John Rowan

Paleobiology and paleoecology of late Cenozoic faunas and terrestrial ecosystems in Africa during ape and human evolution.

 

Research Area

 

I study the evolution and ecology of late Cenozoic terrestrial ecosystems in Africa over the last ~20 million years when apes and humans evolved. This includes paleobiological analysis (e.g., stable isotopes for diet, functional morphology), paleoecology (e.g., community functional trait structure), and paleoenvironmental reconstruction (e.g., geochemical studies of ancient soils).

My work is both field- and laboratory- based. I currently direct the Lothagam Research Project (Kenya) and conduct field and lab work on other fossils sites in throughout eastern Africa in collaboration with the Hadar Research Project, Ledi-Geraru Research Project, Lake Victoria Prehistory Project, Napudet Research Project, Omo Group Research Expedition, and Woranso-Mille Paleoanthropological Research Project. Much of this work relies on close partnership with the Turkana Basin Institute, founded by Dr Richard Leakey: https://www.turkanabasin.org

 

Project Interests

 

I have very broad interests in the evolution of African ecosystems during ape and human evolution and would welcome projects on a diverse range of topics. Some current interests include the taxonomy and systematics of eastern African fossil primates and other mammals and paleoecological/paleoenvironmental reconstructions of Mio-Pliocene ecosystems spanning the chimpanzee-human phylogenetic split.