Education

Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University

Research interests

I study ecological processes in the benthic marine realm. My experiments focus on the food webs, structure and dominant organisms of coastal marine communities. My "laboratory" is the Gulf of Maine's subtidal zone in which I use SCUBA diving, under- water video systems, manned submersibles and the University of Maine's remotely operated vehicle as primary research tools. I'm currently studying lobsters, sea urchin and kelp in Maine. I also work on the ecology of coral reefs in the Caribbean. In all cases my focus is on in situ ecology. I think an important way to understand the organisms or the system is to observe them first hand - in their habitat. The work is at the organism level and integrates between small scale (i.e., behavioral phenomena) with large scale (oceanographic) processes. By applying basic ecology to human marine resource and management questions, I am able to conduct studies that are both interesting and enormously useful for people who make their living from the sea. The best way for me to give a flavor of my research activities is to show my current research programs, grants and resultant publications. Many of the studies involved my graduate students who have published their theses. I think it is important to give students the opportunity to learn by doing. Students who work under my direction get involved with all aspects of basic research from proposal writing, deploying experiments, gathering data and writing papers. Graduate Students Name, UM Degree, Year, Subsequent degree,Current occupation Sally Hacker, MS 1990, PhD. Brown, Professor Washington St. Univ. Richard Wahle, PhD 1990,PI Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory Kirt Moody, MS, 1991, PhD VIMS, Professor Mt. Holyoke Paul Bologna, MS 1991, PhD U.S. Alabama, Professor Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. Wendy Malpass, MS 1992, Scientist, The Nature Conservancy Tim Miller, MS 1994, Lab Manager, Darling Marine Center Patrick Voorhees, MS 1995, Medical School Alvaro Palma, PhD 1998, Professor,Universidad Católica de la Ssma. Concepción Carl Wilson, MS 1998, Maine's Dept. of Marine Resources Douglas McNaught, PhD 1999, Post-doc Brown Univ. Amanda Leland, MS 2002, John Knauss Sea Grant Fellow, Washington D.C. Stephane Zimsen, PhD candidate John Vavrinec, PhD candidate Eric Annis, PhD candidate Lindsay Harrington, Ph.D candidate (James Cook Univ. Australia), Coral Reefs Shauna Slingsby, Ph.D. candidate (Univ. of North Carolina Wilmington), Coral Reefs Elizabeth Stephenson, MS candidate Jeanne Brown, MS canidate Suzanne Arnold, MS canidate Thew Suskiewicz, scientific technician extraordinare

Publications

• An ecological context for the role of large carnivorous animals
  2005 Steneck, R. S. An ecological context for the role of large carnivorous animals in conserving biodiversity. pages in Ray, J., Redford, K., Steneck, R. and Berger, J.(eds) Conserving Predation: Large Carnivores and Biodiversity. Island Press. In press.
• Large marine carnivores
  2005 Steneck, R. S. and Sala, E. A. Large marine carnivores: trophic cascades and top-down controls in coastal ecosystems past and present. pages in Ray, J., Redford, K., Steneck, R. and Berger, J.(eds) Conserving Predation: Large Carnivores and Biodiversity. Island Press. In press.
• Large carnivorous animals and biodiversity
  2005 Ray, J. C., Redford, K. H., Berger, J., and Steneck, R. S. Large carnivorous animals and biodiversity: does saving one conserve the other? in Ray, J., Redford, K., Steneck, R. and Berger, J.(eds) Conserving Predation: Large Carnivores and Biodiversity. Island Press. In press.
• Trophic level dysfunction
  2004 Steneck, R. S., Vavrinec, J. and Leland, A. V. Accelerating trophic level dysfunction in kelp forest ecosystems of the western North Atlantic. Ecosystems. 7(4): 323-331
• Kelp forest ecosystems
  2004 Steneck, R. S., Bustamante, R. H. Dayton, P. K., Jones, G. P. and Hobday, Al J. Kelp forest ecosystems: current status and future trends in Polunin, N. (ed).
• Yucatan reef
  2003 Steneck, R. S., and Lang, J. C. Rapid assessment of Mexico's Yucatan Reef in 1997 and 1999: pre- and post- mass bleaching and Hurricane Mitch (stony corals, algae and fish). Pp 294 - 317 in J.C. Lang (ed.), Status of Coral Reefs in the western Atlantic: Results of initial Surveys, Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Assessment (AGRRA) Program. Atoll Research Bull. 496.
• Algal Ridge Mexico
  2003 Steneck, R. S., Kramer, P. A., and Loreto, R. M. The Caribbean's Western-most Algal Ridge in Cozumel, Mexico. Coral Reefs. 22: 27-28
• Lobster settlement
  2003 Wilson, C. J. and Steneck, R. S. Bathymetric and spatial patterns of settlement in American lobster, Homarus americanus, in the Gulf of Maine: insights into processes controlling abundance. in revision for Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science.
• Overfishing
  2003 Steneck, R. S. Are we overfishing the American lobster? Some biological perspectives. pages in Buchsbaum, Robinson and Peterson (eds). Decline of fisheries resources in New England: evaluating the impact of overfishing, contamination and habitat degradation. MIT press In press.
• Urchin fisheries
  2002 Andrew, N.L., Y. Agatsuma, E. Ballesteros, A.G. Bazhin, E.P. Creaser, D.K.A. Barnes, L.W. Botsford, A. Bradbury, A. Campbell, J.D. Dixon, S. Einarsson, P. Gerring, K. Hebert, M. Hunter, S.B. Hur, C.R. Johnson, M.A. Juinio-Meñez, P. Kalvass, R.J. Miller, C.A. Moreno, J.S. Palleiro, D. Rivas, S.M.L. Robinson, S.C. Schroeter, R.S. Steneck, R.I. Vadas, D.A. Woodby and Z. Xiaoqi (2002). Status and Management of World Sea Urchin Fisheries. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review. 40: 343 – 425.
• Kelp Forests
  2002 Steneck, R. S., Graham, M. H. , Bourque, B. J., Corbett, D., Erlandson, J. M, Estes, J. A., and Tegner, M. J. Kelp forest ecosystem: biodiversity, stability, resilience and their future. Environmental Conservation. 29(4): 436-459
• Biogeography of marine algae
  2001 Adey, W. H. and Steneck, R. S. Thermogeography over time creates biogeographic regions: a temperature/space/time - integrated model and an abundance-weighted test for benthic marine algae. J. Phycol. 37: 677 - 698.
• Intertidal crusts
  2001 Dethier, M. N. and Steneck, R. S. Growth and persistence of diverse intertidal crusts: survival of the slow in a fast-paced world. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 223: 89 - 100.
• Abrolhos
  2001 Figueiredo, M.A. de O. and Steneck, R. S. Floristic and ecological studies of crustose coralline algae on Brazil's Abrolhos reefs. Proc. 9th Int. Coral Reef Symp. 1: in press
• Historical overfishing
  2001 Jackson, J. B., Kirby, M. X., Berger, W., H., Bjorndal, K.A., Botsford, L. W., Bourque, B. J., Bradbury, R., Cooke, R., Erlandson, J, Estes, J. A., Hughes, T. P., Kidwell, S., Lange, C. B., Lenihan, H. S. Pandolfi, J. M., Peterson, C. H., Steneck, R. S. Tegner, M. J. Warner, R. Historical overfishing and the recent collapse of coastal ecosystems. Science. 293: 629 - 638.
• Algal Ridge
  2001 Macintyre, I. G., Glynn, P. W. and Steneck, R. S. Holocene history of Holandes Cays algal ridge, Panama: an algal coated storm deposit. Coral Reefs. 20:95 - 106.
• Crab coloration
  2001 Palma, A. and Steneck, R. S. Variable coloration in juvenile marine crabs reduces risk against visual predators Ecology. 82: 2961-2967
• American lobster
  2001 Steneck, R. S. and Wilson, C. J. Long-term and large scale spatial and temporal patterns in demography and landings of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, in Maine. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 52: 1302 - 1319.
• Functional groups
  2001 Steneck, R. S. Functional Groups. Pages 121 - 139 in Levin, S. (ed). Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. Vol. 1. Academic Press, Inc.
• Marine communities
  2001 Steneck, R. S. and Carlton, J. T. Human alterations of marine communities: Students Beware! pages 445 - 468 in Bertness, M, Gaines, S., and Hay, M. (eds). Marine Community Ecology. Sinauer press.Sunderland, MA.
• Limnology and Oceanography
  1999 Hughes, T., Szmant, A., Steneck, R. Carpenter, R., Miller, S. Algal blooms on coral reefs: what are the causes? Critique of: "Nutrient Thresholds for Eutrophication and Macroalgal Overgrowth of Coral Reefs in Jamaica and Southeast Florida: by B. E. Lapointe (Limnol. Oceanogr. 42: 119 - 1131). Limnol. and Oceanogr. 44: 1583 - 1586
• Buchsbaum, Robinson and Peterson
  1999 Steneck, R. S. Are we overfishing the American lobster? Some biological perspectives. pages in Buchsbaum, Robinson and Peterson (eds). Decline of fisheries resources in New England: evaluating the impact of overfishing, contamination and habitat degradation. MIT press
• 1999 Ecology
  1999 Dudgeon, S., Steneck, R. S., Davison, I. R. and Vadas. R. L. Coexistence of similar species in a little-disturbed, space-limited intertidal zone. Ecol. Monogr. 69: 331 - 352.
• Northeastern Naturalist
  1999 Wilbur, A. J., Steneck, R. S. Polychromatic patterns of Littorina obtusata on Ascophyllum nodosum: are snails hiding in intertidal seaweed? Northeastern Naturalist. 6: 189-198.
• Marine decapods
  1999 Palma, A. T., Steneck, R. S. and C. Wilson. Settlement-driven, multiscale demographic patterns of large benthic decapods in the Gulf of Maine. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 241: 107-136
• Atoll Res. Bull
  1999 Reid, R. P., Macintyre, I. G. and Steneck, R. S. A microbialite/algal ridge fringing reef complex, Highborne Cay, Bahamas. Atoll Res. Bull. 465: 1 - 18.
• Marine Ecology Progress Series
  1998 Palma, A. T., Wahle, R. A. and Steneck, R. S. Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters (Homarus americanus) and rock crabs (Cancer irroratus) in the Gulf of Maine. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 162. 215-225.
• Trends in Ecology and Evolution
  1998 Steneck, R. S. Human influences on coastal ecosystems: Does overfishing create trophic cascades? Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 13: 429 - 430.
• Ecological Refuge Paradigm" Carbonates and Evaporites
  1998 Steneck, R. S., Miller, T. Macintyre, I. G., Reid, P. Ecological controls on stromatolite development in a modern reef environment: a test of the "Ecological Refuge Paradigm" Carbonates and Evaporites. 13: 48 - 65.
• North American Journal of Fisheries Management
  1997 Acheson, J. M. and Steneck, R. S. Examining the bust then boom in the Maine lobster industry: the perspectives of fishermen and biologists. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 17: 826 - 847.
• Implications of a Quota System in Fisheries TemaNord
  1997 Acheson, J. M. and Steneck, R. S. The role of management in the renewal of Maine lobster industry. Social Implications of a Quota System in Fisheries TemaNord 1997: 593: 9 - 26.
• Reef Encounters
  1997 Macintyre, I. G., Steneck, R. S., Ginsburg, R. N. 1997. Confusion concerning crustose corallines and coral reefs. Reef Encounters 22: 8.
• Proc. 8th Int. Coral Reef Symp
  1997 Steneck, R. S. Crustose corallines, other algal functional groups, herbivores and sediment: complex interactions along reef productivity gradients. Proc. 8th Int. Coral Reef Symp. 1: 695 - 700.
• North American Journal of Fisheries Management
  1997 Steneck, R. S., Langton, R. W., Juanes, F., Gotceitas, V. and Lawton, P. The interface between fisheries research and habitat management: Response to comment. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 17: 596-598.
• Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine
  1997. Steneck, R. S. Fisheries-induced biological changes to the structure and function of the Gulf of Maine Ecosystem. Plenary Paper. pages 151 - 165 in Wallace, G. T., and Braasch, E. F. (eds). Proceedings of the Gulf of Maine Ecosystem Dynamics Scientific Symposium and Workshop. RARGOM Report, 91 - 1. Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine. Hanover, NH.
• Proc. 8th Int. Coral Reef Symp
  1997 Steneck, R. S. Crustose corallines, other algal functional groups, herbivores and sediment: complex interactions along reef productivity gradients. Proc. 8th Int. Coral Reef Symp. 1: 695 - 700.
• Science
  1986 Steneck, R. S. Rocky shores revisited. Science 232: 1652 - 1653 (Book review).
• Bot. Mar.
  1996 Keats, D. W., R. S. Steneck, R. A. Townsend, and M. A. Borowitzka. Lithothamnion prolifer Foslie: a common non-geniculate coralline alga (Rhodophyta: Corallinaceae) from the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific. Bot. Mar. 39: 187 - 200.
• Marine Biological association
  1992 Steneck, R. S. Plant-herbivore coevolution: A reappraisal from the marine realm and its fossil record. pages 477 - 491. In (John, D. M, J. H. Price, S. J. Hawkins and G. A. Williams eds) Plant-animal interactions in the marine benthos. Systematics Association Special Volume. 46. Journ. Mar. Biol. Assoc. UK. Oxford University Press.
• Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
  1992 Wahle, R. A. and R. S. Steneck. Habitat restrictions in early benthic life: experiments on habitat selection and in situ predation with the American lobster. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 157: 91 - 114.
• Symposium on Fossil Algae
  1991 Braga, J. C., D. Bosence, and R. Steneck. Taxonomic implications of microstructural studies on some Cenozoic coralline algae. Proc. 5th Intern. Symposium on Fossil Algae. Capri, Spain.
• W. I. Coral Reefs
  1991 Macintyre, I. G., K. Rützler, J. N. Norris, K. P. Smith, S. D. Cairns, K. E. Bucher, and R. S. Steneck. An early Holocene reef in the western Atlantic: submersible investigations of a deep relict reef off the west coast of Barbados, W. I. Coral Reefs.. 10: 167 - 174.
• 1991 Ecology
  1991 Steneck, R. S., S. D. Hacker and M. N. Dethier. Mechanism determining competitive dominance between crustose coralline algae: an herbivore-mediated reversal. Ecology: 72 (3): 938-950.
• Marine Ecology Progress Series
  1991 Wahle, R. A. and R. S. Steneck. Recruitment habitats and nursery grounds of the American lobster (Homarus americanus Milne Edwards): A demographic bottleneck? Marine Ecology Progress Series. 69: 231 - 243.
• 1990 Ecology
  1990 Hacker, S. D. and R. S. Steneck. Habitat architecture and the abundance and body-size-dependent habitat selection of a phytal amphipod. Ecology : 71: 2269-2285.
• Marine Algae of the North Atlantic
  1990 Steneck, R. S. Herbivory and the evolution of nongeniculate coralline algae (Rhodophyta, Corallinales) in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. in Evolutionary Biogeography of the Marine Algae of the North Atlantic. NATO ASI Series G 22: 107 - 129.
• International Coral Reef Symposium
  1988 Steneck, R. S. Herbivory on coral reefs: a synthesis. Proc. 6th International Coral Reef Symposium, Australia. 1: 37 - 49.
• Journal of Phycology
  1988 Vadas, R. L. and R. S. Steneck. Zonation of deep water benthic algae in the Gulf of Maine. J. Phycol. 24: 338 - 346.
• Maine. Proc. Symp. Amer. Assoc. of Underwater Sciences
  1987 Haskell, B. D., J. D. Witman, R. S. Steneck. Complementary use of submersibles and scuba: an example from the Gulf of Maine. Proc. Symp. Amer. Assoc. of Underwater Sciences. Pages 99 - 111. IN M. A. Lang (ed.). Cold Water Diving for Science 1987.
• Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst
  1986 Steneck, R. S. The ecology of coralline algal crusts: convergent patterns and adaptive strategies. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 7: 273 - 303.
• Phycologia
  1986 Steneck, R. S. and R. T. Paine. Ecological and taxonomic studies of shallow-water encrusting Corallinaceae of the boreal northeastern Pacific. Phycologia 25: 221-240.
• Paleoalgology
  1985 Steneck, R. S. Adaptations of crustose coralline algae to herbivory: Patterns in space and time. Pages 352 - 366. In Toomy, D and M. Nitecki (eds). Paleoalgology. Springer - Verlag. Berlin.
• The Ecology of Deep and Shallow Coral Reefs
  1985 Adey, W. H. and R. S. Steneck. Highly productive eastern Caribbean reefs: synergistic effects of biological, chemical, physical and geological factors. In Reaka M. L. (ed.).The Ecology of Deep and Shallow Coral Reefs. Symposia Series for Undersea Research, Vol. 2. Office of Undersea Research, NOAA, Rockville, Maryland.
• Paleobiology
  1983 Steneck, R. S. Escalating herbivory and resulting adaptive trends in calcareous algae. Paleobiology. 9: 45-63.
• Coevolution Sinauer Press
  1983 Stanley, S. M., B. Van Valkenburgh, and R. S. Steneck. Coevolution and the fossil record. Pages 328 - 349 In Futuyma, D. J. and M. S. Slatkin (eds) Coevolution Sinauer Press.
• Symposia Series for Undersea Research
  1983 Steneck, R. S. Quantifying herbivory on coral reefs: just scratching the surface and still biting off more than we can chew. Pages 103-112. In Reaka M. L. (ed.).The Ecology of Deep and Shallow Coral Reefs. Symposia Series for Undersea Research, Vol. 1.
• Ecology
  1982 Steneck, R. S. A limpet-coralline algal association: adaptations and defenses between a selective herbivore and its prey. Ecology 63: 507-522.
• Marine Biology
  1982 Steneck, R. S. and L. Watling. Feeding capabilities and limitations of herbivorous molluscs: a functional group approach. Mar. Biol. 68: 299-319.
• Bot. Mar.
  1976 Steneck, R. S. and W. H. Adey. The role of environment in control of morphology in Lithophyllum compressum, a Caribbean algal ridge builder. Bot. Mar. 19: 197 - 215.
• J. C. Ogden
  1974 Steneck, R. S. Juvenile Echinometra. Pg. 102-103. In Spec. Pub. No. 4., West Indies Lab., D. P. Abbott, J. C. Ogden (eds).

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