Freya E Rowland, PhD
Dr. Freya E. Rowland is a Research Ecologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
Her broad interests include aquatic food webs, community ecology, and water quality.
Professional Experience
Donnelley Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale School for the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT (2019-2021)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, Ann Arbor, MI (2018-2019)
Environmental Specialist, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Minneapolis, MN (2011-2013)
Water Resources Technician, Capitol Region Watershed District, St. Paul, MN (2011)
Water Resources Technician, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis, MN (2010-2011)
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Ecology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 2018
M.S. in Aquatic Ecology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 2010
B.S. in Biology and German (minor in Environmental Studies), University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 2007
Affiliations and Memberships*
Ecological Society of America
Herpetologists’ League
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
Associate Editor, Journal of Herpetology (2019-2022)
Science and Products
Total mercury, methylmercury, and isotopic composition in various life stages of boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata) at two subalpine ponds in the Rocky Mountains, CO, USA, 2015
Mercury is an atmospherically transported contaminant found even in relatively pristine habitats. Once accumulated at the base of the food web, mercury can move between animals that are linked trophically. Pond-breeding amphibians may be particularly important vectors of mercury flux from remote freshwater to terrestrial systems because they feed on algae and detritus as tadpoles and metamorphose
Egg thiamine content, length, weight and survival of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to three methods of experimental thiamine supplementation in 2022 and egg thiamine content from three Oregon hatcheries in 2019
Early rearing of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon hatcheries is often problematic; fry can become emaciated and die during the period between hatch and first feed. Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency has caused early mortality in salmonids; however, thiamine status of Oregon’s anadromous steelhead populations is currently unknown. We sampled eggs of 7-10 females during spawning from three Or
Evolutionary and ecological correlates of thiaminase in fishes
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is required by all living organisms in multiple metabolic pathways. It is scarce in natural systems, and deficiency can lead to reproductive failure, neurological issues, and death. One major cause of thiamine deficiency is an overreliance on diet items containing the enzyme thiaminase. Thiaminase activity has been noted in many prey fishes and linked to cohort failure in sal
Authors
Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Cathy A. Richter, Donald E Tillitt, David Walters
A novel approach to assessing natural resource injury with Bayesian networks
Quantifying the effects of environmental stressors on natural resources is problematic because of complex interactions among environmental factors that influence endpoints of interest. This complexity, coupled with data limitations, propagates uncertainty that can make it difficult to causally associate specific environmental stressors with injury endpoints. The Natural Resource Damage Assessment
Authors
Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Christopher James Kotalik, Bruce G. Marcot, Jo Ellen Hinck, David Walters
Complex life histories alter patterns of mercury exposure and accumulation in a pond-breeding amphibian
Quantifying how contaminants change across life cycles of species that undergo metamorphosis is critical to assessing organismal risk, particularly for consumers. Pond-breeding amphibians can dominate aquatic animal biomass as larvae and are terrestrial prey as juveniles and adults. Thus, amphibians can be vectors of mercury exposure in both aquatic and terrestrial food webs. However, it is still
Authors
Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Erin L. Muths, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Craig A. Stricker, Johanna M. Kraus, Rachel A. Harrington, David Walters
Thiamine supplementation improves survival and body condition of hatchery-reared steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon
Early rearing of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon hatcheries is often problematic; fry can become emaciated and die during the period between hatch and first feed. Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency has caused early mortality in salmonids; however, the thiamine status of Oregon’s steelhead populations is unknown, to date. Of the 26 egg samples from three Oregon hatcheries in 2019, 20 (77%)
Authors
Aimee N. Reed, Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Jennifer A. Krajcik, Donald E. Tillitt
Non-USGS Publications**
Rowland, F.E., Schyling, E.S., Freidenburg, L.K., Urban, M.C., Richardson, J.L., Arietta, A.Z.A., Rodrigues, S.B., Rubinstein, A.D., Benard, M.F., and Skelly, D.K., 2022, Asynchrony, density dependence, and persistence in an amphibian: Ecology, v. 103, no. 7, p. e3696. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3696
Rowland, F.E., and Burkhart, J.J., 2022, Juvenile salamanders do not exhibit compensatory growth post-metamorphosis in an experimental setting: Ichthyology & Herpetology, v. 110, no. 2, p. 292-298, 297. https://doi.org/10.1643/h2021067
Rowland, F.E., Stow, C.A., Johnson, L.T., and Hirsch, R.M., 2021, Lake Erie tributary nutrient trend evaluation: Normalizing concentrations and loads to reduce flow variability: Ecological Indicators, v. 125, p. 107601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107601
Qian, S.S., Stow, C.A., Rowland, F.E., Liu, Q., Rowe, M.D., Anderson, E.J., Stumpf, R.P., and Johengen, T.H., 2021, Chlorophyll a as an indicator of microcystin: Short-term forecasting and risk assessment in Lake Erie: Ecological Indicators, v. 130, p. 108055.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108055
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108055
Anderson, T.L., Ousterhout, B.H., Rowland, F.E., Drake, D.L., Burkhart, J.J., and Peterman, W.E., 2021, Direct effects influence larval salamander size and density more than indirect effects: Oecologia, v. 195, no. 1, p. 173-186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04820-8
Rowland, F.E., Stow, C.A., Johengen, T.H., Burtner, A.M., Palladino, D., Gossiaux, D.C., Davis, T.W., Johnson, L.T., and Ruberg, S., 2020, Recent patterns in Lake Erie phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations in response to changing loads: Environmental Science & Technology, v. 54, no. 2, p. 835-841. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b05326
Rowland, F.E., North, R.L., McEachern, P., Obrecht, D.V., Gurung, T.B., Jones, S.B., and Jones, J.R., 2019, Phytoplankton nutrient deficiencies vary with season in sub-tropical lakes of Nepal: Hydrobiologia, v. 833, no. 1, p. 157-172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-019-3897-8
Holtswarth, J.N., Rowland, F.E., Puglis, H.J., Hladik, M.L., and Webb, E.B., 2019, Effects of the neonicotinoid insecticide Clothianidin on southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) tadpole behavior: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 103, no. 5, p. 717-722. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-019-02703-0
Watters, A.M., Rowland, F.E., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2018, Larval salamanders are as effective at short-term mosquito predation as mosquitofish: Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 96, no. 10, p. 1165-1169. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2017-0267
Peterman, W.E., Anderson, T.L., Ousterhout, B.H., Drake, D.L., Burkhart, J.J., Rowland, F., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2018, Using spatial demographic network models to optimize habitat management decisions: The Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 82, no. 3, p. 649-659. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21393
Rowland, F.E., Rawlings, M.B., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2017, Joint effects of resources and amphibians on pond ecosystems: Oecologia, v. 183, no. 1, p. 237-247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-016-3748-5
Burkhart, J.J., Peterman, W.E., Brocato, E.R., Romine, K.M., Willis, M.M.S., Ousterhout, B.H., Anderson, T.L., Drake, D.L., Rowland, F.E., Semlitsch, R.D., and Eggert, L.S., 2017, The influence of breeding phenology on the genetic structure of four pond-breeding salamanders: Ecology and Evolution, v. 7, no. 13, p. 4670-4681. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3060
Anderson, T.L., Rowland, F.E., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2017, Variation in phenology and density differentially affects predator–prey interactions between salamanders: Oecologia, v. 185, no. 3, p. 475-486. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-3954-9
Rowland, F.E., Tuttle, S.K., González, M.J., and Vanni, M.J., 2016, Canopy cover and anurans: nutrients are the most important predictor of growth and development: Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 94, no. 3, p. 225-232. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2015-0022
Anderson, T.L., Ousterhout, B.H., Drake, D.L., Burkhart, J.J., Rowland, F.E., Peterman, W.E., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2016, Differences in larval allometry among three Ambystomatid salamanders: Journal of Herpetology, v. 50, no. 3, p. 464-470. https://doi.org/10.1670/15-178
Rowland, F.E., Bricker, K.J., Vanni, M.J., and González, M.J., 2015, Light and nutrients regulate energy transfer through benthic and pelagic food chains: Oikos, v. 124, no. 12, p. 1648-1663. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.02106
Schussler, E.E., Rowland, F.E., Distel, C.A., Bauman, J.M., Keppler, M.L., Kawarasaki, Y., McCarthy, M.R., Glover, A., and Salem, H., 2011, Promoting the development of graduate students' teaching philosophy statements: Journal of College Science Teaching, v. 40, no. 3, p. 32-35.
Kamarainen, A.M.K.M., Rowland, F.E.R.E., Biggs, R., and Carpenter, S.R.C.R., 2008, Zooplankton and the total phosphorus – chlorophyll a relationship: hierarchical Bayesian analysis of measurement error: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 65, no. 12, p. 2644-2655. https://doi.org/10.1139/F08-161
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Total mercury, methylmercury, and isotopic composition in various life stages of boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata) at two subalpine ponds in the Rocky Mountains, CO, USA, 2015
Mercury is an atmospherically transported contaminant found even in relatively pristine habitats. Once accumulated at the base of the food web, mercury can move between animals that are linked trophically. Pond-breeding amphibians may be particularly important vectors of mercury flux from remote freshwater to terrestrial systems because they feed on algae and detritus as tadpoles and metamorphose
Egg thiamine content, length, weight and survival of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to three methods of experimental thiamine supplementation in 2022 and egg thiamine content from three Oregon hatcheries in 2019
Early rearing of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon hatcheries is often problematic; fry can become emaciated and die during the period between hatch and first feed. Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency has caused early mortality in salmonids; however, thiamine status of Oregon’s anadromous steelhead populations is currently unknown. We sampled eggs of 7-10 females during spawning from three Or
Evolutionary and ecological correlates of thiaminase in fishes
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is required by all living organisms in multiple metabolic pathways. It is scarce in natural systems, and deficiency can lead to reproductive failure, neurological issues, and death. One major cause of thiamine deficiency is an overreliance on diet items containing the enzyme thiaminase. Thiaminase activity has been noted in many prey fishes and linked to cohort failure in sal
Authors
Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Cathy A. Richter, Donald E Tillitt, David Walters
A novel approach to assessing natural resource injury with Bayesian networks
Quantifying the effects of environmental stressors on natural resources is problematic because of complex interactions among environmental factors that influence endpoints of interest. This complexity, coupled with data limitations, propagates uncertainty that can make it difficult to causally associate specific environmental stressors with injury endpoints. The Natural Resource Damage Assessment
Authors
Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Christopher James Kotalik, Bruce G. Marcot, Jo Ellen Hinck, David Walters
Complex life histories alter patterns of mercury exposure and accumulation in a pond-breeding amphibian
Quantifying how contaminants change across life cycles of species that undergo metamorphosis is critical to assessing organismal risk, particularly for consumers. Pond-breeding amphibians can dominate aquatic animal biomass as larvae and are terrestrial prey as juveniles and adults. Thus, amphibians can be vectors of mercury exposure in both aquatic and terrestrial food webs. However, it is still
Authors
Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Erin L. Muths, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Craig A. Stricker, Johanna M. Kraus, Rachel A. Harrington, David Walters
Thiamine supplementation improves survival and body condition of hatchery-reared steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon
Early rearing of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Oregon hatcheries is often problematic; fry can become emaciated and die during the period between hatch and first feed. Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency has caused early mortality in salmonids; however, the thiamine status of Oregon’s steelhead populations is unknown, to date. Of the 26 egg samples from three Oregon hatcheries in 2019, 20 (77%)
Authors
Aimee N. Reed, Freya Elizabeth Rowland, Jennifer A. Krajcik, Donald E. Tillitt
Non-USGS Publications**
Rowland, F.E., Schyling, E.S., Freidenburg, L.K., Urban, M.C., Richardson, J.L., Arietta, A.Z.A., Rodrigues, S.B., Rubinstein, A.D., Benard, M.F., and Skelly, D.K., 2022, Asynchrony, density dependence, and persistence in an amphibian: Ecology, v. 103, no. 7, p. e3696. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3696
Rowland, F.E., and Burkhart, J.J., 2022, Juvenile salamanders do not exhibit compensatory growth post-metamorphosis in an experimental setting: Ichthyology & Herpetology, v. 110, no. 2, p. 292-298, 297. https://doi.org/10.1643/h2021067
Rowland, F.E., Stow, C.A., Johnson, L.T., and Hirsch, R.M., 2021, Lake Erie tributary nutrient trend evaluation: Normalizing concentrations and loads to reduce flow variability: Ecological Indicators, v. 125, p. 107601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107601
Qian, S.S., Stow, C.A., Rowland, F.E., Liu, Q., Rowe, M.D., Anderson, E.J., Stumpf, R.P., and Johengen, T.H., 2021, Chlorophyll a as an indicator of microcystin: Short-term forecasting and risk assessment in Lake Erie: Ecological Indicators, v. 130, p. 108055.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108055
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108055
Anderson, T.L., Ousterhout, B.H., Rowland, F.E., Drake, D.L., Burkhart, J.J., and Peterman, W.E., 2021, Direct effects influence larval salamander size and density more than indirect effects: Oecologia, v. 195, no. 1, p. 173-186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04820-8
Rowland, F.E., Stow, C.A., Johengen, T.H., Burtner, A.M., Palladino, D., Gossiaux, D.C., Davis, T.W., Johnson, L.T., and Ruberg, S., 2020, Recent patterns in Lake Erie phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations in response to changing loads: Environmental Science & Technology, v. 54, no. 2, p. 835-841. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b05326
Rowland, F.E., North, R.L., McEachern, P., Obrecht, D.V., Gurung, T.B., Jones, S.B., and Jones, J.R., 2019, Phytoplankton nutrient deficiencies vary with season in sub-tropical lakes of Nepal: Hydrobiologia, v. 833, no. 1, p. 157-172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-019-3897-8
Holtswarth, J.N., Rowland, F.E., Puglis, H.J., Hladik, M.L., and Webb, E.B., 2019, Effects of the neonicotinoid insecticide Clothianidin on southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) tadpole behavior: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 103, no. 5, p. 717-722. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-019-02703-0
Watters, A.M., Rowland, F.E., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2018, Larval salamanders are as effective at short-term mosquito predation as mosquitofish: Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 96, no. 10, p. 1165-1169. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2017-0267
Peterman, W.E., Anderson, T.L., Ousterhout, B.H., Drake, D.L., Burkhart, J.J., Rowland, F., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2018, Using spatial demographic network models to optimize habitat management decisions: The Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 82, no. 3, p. 649-659. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21393
Rowland, F.E., Rawlings, M.B., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2017, Joint effects of resources and amphibians on pond ecosystems: Oecologia, v. 183, no. 1, p. 237-247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-016-3748-5
Burkhart, J.J., Peterman, W.E., Brocato, E.R., Romine, K.M., Willis, M.M.S., Ousterhout, B.H., Anderson, T.L., Drake, D.L., Rowland, F.E., Semlitsch, R.D., and Eggert, L.S., 2017, The influence of breeding phenology on the genetic structure of four pond-breeding salamanders: Ecology and Evolution, v. 7, no. 13, p. 4670-4681. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3060
Anderson, T.L., Rowland, F.E., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2017, Variation in phenology and density differentially affects predator–prey interactions between salamanders: Oecologia, v. 185, no. 3, p. 475-486. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-3954-9
Rowland, F.E., Tuttle, S.K., González, M.J., and Vanni, M.J., 2016, Canopy cover and anurans: nutrients are the most important predictor of growth and development: Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 94, no. 3, p. 225-232. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2015-0022
Anderson, T.L., Ousterhout, B.H., Drake, D.L., Burkhart, J.J., Rowland, F.E., Peterman, W.E., and Semlitsch, R.D., 2016, Differences in larval allometry among three Ambystomatid salamanders: Journal of Herpetology, v. 50, no. 3, p. 464-470. https://doi.org/10.1670/15-178
Rowland, F.E., Bricker, K.J., Vanni, M.J., and González, M.J., 2015, Light and nutrients regulate energy transfer through benthic and pelagic food chains: Oikos, v. 124, no. 12, p. 1648-1663. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.02106
Schussler, E.E., Rowland, F.E., Distel, C.A., Bauman, J.M., Keppler, M.L., Kawarasaki, Y., McCarthy, M.R., Glover, A., and Salem, H., 2011, Promoting the development of graduate students' teaching philosophy statements: Journal of College Science Teaching, v. 40, no. 3, p. 32-35.
Kamarainen, A.M.K.M., Rowland, F.E.R.E., Biggs, R., and Carpenter, S.R.C.R., 2008, Zooplankton and the total phosphorus – chlorophyll a relationship: hierarchical Bayesian analysis of measurement error: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 65, no. 12, p. 2644-2655. https://doi.org/10.1139/F08-161
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government