In the darkness of night, with only headlamps guiding the way and the crunch of boots on gravel breaking the silence, doctoral student Jan Lenc climbed nearly 15,000 feet to the summit of Mt. Wilhelm in Papua New Guinea. After a grueling nighttime ascent amid biting winds and thin mountain air, Lenc chose to capture the breathtaking view of the pink and orange hues of the sunrise peeking through the swirling clouds. This photo represents both a magnificent view and the conclusion of Lenc’s field research he conducted as a master’s student.

Lenc won the Fall 2024 SNRE photo contest for this photo. For winning, he received some swag from the UF bookstore, including a HydroFlask (Gator Orange, of course), a tote bag, and more. We spoke with Jan about his research in Papua New Guinea and what he plans to do next.

What were you researching? What questions were you hoping to answer?

I was involved in a project investigating the impact of insectivorous predators on insect communities along an elevational gradient. The research aimed to explore how predator-prey dynamics shift with altitude and identify the environmental factors influencing insect community composition at different elevations.

I also conducted my master’s thesis research on how diel patterns of ant foraging activity are influenced by habitat degradation and the introduction of invasive species in the lowlands. This research sought to illuminate the ecological consequences of human-driven environmental changes on species behavior and interactions between species.

What sparked your interest in this research?

My interest in this research stemmed from a deep curiosity about how ecological communities adapt to environmental changes. The opportunity to study these dynamics in Papua New Guinea—a region renowned for its ecological richness—was an exciting and invaluable experience.

What are your next steps with this research?

Looking ahead, I am optimistic that my master’s thesis will soon undergo peer review and be published. As for the second project, I am committed to further collaborating with the team to refine our findings, with the goal of advancing the paper toward publication in the near future.

0