B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (and Marine Science), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. (1996)

M.S. in Zoology and Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology. University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii. (2001)

Grants and Awards:

National Geographic Society Committee for Research and Exploration Research Grant (2006-Present)
University of Chicago William Rainey Harper Fellowship (2006-2007)
Doolittle-Harrison Fellowship (2005)
Conchologists of America Research Grant (2005)
Western Society of Malacologists Research Grant (2005)
University of Chicago Hinds Fund Research Grant (2005)
American Malacological Society Research Grant (2004)
Unitas Malacologia Research Grant (2004)
University of Chicago Hinds Fund Research Grant (2004)
University of Chicago Hinds Fund Research Grant (2003)
Tinker Foundation Field Research Travel Grant (2002)
Conchologists of America Walter Sage Memorial Award (2000)
Conchologists of America Research Grant (2000)
American Malacological Society Research Grant (2000)
University of Hawaii Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Grant (1999)
ARCS Foundation Research Award (1999)
Maybelle Felker Roth ARCS Award for Conservation Biology (1999)
Morley Undergraduate Research Grant (1995)

Research Interests:

Evolution, biogeography and conservation of Pacific island land snails; adaptive radiation and determinants of species diversity.

Current Research:

Tropical Pacific islands, long known as centers of diversity and endemism, perhaps hold the greatest potential for understanding determinants of diversity. Pacific island faunas are often the result of in situ evolutionary radiation of hundreds of species from few colonists, and a subset of these are presumptive adaptive radiations (e.g. Darwin’s finches, Hawaiian honeycreepers and silverswords).

Land snails are an ideal group in which to frame questions relating to adaptive radiation and determinants of diversity since, first, species richness relative to area of tropical Pacific islands is extraordinarily high and, second, within most island archipelagos there are high levels of endemism. Many Pacific island land snail groups also consist of species that, at least at first glance, have assumed more diverse body and shell forms and habitat preferences than their mainland relatives. For example, some groups have species with greater body size, unique shell types, and novel habitat associations (e.g. trees, rainforest, dry scrubland on lava) than related mainland taxa.

My current research is an investigation of the patterns and determinants of species richness and community structure within a group of Pacific island land snails, the Palau Diplommatinidae. Palau diplommatinid land snails are an ideal group in which to frame questions relating to adaptive radiation and determinants of diversity, since they are species-rich (at least 90 endemic species, most of which are undescribed), abundant and assume diverse shell forms. The isolated Palau archipelago comprises 350 rainforest-covered islands (200 of these are the very small “Rock Islands”), composed of both limestone and volcanic rock. The varied geology within the archipelago has interesting implications for shell morphology and snail community composition.

The phylogenetic underpinnings of this study are vital for reconstructing biogeographical pattern and conducting rigorous tests of adaptive radiation as well as for exploring the phylogenetic structure of community assemblages. I propose to address the following questions:

(1) What are the phylogenetic relationships of the Palau diplommatinids? Do the Palau diplommatinids comprise a single evolutionary radiation (i.e., form a monophyletic group)?
(2) Have species with similar morphological traits (i.e., shell characters) evolved independently on different islands?
(3) What are the biogeographic routes of colonization and diversification within the Palau islands?
(4) Is there evidence for adaptive radiation sensu stricto and have episodic speciation rates contributed to current species richness patterns?
(5) Does phylogenetic proximity correspond to spatial proximity? To what extent can current niche occupation be attributed to historical pattern versus current ecological conditions?
(6) What implications for conservation for both Palau diplommatinids and tropical Pacific island faunas in general can be adduced?

Conservation of Pacific island land snails (number 6, above), is particularly important. Terrestrial snails are one of the most threatened animal groups on the planet and their conservation on Pacific islands is urgently needed (Lydeard et al., 2004). In the Hawaiian islands alone, 752 native land snail species are described, and as many as 90% of these species are extinct (Cowie, 2001). My ongoing survey work and collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organizations in Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia are aimed at addressing extinction crises in unique Pacific island land snail faunas.

Literature cited:
Cowie, R.H. 2001. Can snails ever be effective and safe biocontrol agents? International Journal of Pest Management 47: 23-40.

Lydeard, C. et al. 2004. The global decline of nonmarine mollusks. Bioscience 54(4): 321-330.

Publications:

Rundell, R.J. 2006. Conservation of the Land Snails of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. Tentacle. Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Mollusc Specialist Group. 14: 27-28.

Rundell, R.J. 2005. The land snails of Belau: Survey of the 16 States. Report to Palau Federal, State and Local Governments and NGOs. 60 p.

Rundell, R.J. 2005. Republic at a turning point: CBS reality series ‘Survivor’ strikes Palau. Tentacle. Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Mollusc Specialist Group. 13: 16.

Rundell, R.J., B.S. Holland and R.H. Cowie. 2004. Phylogeny and biogeography of the endemic Hawaiian Succineidae (Gastropoda: Pulmonata). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31: 246-255.

Rundell, R.J. 2004. Determinants of diversity of the diplommatinid land snails of Palau. Tentacle. Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Mollusc Specialist Group. 12: 20.

Rundell, R.J. and R.H. Cowie. 2003. Preservation of species diversity and abundances in Pacific island land snail death assemblages. Journal of Conchology 38(2): 155-170.

Rundell, R.J. and R.H. Cowie. 2003. Growth and reproduction in Hawaiian succineid land snails. Journal of Molluscan Studies 69: 288-289.

Cowie, R.H., R.J. Rundell, F. Mika and P. Setu. 2002. The endangered tree snails Samoana thurstoni on Olosega and the land snail diversity of the Manua Islands, American Samoa. American Malacological Bulletin 17(1/2): 37-43.

Cowie, R.H. and R.J. Rundell. 2002. The land snails of a small tropical Pacific island, Aunuu, American Samoa. Pacific Science 56(2): 143-147.

Rundell, R.J. and R.H. Cowie. 2002. Hawaiian succineid project. Tentacle. Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Mollusc Specialist Group. 10: 19-20.

Rundell, R.J. 2002. Hawaiian endemic succineid land snails: preliminary study of phylogeny and biogeography. Western Society of Malacologists Annual Report 33: 26.

Rundell, R.J. 2002. Aspects of the evolution of Hawaiian endemic succineid snails. Pacific Science 56(1): 98.

Rundell, R.J. 2001. Hawaiian endemic succineid land snails: preliminary study of phylogeny and biogeography. Pacific Science 55(1):107-108.

Rundell, R.J. 2001. Thesis. Phylogeny, Biogeography and Reproductive Biology of the Endemic Hawaiian Succineid Land Snails. University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Lach, L.L., D.K. Britton, R.J. Rundell and R.H. Cowie. 2000. Food preference and reproductive plasticity in an invasive freshwater snail. Biological Invasions 2(4):279-288.

Rundell, R.J. 2000. Hawaiian Succineidae: still around, but for how long? Tentacle. Newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Mollusc Specialist Group. 9:12.

Cowie, R.H., F.G. Howarth, D.J. Preston, R.J. Rundell, F.D. Stone, and S.L. Montgomery. 1999. Proposed new Hawaii island correctional facility, Waiakea, South Hilo, Island of Hawaii: assessment of potential impacts on invertebrates (snails, insects and other arthropods). Report. Hawaii Biological Survey, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii. 82 p.

Howarth, F.G., R.H. Cowie, D.J. Preston, R.A. Englund, R.J. Rundell, F.D. Stone, and S.L. Montgomery. 1999. Proposed new Hawaii island correctional facility, Waiakea, South Hilo, Island of Hawaii: assessment of potential impacts on invertebrates (snails, insects and other arthropods) of proposed improvements to Stainback Highway. Report. Hawaii Biological Survey, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii. 90 p.

Hopkins, C.D., G.G. Teugels, R.J. Rundell and J.P. Sullivan. In Prep. A species flock of mormyrid electric fishes (Osteoglossomorpha, Mormyridae) from Central Africa with descriptions of five new species of Brienomyrus with sharp snouts.

Cowie, R.H. and R.J. Rundell. In Prep. Samoan Land Snails and Slugs: A Field Identification Guide. (Web version is located at: http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/PBS/samoasnail/)

Links to websites of interest:

Committee on Evolutionary Biology:
pondside.uchicago.edu/ceb/

Palau Conservation Society:
www.palau-pcs.org

Conservation Society of Pohnpei (Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia)
www.serehd.org/

Coral Reef Research Foundation (Republic of Palau)
www.coralreefresearchfoundation.org/

Samoan Land Snail Project:
www2.bishopmuseum.org/pbs/samoasnail/

Cowie Lab (Center for Conservation Research and Training, University of Hawaii at Manoa):
www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/

Bishop Museum Malacology Collections (Honolulu, Hawaii):
www.bishopmuseum.org/research/natsci/mala/mala.html

Pacific Biological Survey
www.bishopmuseum.org/research/pbs/pbs.html

Hadfield Lab (Kewalo Marine Lab, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa):
www.hawaii.edu/zoology/faculty/hadfield.htm

Museum of the Earth (Ithaca, New York):
priweb.org/