Rowan Whittle
Palaeobiologist
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Rowan Whittle
Palaeobiologist
Biography
I am an interdisciplinary scientist, with a first class undergraduate masters degree in Geoscience, a postgraduate masters degree in Biological Science and a PhD in Palaeontology.
- UKRI Future Leaders Fellow 2022-present ‘The past, present and future of unique coldwater benthic (sea floor) ecosystems in the Southern Ocean’
- Palaeobiologist British Antarctic Survey, 2009 to present
- Molluscan Palaeontologist, British Antarctic Survey, 2007 to 2009
- Research Associate of Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, 2017 – present
- Honorary Secretary The Malacological Society of London 2016-present
- Membership Secretary The Malacological Society of London 2014-2016
- NERC funded PhD ‘Systematics, taphonomy and palaeoecology of selected invertebrates from the Late Ordovician Soom Shale Lagerstätte, South Africa’ University of Leicester, 2003-2007
- NERC funded MSc ‘Advanced methods in taxonomy and biodiversity’ Natural History Museum, London and Imperial College, 2002-2003
- MSci Hons. Geoscience, Royal Holloway, University of London, 1998-2002.
Research interests
As a palaeobiologist at the British Antarctic Survey, my recent research has focussed on the evolution of polar ecosystems on several different levels, from tracing the history of individual taxa through time to looking at the interaction of taxa and the community structure as a whole. These studies have also examined the interaction and evolution of biota through changing climatic and tectonic regimes.
Collaborations
Publications from NERC Open Research Archive
2025
Khan, Tasnuva Ming ORCID record for Tasnuva Ming Khan, Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths, Stephenson, Nile P., Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Purser, Autun, Manica, Andrea, Mitchell, Emily G.. (2025) Competition drives the dispersal dynamics of two cup coral morphs in populations on the Powell Basin slopes, Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Scientific Reports, 15 (). 12 pp. 10.1038/s41598-025-02282-7
Trotter, Cameron ORCID record for Cameron Trotter, Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths, Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle. (2025) Surveying the deep: A review of computer vision in the benthos. Ecological Informatics, 86 (). 18 pp. 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2024.102989
2024
Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths, Cummings, Vonda J., Van de Putte, Anton, Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Waller, Catherine L.. (2024) Antarctic benthic ecological change. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 5 (). pp. 10.1038/s43017-024-00583-5
Khan, Tasnuva Ming ORCID record for Tasnuva Ming Khan, Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths, Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Stephenson, Nile P., Delahooke, Katie M., Purser, Autun, Manica, Andrea, Mitchell, Emily G.. (2024) Network analyses on photographic surveys reveal that invertebrate predators do not structure epibenthos in the deep (~2000m) rocky Powell Basin, Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11 (). 16 pp. 10.3389/fmars.2024.1408828
2023
Ineson, Jon R., Bowman, Vanessa C., Crame, J. Alistair ORCID record for J. Alistair Crame, Francis, Jane E., Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle. (2023) Sequence stratigraphy of a wave-dominated, tidally influenced delta in the Danian of Seymour Island, Antarctica: An integrated sedimentological–palaeoecological approach. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 629 (). 22 pp. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2023.111789
Foster, William J., Allen, Bethany J., Kitzmann, Niklas H., Münchmeyer, Jannes, Rettelbach, Tabea, Witts, James D., Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Larina, Ekaterina, Clapham, Matthew E., Dunhill, Alexander M.. (2023) How predictable are mass extinction events?. Royal Society Open Science, 10 (). 18 pp. 10.1098/rsos.221507
Griffiths, Huw ORCID record for Huw Griffiths, Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Mitchell, Emily G.. (2023) Animal survival strategies in Neoproterozoic ice worlds. Global Change Biology, 29 (). pp. 10.1111/gcb.16393
2021
Smellie, John L., McIntosh, William C., Whittle, Rowan ORCID record for Rowan Whittle, Troedson, Alexa, Hunt, Richard J.. (2021) A lithostratigraphical and chronological study of Oligocene-Miocene sequences on eastern King George Island, South Shetland Islands (Antarctica) and correlation of glacial episodes with global isotope events. Antarctic Science, 33 (). 31 pp. 10.1017/S095410202100033X
Almond, Peter M., Linse, Katrin ORCID record for Katrin Linse, Dreutter, Simon, Grant, Susie M., Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths, Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Mackenzie, Melanie, Reid, William D. K.. (2021) In-situ image analysis of habitat heterogeneity and benthic biodiversity in the Prince Gustav Channel, Eastern Antarctic Peninsula.. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8 (). 18 pp. 10.3389/fmars.2021.614496
2020
Mitchell, Emily G., Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths. (2020) Benthic ecosystem cascade effects in Antarctica using Bayesian network inference. Communications Biology, 3 (). pp. 10.1038/s42003-020-01310-8
2019
Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Witts, James D., Bowman, Vanessa C., Crame, J. Alistair ORCID record for J. Alistair Crame, Francis, Jane E., Ineson, Jon. (2019) Nature and timing of biotic recovery in Antarctic benthic marine ecosystems following the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. Palaeontology, 62 (). pp. 10.1111/pala.12434
2018
Whittle, Rowan ORCID record for Rowan Whittle, Hunter, AW, Cantrill, DJ, McNamara, KJ. (2018) Globally discordant Isocrinida (Crinoidea) migration confirms asynchronous Marine Mesozoic Revolution. Communications Biology, 1 (). pp. 10.1038/s42003-018-0048-0
2017
Gabbott, Sarah E., Browning, Claire, Theron, Johannes N., Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle. (2017) The late Ordovician Soom Shale Lagerstȁtte: an extraordinary post-glacial fossil and sedimentary record. Journal of the Geological Society, 174 (). pp. 10.1144/jgs2016-076
2016
Bowman, V., Ineson, J., Riding, J. ORCID record for J. Riding, Crame, J. ORCID record for J. Crame, Francis, J., Condon, D., Whittle, R. ORCID record for R. Whittle, Ferraccioli, F. ORCID record for F. Ferraccioli. (2016) The Paleocene of Antarctica: dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy and implications for the palaeo-Pacific margin of Gondwana. Gondwana Research, 38 (). pp. 10.1016/j.gr.2015.10.018
Witts, James D., Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Wignall, Paul B., Crame, J. Alistair ORCID record for J. Alistair Crame, Francis, Jane E., Newton, Robert J., Bowman, Vanessa C.. (2016) Macrofossil evidence for a rapid and severe Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction in Antarctica. Nature Communications, 7 (). pp. 10.1038/ncomms11738
2015
Jackson, Jennifer A. ORCID record for Jennifer A. Jackson, Linse, Katrin ORCID record for Katrin Linse, Whittle, Rowan ORCID record for Rowan Whittle, Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths. (2015) The evolutionary origins of the Southern Ocean philobryid bivalves: hidden biodiversity, ancient persistence. PLoS One, 10 (). 20 pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0121198
2014
Crame, J. Alistair ORCID record for J. Alistair Crame, Beu, Alain G., Ineson, Jon R., Francis, Jane E., Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Bowman, Vanessa C.. (2014) The early origin of the Antarctic Marine Fauna and its evolutionary implications. PLoS One, 9 (). 22 pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0114743
Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths, Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Roberts, Stephen J. ORCID record for Stephen J. Roberts, Belchier, Mark ORCID record for Mark Belchier, Linse, Katrin ORCID record for Katrin Linse, Thatje, Sven. (2014) Decapoda: crabs and lobsters. In: De Broyer, Claude, Koubbi, Philippe, Griffiths, Huw ORCID record for Huw Griffiths, Raymond, Ben, d'Udekem d'Acoz, Cedric, Van de Putte, Anton, Danis, Bruno, David, Bruno, Grant, Susie ORCID record for Susie Grant, Gutt, Julian, Held, Christoph, Hosie, Graham, Huettmann, Falk, Post, Alexandra, Ropert-Coudert, Yan (eds.). Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean, Cambridge, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, pp.
Kemp, David B., Robinson, Stuart A, Crame, J. Alistair ORCID record for J. Alistair Crame, Francis, Jane E., Ineson, Jon, Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Bowman, Vanessa, O'Brien, Charlotte. (2014) A cool temperate climate on the Antarctic Peninsula during the latest Cretaceous and early Paleogene. Geology, 42 (). pp. 10.1130/G35512.1
Whittle, Rowan ORCID record for Rowan Whittle, Quaglio, Fernanda, Griffiths, Huw ORCID record for Huw Griffiths, Linse, Katrin ORCID record for Katrin Linse, Crame, J. Alistair ORCID record for J. Alistair Crame. (2014) The Early Miocene Cape Melville Formation fossil assemblage and the evolution of modern Antarctic marine communities. Naturwissenschaften, 101 (). pp. 10.1007/s00114-013-1128-0
2013
Griffiths, H.J. ORCID record for H.J. Griffiths, Whittle, R.J. ORCID record for R.J. Whittle, Roberts, S.J. ORCID record for S.J. Roberts, Belchier, M. ORCID record for M. Belchier, Linse, K. ORCID record for K. Linse. (2013) Antarctic crabs: invasion or endurance?. PLoS One, 8 (). pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0066981
2012
Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Quaglio, Fernanda, Crame, J. Alistair ORCID record for J. Alistair Crame, Linse, Katrin ORCID record for Katrin Linse. (2012) Nuculidae (Bivalvia) in the Cape Melville Formation, King George Island, Antarctica, with an overview of the bivalve fauna. Antarctic Science, 24 (). pp. doi:10.1017/S0954102012000454
2011
Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Linse, Katrin ORCID record for Katrin Linse, Griffiths, Huw J. ORCID record for Huw J. Griffiths. (2011) The fossil record of Limopsis (Bivalvia: Limopsidae) in Antarctica and the southern high latitudes. Palaeontology, 54 (). pp. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2011.01061.x
2010
Quaglio, Fernanda, Whittle, Rowan Jane ORCID record for Rowan Jane Whittle, Gaździcki, Andrzej, Simões, Marcello Guimarães. (2010) A new fossil Adamussium (Bivalvia: Pectinidae) from Antarctica. Polish Polar Research, 31 (). pp. 10.2478/v10183-010-0006-0
2009
Whittle, Rowan J. ORCID record for Rowan J. Whittle, Gabbott, Sarah E., Aldridge, Richard J., Theron, Johannes. (2009) An Ordovician lobopodian from the Soom Shale Lagerstatte, South Africa. Palaeontology, 52 (). pp. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2009.00860.x
2008
Whittle, Rowan ORCID record for Rowan Whittle, Gabbott, Sarah, Aldridge, Richard, Theron, Johannes. (2008) Late Ordovician (Hirnantian) scolecodont clusters from the Soom Shale Lagerstatte, South Africa. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 27 (). pp. 10.1144/jm.27.2.147
- The evolution and ecology of Antarctic sea floor communities
- Larsen-C Benthos
- SO-AntEco
- Impact of global disturbances on evolution of polar life
- Late Ordovician (Hirnantian) scolecodont clusters from the Soom Shale Lagerstatte, South Africa
2018
SCIENCE IN THE SEA: The adventure begins
Blog 22 February, 2018
2022
Learning about the first animals from life at the poles
News 12 October, 2022
2019
Marine life recovery following the dinosaurs’ extinction
News 19 June, 2019
2018
Major shift in marine life occurred 33 million years later
News 17 May, 2018
Nature Live – Natural History Museum, London
Event 9 March, 2018
2016
Antarctic fossils show creatures wiped out by asteroid
News 26 May, 2016
- Council Member, The Malacological Society of London