Department of Biological Science

Biological Science Faculty Member

Rassweiler Lab Homepage

2008 Ph.D. University of California, Santa Barbara
Graduate Faculty Status

Research and Professional Interests:

I am a quantitative marine ecologist with research interests straddling the linked fields of natural resource management and ecosystem resilience. I combine field experiments, data analysis and mathematical modeling to address basic and applied questions in temperate and tropical reef ecosystems.

Current Ph.D. Students:

• Allie Blanchette
• Ally Dubel

• Scott Miller
• Josh Manning

Courses:

Conservation Biology (BSC 3052)

Computational Experiments in Ecology and Evolution  (BSC 3402L)

Applied Ecology Reading Group  (BSC 5936)

Selected Publications:

2019

 Rassweiler, A., M. Lauer, S.E. Lester, S.J. Holbrook, R.J. Schmitt, R. Madi Moussa, K.S.   Munsterman, H.S. Lenihan, A.J. Brooks, J. Wencélius, J. Claudet. Perceptions and Responses of Pacific Island Fishers to Changing Coral Reefs. Accepted at Ambio.

 Miller, S., A. Rassweiler, L. Dee, K. Kleisner, T. Mangin, R. Oliveros-Ramos, J. Tam,   F.P. Chavez, M. Ñiquen, S.E. Lester, M. Burden, S. Gaines, C. Costello. Optimal harvest responses to environmental forecasts depend on resource knowledge and how it can be used. Accepted at Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

 2018

 Miller. R.J., K.D. Lafferty, T. Lamy, L. Kui, A. Rassweiler, R.L. Rognstad, D.C. Reed. Giant kelp increases faunal diversity through physical engineering. Proceedings of the Royal Society B,   285 (1874), 20172571. 

 Rassweiler, A.,   D. C. Reed, S.L. Harrer, J. C. Nelson, (2018). Improved estimates of net primary production, growth, and standing crop of Macrocystis pyrifera in Southern California. Ecology, 99(9), 2132-2132.

Hunter, C. E., M. Lauer, A. Levine, A., S.J. Holbrook,   A. Rassweiler (2018). Maneuvering towards adaptive co-management in a coral reef fishery. Marine Policy, 98, 77-84.

2017

Lamy, T., D.C. Reed, A. Rassweiler, D.A. Siegel, L. Kui, T.W. Bell, R. Simons, R.J. Miller. (2017) Scale-specific drivers of kelp forest communities. Oecologia https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-3994-1

 2016

 Krumhansl, K.A., D.K. Okamoto, A. Rassweiler, M. Novak, et al. (2016). Global patterns of kelp forest change over the past half-century. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 201606102.

 Reed, D.C., L. Washburn, A. Rassweiler, R.J. Miller, T. Bell, S.L. Harrer (2016). Extreme warming challenges sentinel status of kelp forests as indicators of climate change. Nature Communications, 7.

 Leenhardt P., Lauer M., Madi Moussa R., Holbrook S.J., Rassweiler A., Schmitt R.J. and Claudet J. (2016) Complexities and Uncertainties in Transitioning Small-Scale Coral Reef Fisheries. Front. Mar. Sci. 3:70. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2016.00070

 2015

 Caselle, J., Rassweiler, A., Hamilton, S., & Warner, R. (2015). Recovery trajectories of kelp forest animals are rapid yet spatially variable across a network of temperate marine protected areas. Scientific Reports, 5, 14.

 Reed, D., Carlson, C., Halewood, E., Nelson, J., Harrer, S., Rassweiler, A., & Miller, R. (2015). Patterns and controls of reef-scale production of dissolved organic carbon by giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera. Limnology and Oceanography, 60(6), 1996-2008.

 Berriman, J.S., M.C. Kay, D.C. Reed, A. Rassweiler, D.A. Goldstein, W.G. Wright. Shifts in attack behavior of an important kelp forest predator within marine reserves Marine Ecology Progress Series, 522, 193-201.

 Reed, D.C., A. Rassweiler, R. Miller, H. Page, S.J. Holbrook. The value of a broad temporal and spatial perspective in understanding dynamics of kelp forest ecosystems. Marine & Freshwater Research, 67(1) 14-24.

 Ling S.D., R.E. Scheibling, A. Rassweiler, C.R. Johnson, N. Shears, et al. (2015) Global phase-shift dynamics of catastrophic sea urchin overgrazing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, B. 370(1659), 10.

 2014

 Rassweiler A, C. Costello, R. Hilborn, D.A. Siegel. (2014) Integrating scientific guidance into marine spatial planning. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 281 (1781): 20132252

 White, J.W., A. Rassweiler, J.F. Samhouri, A.C. Stier, and C. White. (2014) Ecologists should not use statistical significance tests to interpret simulation model results. Oikos. 123: 385–388.

 2013

 Lester, S.E., C. Costello, A. Rassweiler, S. D. Gaines, R. Deacon. (2013) Encourage sustainability by giving credit for MPAs in seafood certification. PLoS Biology DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001730

 Kushner, D.J., A. Rassweiler, J. McLaughlin, K. Lafferty. (2013) A multi-decade time series of kelp forest community structure at the California Channel Islands. Ecology 94: 2655-2655.

 Kenner, M.C.,  J.A. Estes, M. T Tinker, J.L. Bodkin,  R.K. Cowen, C. Harrold, B.B. Hatfield, M. Novak, A. Rassweiler, D.C. Reed. (2013) A multi-decade time series of kelp forest community structure at San Nicolas Island, California. Ecology 94: 2654-2654.

 Brzezinski, M.A.,  D.C. Reed, S. Harrer, A. Rassweiler, J.M. Melack, B. Goodridge, J.E. Dugan. (2013) Multiple sources and forms of nitrogen sustain year-round kelp growth on the inner continental shelf of the Santa Barbara Channel. Oceanography 26:114–123.

 Rodriguez, G.E., A. Rassweiler, D.C. Reed, S.J. Holbrook. (2013) The importance of progressive senescence in the biomass dynamics of giant kelp. Ecology 94:1848–1858.

 2012

 Rassweiler, A, C. Costello, D.A. Siegel. (2012) Marine protected areas and the value of spatially optimized fishery management. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109:11884-11889.

 White, J.W., A.J. Scholz, A. Rassweiler, C. Steinback, L.W. Botsford, S. Kruse, C. Costello, S. Mitarai, D.A. Siegel, P.T. Drake, C.A. Edwards. (2012) A comparison of approaches used for economic analysis in marine protected area network planning in California. Ocean & Coastal Management 74: 77-89.

 2011

 Bestelmeyer, B.T., A.M. Ellison, W.R. Fraser, K.B. Gorman, S.J. Holbrook, C.M. Laney, M.D. Ohman, D.P.C. Peters, F.C. Pillsbury, A. Rassweiler, R.J. Schmitt, and S.Sharma (2011) Analysis of abrupt transitions in ecological systems. Ecosphere 2:129.

 Watson, J.R., D.A. Siegel, B.E. Kendall, S. Mitarai, A. Rassweiler and S.D. Gaines (2011) Identifying critical regions in small-world marine metapopulations, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108, E907–E913.

 Rassweiler, A., T. Rassweiler (2011) Does rapid scavenging hide non-predation mortality in coral-reef communities? Marine and Freshwater Research, 62:510-515.

 Reed, D.C., A. Rassweiler, M.H. Carr, K.C. Cavanaugh, D.P. Malone and D.A. Siegel (2011) Wave disturbance overwhelms top-down and bottom-up control of primary production in California kelp forests.  Ecology, 92:2108-2116.

 2010

 Costello, C., A. Rassweiler, D. Siegel, G. De Leo, F. Micheli and A. Rosenberg (2010) The value of spatial information in MPA network design, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107: 18294-18299.

 Rassweiler, A., R.J. Schmitt, S.J. Holbrook (2010) Triggers and maintenance of multiple shifts in the state of a natural community. Oecologia 164:489–498.

 2009

 Reed, D.C., A. Rassweiler, K.K. Arkema (2009) Density derived estimates of standing crop and net primary production in the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera. Marine Biology, 156: 2077-2083.

 2008

 Rassweiler, A., K.K. Arkema, D.C. Reed, R.C. Zimmerman, M.A. Brzezinski (2008) Net primary production, growth and standing crop of Macrocystis pyrifera  in Southern California. Ecology. 89: 2068-2068.

 Reed, D.C., A. Rassweiler, K.K. Arkema (2008) Biomass rather than growth rate determines variation in net primary production by giant kelp. Ecology 89: 2493-2505.

 2007

 Buenau, K.E., A. Rassweiler, R.M. Nisbet (2007) Space competition and regime shifts on structured landscapes. Ecology 88: 3022-3031.

 Harmon, M.E, D.L. Phillips, J.J. Battles, A. Rassweiler, R.O. Hall, W.K. Lauenroth (2007) Quantifying uncertainty in net primary production measurements. In: Fahey T.J and Alan K. Knapp, A.K. (editors).  Principles and standards for measuring net primary production in long-term ecological studies.

 2006

 White, E.P., P.B. Adler, W.K. Lauenroth, R.A. Gill, D. Greenberg, D.M. Kaufman, A. Rassweiler, J.A. Rusak, M.D. Smith, J.R. Steinbeck, R.B. Waide, and J. Yao (2006) A comparison of the species-time relationship across ecosystems and taxonomic groups. Oikos 112: 185-195.

 2005

 Adler, P.B., E.P. White, W.K. Lauenroth,  D.M. Kaufman, A. Rassweiler, J.A. Rusak (2005) Evidence for a general species-time-area relationship. Ecology 86: 2032-2039.

Postdoctoral Associates:

Graduate Students: