Rebecca Howard

RESEARCH ECOLOGIST

Short Biography

Rebecca Howard obtained a B.S. degree in Wildlife Biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY.  She then completed a M.S. degree in Wildlife Biology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and a Ph.D. degree in Oceanography and Coastal Science from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge.  She held positions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before joining USGS.  At the National Wetlands Research Center, Rebecca directs a research program on wetland plant community dynamics, including the effects of stressors and disturbances on plant community structure and function.  She also conducts research on seed bank ecology, wetland restoration ecology, and plant response to factors associated with climate change.

Journal Articles:

Howard, R.J. and T. Turluck. 2013.  Phragmites australis expansion in a restored brackish marsh: documentation at different time scales. Wetlands, in press

Krauss, K.W., J.L. Whitbeck, and R.J. Howard.  2012. On the relative roles of hydrology, temperature, and salinity in controlling soil respiration from tidal swamps (freshwater). Plant and Soil 358:265-274.  DOI 10.1007/s11104-012-1182-y

Howard, R.J. 2010. Intraspecific variation in growth of marsh macrophytes in response to salinity and soil type: implications for wetland restoration. Estuaries and Coasts 33:127-138.  DOI 10.1007s/12237-009-9227-z.

Howard, R.J. and C.J. Wells. 2009. Plant community establishment following drawdown of a reservoir in Southern Arkansas, USA.  Wetlands Ecology and Management 17:565-583.  DOI 10.1007/s11273-009-9134-x

Krauss, K.W., T.W. Doyle, and R.J. Howard. 2009.  Is there evidence of adaptation to tidal flooding in saplings of a forested wetland tree species? Environmental and Experimental Botany 67:118-126.  doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2009.05.005

Howard, R.J., S.E. Travis, and B. A. Sikes. 2008. Rapid growth of a Eurasian haplotype of Phragmites australis in a restored brackish marsh in Louisiana, USA.  Biological Invasions  10:369-379

Howard, R.J. and P.S. Rafferty.  2006.  Clonal variation in response to salinity and flooding stress in four marsh macrophytes of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, USA.  Environmental and Experimental Botany 56: 301-313

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn.  2000. Structure and composition of oligohaline marsh plant communities exposed to salinity pulses. Aquatic Botany 68:143-164.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn.  1999.  Salinity as a constraint on growth of oligohaline marsh macrophytes. I. Species variation in stress tolerance. American Journal of Botany 86(6): 785-794.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn.  1999.  Salinity as a constraint on growth of oligohaline marsh macrophytes. II. Salt pulses and recovery potential. American Journal of Botany 86(6): 795-806.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1995. Effect of increased water depth on growth of a common perennial freshwater-intermediate marsh species in coastal Louisiana. Wetlands 15:82-91.

Howard, R.J. and J.S. Larson. 1985. A stream habitat classification system for beaver. Journal of Wildlife Management 49:19-25.

Technical Reports:

Howard, R.J. and L. Allain. 2012. Effects of a drawdownon plant communities in a freshwater impoundment at Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5221.27 p.

 Howard, R.J., T.C. Michot, and L. Allain. 2011.Vegetation of Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana: recent plant communities with comparison to a three-decade-old survey.  U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5174. 16 p.

Howard, R. J. and Christopher J. Wells. 2007.  Vegetation response to the 1995 drawdown of the navigation pool at Felsethal National Wildlife Refuge, Crossett, Arkansas.  U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1379. 52 pp.

Faanes, C.A. and R.J. Howard. 1987. Habitat suitability index models: black-shouldered kite. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Biological Report 82(10.130). 13 pp.

Newsom, J.D., T. Joanen, and R.J. Howard. 1987. Habitat suitability index models: American alligator. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Biological Report 82(10.136) 14 pp.

Howard, R.J. and H.A. Kantrud. 1986. Habitat suitability index models: northern pintail (gulf coast wintering). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Biological Report 82(10.121). 16 pp.

Chapman, B.R. and R.J. Howard. 1984. Habitat suitability index models: great egret. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FWS/OBS-82/10.78. 23 pp.

Howard, R.J. and H.A. Kantrud. 1983. Habitat suitability index models: redhead (wintering). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FWS/OBS-82/10.53. 14 pp.

Proceedings:

Howard, R.J. and J.A. Allen. 1989. Streamside habitats in southern forested wetlands: their role and implications for management. Pages 97-106 in D.D. Hook and R. Lea, eds. Proceedings of the symposium: The Forested Wetlands of the Southern United States. General Technical Report SE-50.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Asheville, NC. 168 pp.

Cordes, C.L., T.D. Thornhill, and R.J. Howard. 1985. Application of estuarine habitat models in Alabama. Proceedings of the Symposium on Coastal and Ocean Management. 4(2):1346-1359.

Finn, J.T. and R. Howard. 1980. Modeling a beaver population on the Prescott Peninsula, Massachusetts: feasibility of LANDSAT as an input. Pages 155-162 in N. Short, ed. Eastern Remote Sensing Applications Conference. NASA publication CP 2173. Washington, DC. 250 pp.

Agency Reports:

Howard, R. J.  2005.  Evaluation of the soils of Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge: profile of organic and mineral layers as related to elevation.  Final Report submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge, Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge.  15 pp.

Howard, R. J.  2005.  Sedimentation, elevation, and water level change in Lacassine pool, Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge.  Final Report submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge, Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge.  13 pp.

Howard, R.J.  2004.  Identification of high biomass producing strains of native herbaceous plants for use in coastal restoration.  Final Report to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Cooperative Agreement 2503-98-36.  72 pp.

Theses:

Howard, R.J. 1995. Salinity pulse events and flooding as constraints on growth of herbaceous freshwater marsh species. Ph.D. Dissertation. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. 180 pp.

Howard, R.J. 1982. Beaver habitat classification in Massachusetts. M.S. Thesis. University of Massachusetts, Amherst. 67 pp.

Presentations:

Howard, R.J., K.W. Krauss, R.H. Day, and A.S. From. 2010. Effects of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project on vegetation assemblages of the mangrove/marsh transition zone at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.  Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Meeting, Naples, FL.

Howard, R.J., K.W. Krauss, A.S. From, and R.H. Day. 2010. Effects of sea-level rise on mangrove forest transgression into marsh in subtropical Florida.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Salt Lake City, UT.

Howard, R.J., R.H. Day, K.W. Krauss, and T.W. Doyle. 2009. Expansion of mangrove forests in southern Florida: impact of a hydrologic restoration project.  Biennial Meeting of the Estuarine Research Federation, Portland, OR.

Howard, R.J., R.H. Day, K.W. Krauss, and T.W. Doyle. 2009. Mangrove expansion in the Ten Thousand Islands Region of southwest Florida. Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Madison, WI.

Howard, R.J, R.H. Day, K.W. Krauss, and T.W. Doyle. 2008.  Monitoring the impact of a hydrologic restoration project on vegetation of the Ten Thousand Islands Region in southwest Florida. Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Washington, D.C. 

Krauss, K.W., T.W. Doyle, and R.J. Howard. 2008. Is there evidence of ecotypic adaptation to tidal flooding in baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) collected from tidally influenced sites? Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Washington, D.C. 

Krauss, K.W., T.W. Doyle, E. Meselhe, R.J. Howard, Terry J. Doyle, Andrew S. From. 2007. Quantifying vegetation change and modeling surface hydrological fluxes across the marsh-mangrove ecotone of Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.  Mark A. Benedict Symposium on Science, Conservation and Restoration of Southwestern Florida Ecosystems. Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, December 6, Naples, FL.

Howard, R.J. and S.E. Travis. 2007. Stress tolerance in Eurasian versus U.S Gulf of Mexico Clones of Phragmites australis. Biennial Meeting of the Estuarine Research Federation, Providence, RI.

Howard, R.J.  2007.  Influence of soil type and salinity on plant growth: implications for wetland restoration. Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Sacramento, CA.

Howard, R.J., S.E. Travis, and B.A. Sikes.  2006.  Growth comparisons between European and U.S. Gulf of Mexico clones of Phragmites australis in different environmental conditions. Annual meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. 

Howard, R.J.  2005.  Vegetation plantings versus natural succession: comparison of growth differences at a marsh restored with dredged sediments.  Symposium of the Coastal Restoration and Enhancement Through Science and Technology Program, Lafayette, LA. 

Howard, R.J., S.E. Travis, and B.A. Sikes.  2005.  Invasiveness of a European lineage of Phragmites australis in a restored Louisiana coastal wetland.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Charleston, SC. 

Howard, R.J.  2005. Coastal restoration: A case study of revegetation and soil elevation change in a brackish marsh restored with dredged sediment.  Meeting of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lower Mississippi River Ecosystem Team.  Stuttgart, AR. 

Ford, M.A., R.J. Howard, B.J. Hoffpauir, and B. Perez.  2004.  A comparison of sites restored using dedicated dredged materials in two different coastal regions of Louisiana.  Annual Meeting of the Coastal Plain Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration, Atlanta, GA.

Howard, R.J., T. Olney, and B. Perez.  2004.  Soil elevation change in a brackish marsh restored with dredged material.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Seattle, WA.

Howard, R.J., P.S. Rafferty, T.A. Daigle, J.B. Briggs, and N.J. Klingensmith.  2003.  Plant community succession in brackish marsh habitats restored using dredged sediment.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, New Orleans, LA.

Howard, R.J., P.S. Rafferty, T.A. Daigle, J.B. Briggs, and N.J. Klingensmith.  2002.  Vegetation restoration on deposited dredge material in Louisiana coastal marshes. Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Lake Placid, NY.

Rafferty, P.S. and R.J. Howard.  2002.  Installation of water quality monitoring wells in unconsolidated soils.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Lake Placid, NY.

Howard, R.J.  2002.  Utility of Phragmites australis plantings in the restoration of Louisiana coastal marshes.  Technical Forum and Workshop: Phragmites australis – a sheep in wolf’s clothing?  Vineland, NJ.

Howard, R.J., K.L McKee, C.J. Wells, and T.E. McGinnis.  2001.  Recovery potential of Spartina alterniflora in marsh dieback areas: a pilot greenhouse study. Symposium on Coastal Marsh Dieback in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Extent, Consequences, and Remedies.  Baton Rouge, LA.

Howard, R.J., C.J. Wells, K.L. McKee, and T.E. McGinnis.  2001.  Potential recovery of Spartina alterniflora from the summer 2000 dieback in Louisiana: a pilot study.  Biennial Meeting of the Estuarine Research, St. Pete Beach, FL.

Howard, R.J., J.A. Ware and T.A. Daigle. 2000. Intraspecific growth variation in herbaceous wetland macrophytes: Matching plants to site conditions.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Quebec City, Quebec.

Howard, R. J. and C. J. Wells. 1999. Relationship between plant community composition and elevation in the drawdown zone of Felsenthal Navigation Pool, Ouachita River, Arkansas. Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Norfolk, VA.

Howard, R.J., C.J. Wells and T.C. Michot. 1998. Short-term response of a Louisiana coastal marsh plant community to disturbance associated with 3-D seismic exploration.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Anchorage, AK.

Howard, R.J and C.J. Wells. 1997. Vegetation succession in the drawdown zone of a southern Arkansas reservoir. Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Bozeman, MT.

Wells, C.J. and R.J. Howard. 1996. Seed bank composition of a southern Arkansas reservoir following 10 years of continuous flooding.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Kansas City, MO.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1996. Salinity pulse effects on oligohaline marsh plant communities.  Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Providence, RI.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1995. Growth recovery in freshwater-intermediate marsh macrophytes following exposure to increased salinity.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Boston, MA.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1994. Tolerance of freshwater marsh flora to physicochemical changes: implications for marsh dieback.  IV International Congress of Ecology, Manchester, UK.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1994. Growth response variations in four freshwater-intermediate marsh macrophytes exposed to increased salinity.  Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Portland, OR.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1993. Oligohaline marsh plant community response to salinity pulses.  Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Madison, WI.

Howard, R.J. and I.A Mendelssohn. 1992. Relative salinity pulse tolerance of four common freshwater-intermediate marsh species of coastal Louisiana.  Annual Meeting of the Botanical Society of America, Honolulu, HI.

Howard, R.J. and I.A. Mendelssohn. 1992. Growth response of a common Louisiana freshwater-intermediate marsh species, Sagittaria lancifolia, to increased water depth.  Annual Meeting of  the Society of Wetland Scientists, New Orleans, LA.

Invited Seminars

Howard, R.J., R.H. Day, K.W. Krauss, A.S. From, and T.W. Doyle. Monitoring the effects of a hydrologic restoration project on vegetation in a marsh-mangrove ecotone in southwest Florida. Big Cypress National Preserve Research Symposium, Ochopee, FL. October 2009

Howard, R.J.  Wetland restoration in Louisiana: importance of genetic diversity within plant communities.  Loyola University Biology Department Seminar Series, New Orleans, LA.  March 2007

Howard, R.J.  Seismic exploration impacts on vegetation at Sabine National Wildlife Refuge.  Special Training Workshop – Environmental Management of Oil and Gas Impacts on National Wildlife Refuges.  Sponsored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lafayette, LA.  June 2001

Howard, R.J.  Identification of high-biomass producing strains of common marsh plants for use in coastal wetland restoration.  Wetland Plant Material Advisory Committee, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. Lafayette, LA.  April 2000.

Howard, R.J.  Interspecific and intraspecific variation in marsh plant stress tolerance: application for wetland restoration.  National Wetlands Research Center Research and Applied Science Meeting.  Lafayette, LA.  April 2000.

Howard, R.J.  The role of physicochemical stress in structuring marsh plant communities.  University of Southwestern Louisiana, Department of Biology. November 1996.

Howard, R.J. Marsh plant response to salinity and flooding stressors. Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON). New Orleans, LA.  March 1996.

My Science Topics

My USGS Science Strategy Areas

My research program centers on plant community dynamics in coastal wetlands of the northern Gulf of Mexico and inland wetlands of the southeastern U.S.  The major goals of my research are to: (1) determine how wetland plants respond to physicochemical stressors and disturbance, (2) develop an understanding of how biotic and abiotic factors affect plant community structure and composition, and (3) determine the mechanisms responsible for spatial and temporal variation in plant communities.  Specific studies have included determining the effects of increased flooding and salinity on the growth of common perennial marsh macrophytes in field manipulative and greenhouse experiments, detailing vegetation succession patterns and seed bank characteristics in exposed soils of a large freshwater reservoir, describing soil and plant community response to disturbance associated with oil and gas exploration, and identifying intraspecific variation in stress tolerance of wetland plant species with the goal of identifying plants for use in restoration projects.  My current projects include studying the influence of a hydrological restoration project in the Florida Everglades region on mangrove forest expansion into marsh habitat.