Research Overview

One of the larger hurdles for conservation biologists is how to define ecological baselines. I find it incredibly exciting to apply what I have learned from sedimentologist, stratigraphers and geochemist coupled with the accretionary growth of hard parts in aquatic animals to reconstruct historic conditions. I use oxygen, carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios reconstruct environmental conditions, validate growth, determine behavior and estimate productivy. Thus far, these tools have helped bridge gaps of information about environmental conditions of habitats and the natural history of the inhabitants before the industrial era, where anthropogenic influence dominate.

Selected Publications

2012. Ruesink, J. L. and K. Rowell,Seasonal effects of clams (Panopea generosa) on eelgrass (Zostera marina) density but not recovery dynamics at an intertidal site.Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Online.

2012. Rowell, K. Sharing Wonder in Nature. Science. 336 (6085), p. 1109.

2012. Salomon, A.K. and K. Rowell. The Art of Ecology; How Field Sketches and Notes Offer Insights into Naturein Sagarin, R. and PauchardA. Observation and Ecology: Broadening the Scope of Science to Understand a Complex World, eds. Island Press.

2010. Rowell, K., D. L. Dettman, R. Dietz. Nitrogen isotopes in otoliths reconstruct ancient trophic position. Environmental Biology of Fishes.89: 415-425.

2008. Rowell, K., K. W. Flessa, D. L. Dettman, M. Román, L. R. Gerber, L. T. Findley. Diverting the Colorado River leads to a dramatic life history shift in an Endangered Marine Fish.  Biological Conservation, 114 (4): 1140-1150.

2008. Cudney-Bueno, R., and K. Rowell. Establishing a baseline for management of the Rock Scallop, Spondylus calcifer (Carpenter, 1857): Growth and Reproduction in the upper Gulf of California, Mexico. Journal of Shellfish Research. 27(4): 625-632.

2008. Cudney-Bueno, R., and K. Rowell. The Black Murex Snail, Hexaplex nigritus (Mullusca Muricidea), In the Gulf of California, Mexico: Growth, longevity, and morphological variations implications for management of a rapidly declining fishery. Bulletin of Marine Sciences.  83(2):299-313.

2005. Rowell, K., K.W. Flessa, D.L. Dettman, and M. Román. The importance of Colorado River flow to nursery habitats of the Gulf corvina (Cynoscion othonopterus). Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.62: 2874-2885.

Biography

Acting Assistant Professor 2011 -

Research Scientist  2008-2011 University of Washington, Biology

Post-Doc  2008 UC Santa Cruz, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Post-Doc  2007 University of Washington, Biology

Ph.D.  2006 University of Arizona, Geosciences

M.S.  2001 Northern Arizona University, Aquatic Biology

B.A.  1996 Prescott College, Ecology / Conservation

Selected Publications