sustain epigeal insect biodiversity in diversified vegetable farm systems. Environ. Entomol. 36: 234-244.
  3. Mullin, C. A., M. C. Saunders II, T. W. Leslie, D. J. Biddinger, S. J. Fleischer. 2006. Toxic and behavioral effects to Carabidae of seed treatments used on Cry 3Bb1- and Cry1 Ab/c protected corn. Environ. Entomol. 34: 1626-1636.

Papers in preparation

  1. Leslie, T. W., D. J. Biddinger, C.A. Mullin, and S.J. Fleischer. Carabidae population dynamics and temporal partitioning: response to coupled neonicotinoid-transgenic technology. (currently in house review)
  2. Leslie, T. W., D. J. Biddinger, J. R. Rohr, and S. J. Fleischer. Coleopteran community dynamics in mosaics of transgenic maize.
  3. Leslie, T. W., A. Hulting, D. J. Biddinger, J. Rohr, D. Mortensen, R. Davidson, and S. J. Fleischer. Carabidae community dynamics across an ag-forest ecotone.
  4. S. J. Fleischer, T. W. Leslie, A. Herbert, and T. Kuhar. Spatial and temporal pattern of Heliothis zea pyrethroid resistance in the mid-Atlantic.
  5. Chapmann, A. V., T. P. Kuhar, S. J. Fleischer, G. P. Dively, J. Whalen, P. B. Schultz, C. C. Brewster, T. W. Leslie, and M. Embrey. Integration of chemical and biological control or European corn borer in bell pepper in the Mid-Atlantic United States.