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Kerry Howell

 

Personal photograph uploaded by Kerry Howell

Dr Kerry Howell

  • Job title: Lecturer (Programme Leader), School of Marine Science and Engineering (Faculty of Science and Technology)
  • Telephone: +441752584544
  • Email: kerry.howell@plymouth.ac.uk


Role
I am programme leader for the Marine Biology and Oceanography degree course at Plymouth University http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/2055/Pages/CourseOverview.aspx. I am also an active academic researcher working on various topics related to conservation and sustainable management of the deep sea and High Seas http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/research/mberc/Research/Marine%20resource%20management/Pages/Deep-sea.aspx, and marine habitat mapping  http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/research/mberc/Research/Marine%20resource%20management/Pages/Habitat-mapping.aspx  

Roles on external bodies
Member of the ICES Working Group on Deep-water Ecology (WGDEC)
Member of the United Nations General Assembly Pool of Experts of the Regular Process to help in the production of World Ocean Assessment I – the first integrated global assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects.  



Research interests

My primary research interests are in the field of deep-sea ecology, conservation and sustainable management. I have expertise in the design of high seas / deep-sea marine protected area networks, habitat classification, habitat mapping, predictive species modelling, population connectivity, deep-sea food webs and ecosystem impacts of deep-water fisheries. See our group website www.deepseacru.org for more details.

Marine habitat mapping is a critical part of moving toward our sustainable use of the marine environment. The European Commission recognises habitat mapping as providing new opportunities for blue growth and jobs in seas and oceans, and has proposed the creation of a digital seabed map of European waters by 2020 (see http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/damanaki/headlines/press-releases/2012/08/20120829-1_en.htm). Our research will contribute to these efforts through: 1) developing novel techniques for mapping benthic biology at both broad and fine scales, 2) working with our European partners to develop the EUNIS habitat classification system such that it can adequately represent deep-sea biodiversity.

Current Projects
Mapping the Deep
The 'Mapping the deep' project will tackle the principle cause of destruction of the UK's cold water coral reefs, coral gardens and other vulnerable habitats (that is destruction caused by contact with bottom trawl gear), by providing maps of their distribution in order that appropriate protection measures such as the creation of marine protected areas, can be taken. These habitat maps will be created using predictive modelling approaches coupled with traditional habitat mapping methods. For more information on this project see:
http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/research/mberc/Research/Marine%20resource%20management/Pages/Deep-sea.aspx
http://youtu.be/Eu6snOCb3-Q

Beyond EUNIS: Developing a deep-sea habitat classifcation system for use in marine habitat mapping
info to follow

Connectivity in the deep-sea: proving ecological coherence to MPA network design
info to follow

For more information on this project see:
http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/research/mberc/Research/Marine%20resource%20management/Pages/Deep-sea.aspx

Deep-sea species field guide
info to follow
 

 

UoP Research group membership

Marine Biology & Ecology Research Centre (MBERC) 

Other research

Postdocs
Jaime Davies - Deep-sea species field guide

Research assistants
Nils Piechaud - Mapping the Deep
Andreia Carvalho  - Mapping the Deep

PhD Students  
 Rebecca Ross – PhD title “ Investigating the role of offshore banks and seamounts as stepping stones for dispersal to inform the development of an ‘ecologically coherent’ network of deep-sea marine protected areas.” 2012-2015.

 

Research degrees awarded to supervised students
Charlotte Marshall - PhD title "Species distribution modelling to support marine conservation planning" 2011
Jaime Davies - PhD title "Mapping Deep-Sea Features in UK Waters For Use in Marine Protected Area Network Design" 2011
Rebecca Jefferson - PhD title "Communicating Marine Environmental Health: Connecting Science, Social and Policy Values" 2010  


Publications

Peer Reviewed

  • Holt, R.E., Foggo, A., Neat, F., Howell, K.L. (2013) Distribution Patterns and Sexual Segregation in Chimaeras, Implications for Conservation and Management. ICES Journal of Marine Science. In Press.

    Foltz, D.W., Fatland, S.D., Eléaume M., Markello, K., Howell, K.L., Neill, K., Mah, C.L. (2013) Global population divergence of the sea star Hippasteria phrygiana corresponds to the onset of the last glacial period of the Pleistocene. Marine Biology. In Press DOI 10.1007/s00227-013-2180-1

  • Narayanaswamy, B.E., Hughes, D.J., Howell, K.L., Davies, J., Jacobs, C. (2013) First observations of megafaunal communities inhabiting George Bligh Bank, North East Atlantic. Deep Sea Research Part II:
  • Topical Studies in Oceanography. In Press
  • http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.03.004i. 


  • Foster, N. L., Foggo, A., & Howell, K. L. (2013). Using Species-Area Relationships to Inform Baseline Conservation Targets for the Deep North East Atlantic. PloS one, 8(3), e58941.
  •  
  • Bullimore, R.D., 
  • Foster, N.L., 
  • Howell, K.L. (2013) Coral-characterized benthic assemblages of the deep Northeast Atlantic: defining “Coral Gardens” to support future habitat mapping efforts. ICES Journal of Marine Science. DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fss195

  • Ross., R, Howell, K.L. (2012)  Use of predictive habitat modelling to assess the distribution and extent of the current protection of 'listed' deep-sea habitats. Diversity and Distributions. DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12010

  • Galparsoro, I.,  Connor, D.W.,  Borja, A., Aish, A., Amorim, P., Bajjouk, T., Chambers, C., Coggan, R., Dirberg, G., Ellwood, H., Evans, D., Goodin, K.L., Grehan, A., Haldin, J., Howell, K., Jenkins, C., Giulia Mo, M., Buhl-Mortensen, P., Pearce, B., et al. (2012) Using EUNIS habitat classification for benthic mapping in European seas: Present concerns and future needs. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 64, 2630-2638.

  • Howell, K.L., Holt, R., Pulido Endrino, I., Stewart, H. (2011) When the species is also a habitat: comparing the predictively modelled distributions of Lophelia pertusa and the reef habitat it forms. Biological Conservation. 144, 2656–2665.

  • Heymans, J.J., Howell, K.L., Ayers, M., Burrows, M.T., Gordon, J.D.M., Jones, E.G., Neat, F. (2010) Do we have enough information to apply the ecosystem approach to management of deep-sea fisheries? An example from the West of Scotland. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 68, 265-280.

    Howell, K.L., Mowles S., and Foggo, A. (2010) Mounting evidence: near-slope seamounts are faunally indistinct from an adjacent bank. Marine Ecology. 31, 52-62.

    Howell, K.L. (2010) A benthic classification system to aid in the implementation of marine protected area networks in the deep / high seas of the NE Atlantic. Biological Conservation. 143, 1041–1056.

    Howell, K.L., Davies J.S., and Narayanaswamy, B.E. (2010). Identifying deep-sea megafaunal epibenthic assemblages for use in habitat mapping and marine protected area network design. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 90 , pp 33-68 .

    Tyler, PA, Emson, RH, Sumida, PY, Howell, KL. (2005) Ophiuroid distribution at sublittoral and bathyal depths round the Faroes, NE Atlantic Ocean. In : North-East Atlantic marine benthic organisms in the Faroes-taxonomy, distribution and ecology. Annales Societatis Scientiarium Faeroensis Supp 41, 175-194.

    Howell, K.L., Rogers, A.D., Billett, D.S.M. and Tyler, P.A. (2004) Reproductive isolation among morphotypes of the Atlantic seastar species Zoroaster fulgens (Echinodermata:Asteroidea). Marine Biology 144, 977 – 984.

    Howell, K.L., Billett, D.S.M. and Tyler, P.A. (2004) Feeding ecology of deep-sea seastars (Echinodermata: Asteroidea): a pigment biomarker approach. Marine Ecology Progress Series 266, 103-110.

    Howell, K.L., Pond, D.W., Billett, D.S.M. and Tyler, P.A. (2003) Feeding ecology of deep-sea seastars (Echinodermata: Asteroidea): a fatty acid biomarker approach. Marine Ecology Progress Series 255, 193-206

    Howell, K.L., Billett, D.S.M. and Tyler, P.A. (2002) Depth-related distribution and abundance of seastars (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in the Porcupine Seabight and Porcupine Abyssal Plain, N.E. Atlantic. Deep-Sea Research I, 49, 1901-1920.

  • Reports

  • Cross, T., Howell, K.L., Hughes, E., Seeley, R., 2013. Analysis of seabed imagery from the Hebrides Terrace Seamount. Report to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Unpublished.

  • Howell, K.L., Huvenne, V., Piechaud, N., Roberts, K., Ross, R., 2013. JC060 Data Analysis: Comprising data from Darwin Mounds (NE Rockall Trough), Rockall-Hatton Basin Polygonal Faults, NW Rockall Bank, and E Rockall Bank Escarpment. Report to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Unpublished.

  • Howell, K.L., Embling, C., Holt, R., Stewart, H.A. (2011) Using predictive modelling to map the distribution of selected habitats listed as MPA search features in Scottish waters. Joint Nature Conservation Committee Report. Unpublished.

    Long, D., Howell, K.L., Davies, J., Stewart, H. (2010) JNCC Offshore Natura survey of Anton Dohrn Seamount and East Rockall Bank Areas of Search. Joint Nature Conservation Committee Report 437, 132p.

    Howell, K.L., Heymans, J.J., Gordon, J.D.M., Duncan, J., Ayers, M., Jones, E.G (2009) DEEPFISH Project: Applying an ecosystem approach to the sustainable management of deep-water fisheries. Part 1: Development of the Ecopath with Ecosim model. Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban. U.K. Report no. 259a. http://www.sams.ac.uk/sheila-heymans/deepfish-1-english

    Howell, K.L., Heymans, J.J., Gordon, J.D.M., Duncan, J., Ayers, M., Jones, E.G (2009) DEEPFISH Project: Applying an ecosystem approach to the sustainable management of deep-water fisheries. Part 2: A new approach to managing deepwater fisheries. Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban. U.K. Report no. 259b.

    Howell, K.L., Davies J.S., Jacobs, C., and Narayanaswamy B.E. (2009). Broadscale Survey of the Habitats of Rockall Bank, and mapping of Annex I ‘Reef’ Habitat. Joint Nature Conservation Committee Report. 165p. http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/PDF/jncc422_web.pdf

    Davies, J., Guinan, J., Howell, K., Stewart, H. & Verling, E. (editor) (2008) MESH South West Approaches Canyons Survey (MESH Cruise 01-07-01) Final Report. Mapping European Seabed Habitats (MESH) Project Report. 156p http://www.searchmesh.net/PDF/SWCanyons_FinalReport_v1.4_final.pdf

    Howell, K.L., Davies, J.S., Hughes, D.J., and Narayanaswamy, B.E. (2007). Strategic Environmental Assessment / Special Area for Conservation Photographic Analysis Report. Department of Trade and Industry, Strategic Environmental Assessment Report, UK. 163p.

    Stevens, T.F., Jones, P.J.S., Howell, K, Mee, L, (2006) Methods for managing Marine Protected Areas: options for establishing and managing a marine protected area system in the UK. Report to Natural England. Natural England: Peterborough, UK. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/148796/2/Methods%20for%20managing%20MPAs.pdf 

    Narayanaswamy, B.E., Howell, K.L., Hughes, D.J., Davies, J.S., Roberts, J.M., and Black, K.D. (2006). Strategic Environmental Assessment Area 7 Photographic Analysis Report. Department of Trade and Industry, Strategic Environmental Assessment Report, UK, 179p.

    Connor, D.W., Allen, J.A., Golding, N, Howell, K.L., Lieberknecht, L.M., Northen, K.O. and Reker, J.B. (2004) The Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland Version 04.05 JNCC, Peterborough. ISBN 1 861 07561 8 (internet version) www.jncc.gov.uk/MarineHabitatClassification


     

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