UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ENTOMOLOGY
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Kelton Douglas WelchKelton Douglas Welch

Graduate Research Assistant; Ph.D. Student
Harwood Laboratory

 

Department of Entomology
S-225 Agricultural Science Center N
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0091
Ph: 859.257.2759
Fax: 859.323.1120
Email: kdwe222@uky.edu

Education

  • Seeking Ph.D., Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. Expected August 2012
  • B.S., Integrated Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. May 2008.

 

Research Interests

My academic interests involve biogeography and trophic ecology, particularly of web-building spiders. I am primarily investigating the connection between web placement and diet in linyphiid spiders using a variety of field-based, lab-based and molecular techniques. I am also studying the mechanisms for trophic and spatial niche partitioning among linyphiid and other web-building spiders. This work is important for understanding the utility of these spiders as pest regulators in agricultural fields, and for uncovering the fundamental patterns of linyphiid ecology, which is sadly understudied.

 

Work History

  • Research assistant, invertebrate ecology lab
    Entomology Department, University of Kentucky, 2008–Present
  • Teaching assistant, animal diversity
    Biology Department, Brigham Young University, 2008
  • Undergraduate research assistant, entomology
    Biology Department, Brigham Young University, 2007–2008
  • Wildlife technician, prairie dog survey team
    Utah Department of Wildlife Resources and U.S. Forest Service, 2007
  • Undergraduate research assistant, bioinformatics
    Biology Department, Brigham Young University, 2006–2007

 

Grants and Awards

  • American Arachnological Society, Arachnology Research Fund, 2009. Title: “Niche partitioning in a community of web-building spiders: the dietary significance of web height.” $350

 

Presentations

  • (Oral) Welch, KD; SA Romero and JD Harwood. 2009. Vertical stratification in a community of web-building spiders. American Arachnological Society National Meeting, Russelville, AR.
  • (Oral) Welch, KD; SA Romero and JD Harwood. 2009. Vertical stratification in a community of web-building spiders. Center for Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Spring Symposium, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
  • (Oral) Welch, KD; SA Romero and JD Harwood. 2009. Vertical stratification in a community of web-building spiders. Entomological Society of America, North Central Branch Meeting, St Louis, MO.
  • (Poster) Welch, KD; SA Romero and JD Harwood. 2008. Site selection behavior of spider communities: temporal and altitudinal variation in web placement. Entomological Society of America National Meeting, Reno, NV.
  • (Oral) Welch, KD; PB Frandsen; CR Nelson and LKM Hapairai. 2008. Distribution of aquatic and semi-aquatic diptera on Maupiti island, French Polynesia. North American Benthological Society National Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

Professional Affiliations

  • American Arachnological Society
  • Entomological Society of America

 

Major Advisor:

Dr. James D. Harwood

 

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University of Kentucky Entomology