Karen Filbee-Dexter

EXPERTISE AND DISTINCTIONS

Expertise on drivers and patterns of long-term change in coastal ecosystems.

• Total of 40 scientific publications, 1 book chapter & 1 scientific report, first author on 41% of these publications

• 1351 citations, H-index of 18, 5 years post-PhD (Google Scholar 22/04/2021)

• 3 ESI Highly Cited papers (top 1%)

RESEARCH FUNDING

Aug 2021- July 2023: Co-Chief Investigator Schmidt Marine Technology Project. Seeds on wheels – a green gravel solutions to upscaling kelp forest restoration. Institution: UWA. Budget: 200 000 USD

Sept 2021-Sept 2024: Collaborator Fisheries and Oceans Canada Science Contribution. Blue carbon as a Canadian climate change solution: modelling the mitigation potential of kelp under future climate change scenarios. UVIC. Budget: 300 000 CAD

Sept 2021-May 2022: Project investigator. Marine and Coastal Hub RPV1. Quantifying the ecosystem services of the Great Southern Reef. UNSW, UTas, UWA. Budget: 50 000 AUD

Jan 2020-Dec 2022: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Regime shifts from kelp forests to turfs: drivers, resilience and future. Institution: UWA. Budget: 418 814 AUD

2019- 2022: Chief Investigator in Restoring Blue Forests with Green Gravel. A 3-y Australian Research Council LP. Institution: UWA. Budget: 450 000 AUD

Jul 2019-Jul 2022: Chief Investigator in Turf Wars: fighting the new battle facing blue forests. A 3-y Australian Research Council DP. Institution: UWA. Budget: 777 041 AUD

Jan 2019 – Dec 2021: NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship. Ranked 8^th out of 66 applicants in Ecology and Evolution. Budget: 70 877 CAD

Mar 2019 – Feb 2024: Project Coordinator in ArcticKelp: Fate of kelp forests in a rapidly changing Arctic. Institution: University of Laval. Budget 363 836 CAD

Jan 2018-Dec 2022: Project Lead of BLUECONNECT: A 4-y research project on knowledge-based management of kelp forest resources in South Africa and Norway. Institution: IMR. Budget: 4 000 000 NOK

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

^¥ = joint first authors. *PhD or MSc student under my supervision.

1. Bringloe T, Zaparenkov D, Starko S; Grant W, Vieira C, Kawai H, Hanyuda T, Filbee-Dexter K, Klimova A, Klochkova T, Krause-Jensen D, Olesen B, Verbruggen H. Whole genome sequencing reveals forgotten lineages and recurrent hybridizations within the kelp genus Alaria (Phaeophyceae). Journal of Phycology. In press. GCB-21-1881
2. Schlegel RW, Darmaraki S, Benthuysen JA, Filbee-Dexter K, Oliver ECJ. Marine Cold Spells. Progress in Oceanography. Accepted 2021.
3. Feehan C, Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T (2021) Embrace kelp forests in the coming decade. Science. doi.org/10.1126/science.abl3984
4. Pessaarrodona A*, Filbee-Dexter K, Krumhansl KA, Moore PJ, Wernberg T (2021) A global dataset of seaweed net primary productivity. bioRxiv.
5. Alsuwaiyan NA*, Vranken S, Filbee-Dexter K, Cambridge M, Coleman M, Wernberg T (2021) Genotypic variation in response to extreme events may facilitate kelp adaptation under future climates. Marine Ecology Progress Series 672:111-121 doi.org/10.3354/meps13802
6. leClerc JC, de Bettignies T, de Bettignies F, Christie H, Franco JN, Leroux C, Davoult D, Pedersen MP, Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T (2021) Local flexibility in feeding behavior and contrasting microhabitat use of an omnivore across latitudes. Oecologia 196:441-453.
7. Pessarrodona A*, Filbee-Dexter K, Alcoverro T, Boada J, Feehan C, Fredriksen, S, Grace S P, Nakamura Y, Narvaez CA, Norderhaug KM, Wernberg T (2021) Homogenization and miniaturization of habitat structure in temperate marine forests. Global Change Biology. doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15759
8. Bosch NE, Wernberg T, Langlois TJ, Stuart-Smith RD, Edgar GJ, Smale DA, Moore PJ, Franco JN, Thiriet P, Feunteun E, Ribeiro C, Neves P, Freitas R, Filbee-Dexter K, Norderhaug KM, Garcıa A, Otero-Ferrer F, Espino F, Haroun R, Tuya F (2021) Rare species, functional entities and evolutionary lineages amplify latitudinal diversity gradients in reef fishes: insights from the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Biogeography. doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14237
9. Santos IR, Burdige DJ, Jennerjahn TC, Bouillon S, Cabral A, Serrano O, Wernberg T, Filbee-Dexter K, Guimond J, Tamborski JJ (2021) The renaissance of Odum’s outwelling hypothesis in ‘Blue Carbon’ science. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science. 107361.
10. Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T, Grace SP, Thormar J, Fredriksen S, Narvaez CN, Feehan CJ, Norderhaug KM (2020) Marine heatwaves and the collapse of marginal North Atlantic kelp forests. Scientific Reports 10 13388. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70273-x.
11. Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T (2020) Substantial blue carbon in overlooked Australian kelp forests. Scientific Reports 10: 12341. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-69258-7
12. Norderhaug KM, Filbee-Dexter K, Freitas C, Birkely SR, Christensen L, et al. 2020. Ecosystem-level effects of large-scale disturbance in kelp forests. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 656, 163-180. doi.org/10.3354/meps13426
13. Filbee-Dexter K 2020. Ocean forests hold unique solutions to our current environmental crisis. One Earth 2:398-401. doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.05.004
14. Krause-Jensen D, Archambault P, Assis J, Bartsch I, Bischof K, Filbee-Dexter K, Dunton KH, Maximova, O, Ragnarsdóttir SB, Sejr MK and Simakova U (2020) Imprint of climate change on pan-Arctic marine vegetation. Frontiers in Marine Science. doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.617324
15. Pedersen MF, Filbee-Dexter K, Frisk NL, Sárossy Z, Wernberg, T. (2021). Carbon sequestration potential increased by incomplete anaerobic decomposition of kelp detritus. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 660, 53-67. doi.org/10.3354/meps13613
16. Ramirez-Llodra E, Pedersen T, Filbee-Dexter K, Hauquier F, Guilini K, Mikkelsen N, Borgersen G, Gyseghem MV, Vanreusel A, Vilas D (2020) Community structure of deep fjord and shelf benthic fauna receiving different detrital kelp inputs in northern Norway. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 103433.
17. Vilas D, Coll M, Pedersen T, Corrales X, Filbee-Dexter K, Pedersen MF, Norderhaug KM, Fredriksen S, Wernberg T, Ramírez-Llodra E (2020) Kelp-carbon uptake by Arctic deep-sea food webs plays a noticeable role in maintaining ecosystem structural and functional traits. Journal of Marine Systems. 2020 Mar 1;203:103268.
18. Coleman MA, Wood G, Filbee-Dexter K, Minne AJP, Goold HD, Verges A, Marzinelli EM, Steinberg PD, Wernberg T (2020) Restore or redefine: future trajectories for restoration. Frontiers in Marine Science: Marine Conservation and Sustainability 7: 237.
19. Fredriksen S, Filbee-Dexter K, Norderhaug KM, Steen H, Bodvin T, Coleman MA, Moy F, Wernberg T. 2020. Green gravel: a novel restoration tool to combat kelp forests decline. Scientific Reports SREP-19-11773B
20. Filbee-Dexter K, Pedersen MF, Fredriksen S, Norderhaug KM, Rinde E, Kristiansen T, Albretsen J, Wernberg T. 2020. Carbon export is facilitated by sea urchins transforming kelp detritus. Oecologia 192:213-225.
21. Pedersen MF, Filbee-Dexter K, Norderhaug KM, Fredriksen S, Frisk NL, Fagerli CW, Wernberg T. 2020. Detrital carbon production and export in high latitude kelp forests.  Oecologia 192:213-225
22. Vilas D, Coll M, Pedersen T, Corrales X, Filbee-Dexter K, Pedersen MF, Norderhaug KM, Fredriksen S, Wernberg T, Ramírez-Llodra E. 2020. Kelp-carbon uptake by Arctic deep-sea food webs plays a noticeable role in maintaining ecosystem structural and functional traits. Journal of Marine Systems 203:103268.
23. Filbee-Dexter K, Smajdor A. 2019. Ethics of assisted evolution in marine conservation. Frontiers in Marine Science 6:20.
24. Wernberg T, Filbee-Dexter K. 2019. Missing the marine forests for the trees. Marine Ecology Progress Series 8: 17180.
25. Wernberg T, Filbee-Dexter K. 2019. Grazers extend blue carbon transfer by slowing sinking speeds of kelp detritus. Scientific Reports 8: 17180.
26. Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T, Fredriksen S, Norderhaug KM, Ramirez-Llodra E, Pedersen MF (2019) Arctic kelp forests: resilience and future. Global Planetary Change 172:1-14. [invited review]
27. Francis FT*^¥, Filbee-Dexter K^¥, Yan HF, Côté IM (2019). Invertebrate herbivores: Overlooked allies in the recovery of degraded coral reefs? Global Ecology and Conservation e00593.
28. Wallen KE, Filbee-Dexter K, Pittman JB, et al. (2019) Integrating team science into interdisciplinary graduate education: an exploration of the SESYNC Graduate Pursuit. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 9: 218–233.
29. Christie H, Gundersen H, Rinde E, Filbee‐Dexter K, Norderhaug KM, Pedersen T, Bekkby T, Gitmark JK, Fagerli CW (2019) Can multitrophic interactions and ocean warming influence large‐scale kelp recovery? Ecology and Evolution 9: 2847-2862.
30. Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T (2018) Rise of turfs: a new battle front of globally declining kelp forests. BioScience. 68: 64–76. [ESI Highly-Cited paper (top 1%)]
31. Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T, Norderhaug KM, Ramirez-Llodra E, Pedersen MF (2018). Movement of pulsed resource subsidies from kelp forests to deep fjords. Oecologia. 187: 291-304 33
32. Filbee-Dexter K^¥, Symons C^¥, Jones K, Haig H, Pittman J, Alexander S, Burke M (2018) Quantifying ecological and social drivers of ecological surprise. Journal of Applied Ecology. 55: 2135-2146 [Selected for post in J Appl Ecology Blog]
33. Scheibling RE, Patriquin D, Filbee-Dexter K (2018) Distribution and abundance of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea and associated benthic macrofauna in Carriacou, Grenadines, Eastern Caribbean. Aquatic Biology.
34. Filbee-Dexter K, Pittman J, Haig HA, Alexander SM, Symons CC, Burke M (2017) Ecological surprise: concept, synthesis, and social dimensions. Ecosphere 8: e02005. 33
35. Filbee-Dexter K, Scheibling RE (2017). The present is the key to the past: linking regime shifts in kelp beds to the current distribution of deep-living sea urchins. Ecology 98: 253-264. 33
36. Filbee-Dexter K, Scheibling RE (2016). Spatial patterns and predictors of drift algal subsidy in deep subtidal environments. Estuaries and Coasts 39: 1724-1734.
37. Filbee-Dexter K, Feehan CJ, and Scheibling RE (2016). Large-scale degradation of a kelp ecosystem in an ocean warming hotspot. Marine Ecology Progress Series 543: 141-152. [2^nd highest cited in MEPS from 2016 to 2018]
38. Filbee-Dexter K, RE Scheibling (2014) Sea urchin barrens as alternative stable states of collapsed kelp ecosystems. Marine Ecology Progress Series 495: 1–25 [FEATURE ARTICLE, Top cited article in MEPS from 2014 to 2016, ESI Highly-Cited paper (top 1%)*]
39. Filbee-Dexter K, Scheibling RE (2014) Detrital kelp subsidy supports high reproductive output of deep-living sea urchins in a sedimentary basin. Aquatic Biology 23: 71-86.
40. Francis FT-Y, Filbee-Dexter K, Scheibling RE (2014) Aggregations of stalked tunicates Boltenia ovifera form biogenic habitat in the rocky subtidal zone in Nova Scotia. Marine Biology 161: 1375–1385
41. Filbee-Dexter K, Scheibling RE (2012). Hurricane-mediated defoliation of kelp beds and pulsed delivery of kelp detritus to offshore sedimentary habitats. Marine Ecology Progress Series 455: 51-64.

BOOK CHAPTERS

1. Wernberg T, Krumhansl, K, Filbee-Dexter K, and Pedersen, M. (2019) Status and trends for the world’s kelp forests. In: World Seas: An Environmental Evaluation, Vol III, 2e. Ed. C. Sheppard. Elsevier.

REPORT

1. Filbee-Dexter K 2016. Distribution and abundance of benthic habitats within the Sambro Ledges Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area. Canadian Technical Report for Fisheries and Aquatic Science 3190: vi+ 26p.

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Policy

• United Nations Environmental Program- Lead Science Editor of 2021 UNEP Report on Kelp Forests
• Australian National Ocean Account. Scientific expert and data contributor for Kelp Forest Component. Centre of Environmental and Satellite Accounts, Physical Environment Accounts and Statistics Branch, Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2021.
• Norwegian National Policy brief. Co-author. Further loss of blue forests will have a ripple effect on biodiversity. https://nbfn.no/policy_brief21/. 2021

NGO

• Conservation International. The Blue Carbon Initiative. Consultant. Developing kelp as a blue carbon ecosystem. 2020-2021
• The Nature Conservancy. Guidebook for Kelp Restoration. Collaborator. 2020-2021

Popular science articles, opinion pieces, blogs and public outreach

1. Berge J, Filbee-Dexter K, Duarte C, Krause-Jensen D, Howland K, Archambault P. 2020. Arctic Ocean: climate change is flooding the remote north with light – and new species. The Conversation Oceans 21. https://theconversation.com/arctic-ocean-climate-change-is-flooding-the-remote-north-with-light-and-new-species-150157 (popular science article)
2. Filbee-Dexter K, 2019. Underwater Arctic forests are expanding with rapid warming. The Conversation Canada. https://theconversation.com/underwater-arctic-forests-are-expanding-with-rapid-warming-113016 (popular science article)
3. Wernberg T, Filbee-Dexter K. 2018. Opinion: Part of our ocean is dying. The Washington Post. 23/10/2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/10/23/ocean/ (opinion piece)
4. ArcticKelp Canada: kelp forests in a changing Arctic. (www.arctickelp.ca/blog) (science blog)
5. KELPEX. Kelp export: fuel for adjacent communities in changing arctic ecosystems (www.kelpex.org/blog) (science blog)
6. NBFN Blue Forest Week. 2020-2021. Outreach event through Norwegian Blue Forest Network. Organization Committee. (public outreach event)