Prof Kate Rowntree
MSc (Bristol), PhD (Strathclyde)
Professor
Hons (EWM) Coordinator
Exams Officer
Director of the Catchment Research Group
Primary Research
integrated research on geoecology, fluvial geomorphology and managing/restoring
catchment ecological services
Lecture coverage
earth surface systems, hydrology and water resource management, fluvial
geomorphology, African environments
Secondary Research
using simulation games to explore complex futures
Current projects
investigating historical changes in sediment dynamics in dryland catchments in the
Sneeuberg mountains of the Karoo. (With Prof Ian Foster and others)
geomorphic connectivity in the Baviaans Kloof - guiding catchment restoration
processes. (With Prof Fred Ellery)
assessing environmental flows - geomorphology as the driver of habitat change.
(With Institute of Natural Resources, KZN and University of Free State)
applications of environmental magnetism and environmental radionuclides for
sediment source identification (With Ian Foster)
PUBLICATIONS
Journal Publications (2005 - 2012)
IN PRESS
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Foster, I.D.L. and Rowntree, K.M. Sediment yield changes in the semi-arid Karoo: a
palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of sediments accumulating in Cranemere Reservoir, Eastern
Cape, South Africa. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphology. 56(2)
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Smedley, D., and Rowntree K.M. Rivers as borders, uniting or dividing? The effect of topography
and implications for catchment management. Water Science and Technology 66(3):510
2012
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Van der Waal B.W., Rowntree K.M., and Radloff S.E. (2012) The effect of Acacia mearnsii
invasion and clearing on soil loss in the Kouga Mountains, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Land
Degradation and Development, doi: 10.1002/ldr.2172.
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Manjoro M., Rowntree, K.M., Kakembo V. and Foster I.D.L. (2012) An application of finger
printing techniques to distinguish sediment sources in a small gully-fan system, Eastern Cape,
South Africa. Land Degradation and Development, doi: 10.1002/ldr.2174
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Mighall TM, Foster, I.D.L, Rowntree K.M., and Boardman J. (2012) Reconstructing recent land
degradation in the semi-arid Karoo of South Africa: a palaeoecological study at Compassberg,
Eastern Cape. Land Degradation and Development, doi: 10.1002/ldr.2176
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Foster, I.D.L., Rowntree K.M., Boardman J. and Mighall T.M. (2012) Changing sediment yield and
sediment dynamics in the Karoo uplands, South Africa: post-European impacts. Land
Degradation and Development, doi: 10.1002/ldr.2180 Available:
eprints.ru.ac.za/view/creators/Rowntree
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Rowntree K.M., Meiklejohn K.I., and Foster I.D.L. (2012) Editorial : Special issue on ‘Landscape
denudation or landscape degradation? Interrogating the geomorphic processes of landscape
change in southern Africa. Land Degradation and Development, doi: 10.1002/ldr.2171
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Grenfell, S.E., Grenfell, M.C., Rowntree, K.M., and Ellery, W.N. (2012) Fluvial connectivity and
climate: a comparison of channel pattern and process in two climatically contrasting fluvial
sedimentary systems in South Africa. Geomorphology (2012)
doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.05.010
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Manjoro, M., Kakembo, V., and Rowntree K.M. (2012) Mapping spatial and temporal dynamics of
soil erosion and alien shrub invasion using SPOT satellite data in Ngqushwa district, Eastern
Cape, South Africa. Environmental Management doi: 10.1007/s00267-012-9810-0
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Grenfell, S., Rowntree, K.M. and Grenfell, M. (2012) Morphodynamics of a gully and ?oodout
system in the Sneeuberg Mountains of the semi-arid Karoo, South Africa: Implications for local
landscape connectivity. Catena, 89:8-21 doi:10.1016/j.catena.2011.09.007
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Rowntree, K.M., and Foster, I.D.L. (2012) A reconstruction of historical changes in sediment
sources, sediment transfer and sediment yield in a small, semi-arid Karoo catchment, South
Africa. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphology. 56, suppl. 1:87-98 doi: 10.1127/0372-8854/2012/S-00074
2010
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Boardman, J., Foster, I., Rowntree, K.M., Mighall, T., Gates, J. (2010) Environmental Stress and
Landscape Recovery in a Semi-Arid Area, The Karoo, South Africa.Scottish Geographical Journal
126, (2): 64-75, June 2010.
2009
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Kakembo, V, Xanga, W.W, Rowntree. K. (2009) Topographic thresholds in gully development on
the hillslopes of communal areas in Ngqushwa Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Geomorphology, 110 (3-4) 188-194. Available: eprints.ru.ac.za/view/creators/Rowntree
2008
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Rowntree, K.M. and Fox, R.C. (2008) Active Learning for Understanding Land Degradation:
African Catchment Game and Riskmap. Geographical Research, 46 (1), 39-50.
2007
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Fox, R.C., Chigumira, E. and Rowntree, K.M. (2007) On the fast track to land degradation? A
study of the impact of the fast track land reform programme in Kadoma District, Zimbabwe.
Geography, 92 (3), 212-224.
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Kakembo, V, Rowntree, K.M. and Palmer, A. (2007) Topographic controls on the invasion of
Pteronia incana (Blue bush) onto hillslopes in Ngqushwa (formerly Peddie) district, Eastern Cape,
Catena, 70, 185-199.
2006
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Kakembo, V., Palmer, AR, and Rowntree, K.M. (2006)The Use of High Resolution Digital Camera
Imagery to Characterise the Distribution of Pteronia Incana Invader Species in Ngqushwa
(Formerly Peddie) District, Eastern Cape, South Africa., International Journal of Remote Sensing.
27 (13), 2735-2752.
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Thornes, J. and Rowntree, K. (2006) Integrated catchment management in semi-arid
environments in the context of the European water framework directive. Land Degradation and
Development. 17, 355-364.
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Rowntree, K.M. (2006) Integrating Catchment Management through Land Care in the Kat Valley,
Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Physical Geography. 27 (6), 435-446.
Working papers
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Dinar, A., Farolfi, S. Patrone, F., Rowntree, K. (2006) Water allocation strategies for the Kat basin
in South Africa: comparing negotiation tools and game theory models. The World Bank
Development Research Group, Policy Working paper 4083.
Books and book chapters
In Press
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Rowntree KM. 2012 Fluvial Geomorphology. In PJ Holmes and ME Meadows (eds). Southern
African Geomorphology: recent trends and new directions. Ch. 5. Sun Press September 2012.
2010
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Shackleton, C.M , Shackleton, S.E., Gambiza, J., Nel, E., Rowntree, K., Urquhart, P., Fabricius,
C. and Ainslie, A. (2010) Livelihoods and Vulnerability in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands of
Southern Africa: exploring the links between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation. NOVA
Science Publishers, New York.
2008
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Fox, R.C and Rowntree, K.M. (2008) The land question in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya: a
geographical perspective on resource endowment In Bryant, CR, Makhanya, E., Herrmann, TM,
The Sustainability of Rural Systems in Developing Countries Universite de Montreal 43-58.
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Rowntree, K.M. and du Preez, L. (2008) Integrative River Science, In Brierley, G. and Fryers, K.,
River Futures: An Integrative Scientific Approach to River Repair, Island Press pp 240-256.
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Dinar, A., Farolfi, S., Patrone, F. and Rowntree, K. (2008) To Negotiate or to Game Theorize:
Evaluating Water Allocation Mechanisms in the Kat Basin, South Africa. In Dinar, A, Albiac, J.,
Joaquin Sanchez-Soriano, J. (eds), Game Theory and Policy Making in Natural Resources and
the Environment, Ch. 5. Routledge, ISBN: 978-0-415-77422-2.
Research reports
2010
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2008
Rowntree, K., Birkholz, S., Burt, J. and Farolfi, S. (2010) A Stakeholder driven process to develop
a Catchment Management Plan for the Kat River Valley. WRC Report 14961/1/10, Water
Research Commission, Pretoria.
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CEPSA (2008) Situation Analysis of Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation in Arid and
Semi-arid Africa. Khanya-African Institute for Community-driven Development (Khanya-aicdd).
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Shackleton, C., Shackleton, S., Gambiza, J., Nel, E., Rowntree, K., and Urquhart, P. (2008) Links
between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation: Situation analysis for arid and semi-arid
lands in southern Africa. Ecosystem Services and Poverty Reduction Research Programme:
DIFD, NERC, ESRC.
2006
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Rowntree, K.M., Motteux, N., Fargher, J. (2006) Guidelines for Participation in Integrated Water
Resource Management in South Africa. Quick Reference Guide. Water Research Commission
Report TT 258/06.
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Rowntree, K.M. (2006) Guidelines for Participation in Integrated Water Resource Management in
South Africa: Part 2. Environmental Guidelines. Water Research Commission Report. 1233/2/06.
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Du Preez, L. and Rowntree, K.M. (2006) Assessment of the Geomorphological Reference
Condition: an Application for Resource Directed Measures and the River Health Programme.
WRC Report no. 1306/1/06.
2005
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Kleynhans, N., Louw, M.D., Thirion, C., Rossouw, N., Rowntree, K., (2005) River
EcoClassification: Manual for Ecostatus Determination. DWAF/WRC, Pretoria.
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Freeman, N.M. and Rowntree, K. (2005) Our Changing Rivers: an introduction to the science and
practice of fluvial geomorphology. Water Research Commission Report No. TT 238/05.
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Wadeson, R.A. and Rowntree, K.M. (2005) Refinement of Geomorphological Tools for the
Sustainable Management of the River Environment. Water Research Commission Report.
1181/1/04.
Papers in Conference Proceedings
2012
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Van der Waal, B, Rowntree KM. A Geomorphological Response Model for predicting sediment
related habitat change in non-perennial river systems. In "Erosion and Sediment Yields in the
Changing Environment" (Proceedings of a symposium held at Chengdu, China, 11-15 October
2012) IAHS Publ. 356
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Rowntree, KM, Mzobe PN, van Der Waal B. 2012. Sediment source tracing in the Thina
catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa. "In Erosion and Sediment Yields in the Changing
Environment" (Proceedings of a symposium held at Chengdu, China, 11-15 October 2012) IAHS
Publ. 356
2009
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Rowntree, K.M., Fraenkel, L.A. and Fox, R.C. (2009) Exploring Risk Related to Future Climates
through Role-Playing Games: The African Catchment Game In Koskela, M. and Vinnari, M.
(editors) Future of the Consumer Society, (Proceedings of the Conference "Future of the
Consumer Society" 28-29 May 2009, Tampere, Finland) FFRC eBOOK7/2009, Finland Futures
Research Centre, Turku School of Economics pp. 212-220.
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Rowntree, K.M., Birkholz, S.A., Burt, J.C. and Fox, H.E. (2009) Integrating environmental flows
into a stakeholder driven catchment management process. International Conference on
Implementing Environmental Water Allocations. 13-26th February 2009, Port Elizabeth, WC and
DWAF. Full paper on CD-Rom.
2008
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Rowntree, K.M., Foster, I.D.L., Mighall, T., Du Preez, L. and Boardman, J. (2008) Post-European
settlement impacts on erosion and land degradation; a case study using farm reservoir
sedimentation in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In Sediment Dynamics in Changing
Environments (Proceedings of a symposium held in Christchurch, New Zealand, December
2008). IAHS Publ. 325.
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Farolfi, S., Gumede, H., Rowntree, K.M., Jones, N. (2008) Local water governance in South
Africa: to which extent participatory governance approaches facilitate multi-stakeholder
negotiations? The Kat River Valley experience. (Proceedings of the XIIIth World Water
Congress), September 2008, Montpellier, France.
2005
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Farolfi, S. and Rowntree, K.M. (2005) Accompanying Local Stakeholders in Negotiation
Processes Related to Water Allocation Through Simulation Models and Role-Playing Games: an
Experience from South Africa. (Proceedings of the EMPOWERS conference on End-user
ownership and involvement in Integrated Water Resource Management Cairo, Egypt. 13-17
November 2005) Available: www.empowers.info/page/704.