Name: Marlin Bowles
Title: M.S., Plant Conservation Biologist
Department: Research
Address: Morton Arboretum, Rt. 53, Lisle, IL 60532
Phone (Office): 630-719-2422
E-mail: mbowles@mortonarb.org
Education
Current Projects
Publications
Research Associates
Current Projects
This important program began in full at The Morton Arboretum in 1996, when the Arboretum joined the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC). Headquartered at the Missouri Botanical Garden, the CPC is a national program dedicated to the conservation and study of endangered plants native to the U.S. The CPC coordinates a network of more than 30 arboreta and botanical gardens, which maintain a National Collection of Endangered Plants. As a Participating Institution, the Arboretum collects individuals and/or seeds of rare plants and maintains these for conservation purposes, with the ultimate goal of re-introducing these plants into the wild. The Arboretum's CPC effort is in partnership with the Chicago Botanic Garden. In 1989, a dolomite and gravel prairie was constructed at the Arboretum for the purpose of growing and monitoring rare and endangered plant species indigenous to this type of habitat, including many that will be accessioned as part of the CPC. Marlin Bowles manages and monitors this collection of plants.
Before being selected to lead the Arboretum's Rare Plant Conservation program, Marlin Bowles had been a Research Associate at the Arboretum since 1985. As a Research Associate, Marlin updated the Illinois list of endangered and threatened plants and implemented rare plant monitoring at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. In his current position, Marlin continues his conservation work with the Federal threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid, Mead's milkweed, Pitcher's thistle, and leafy prairie clover, for which he has conducted recovery planning and research.
Marlin's research also includes studying the ecological effects of land use, management, and restoration on northeastern Illinois natural areas, and the analysis and application of public land survey data to natural area management.
Publications
Anderson, R.C. & M.L. Bowles. 1999. Deep-soil savannas and barrens of the Midwestern United States. Chapter nine in R.C. Anderson, J. Fralish, and Jerry Baskin, (eds.), The savanna, barren, and rock outcrop communities of North America. Cambridge University Press.
Bowles, M.L. 1999. Restoration and reintroduction of endangered plants: A North American perspective. Pp. 238-244 in, Darnaedi, D, et al. (eds.) Proceedings of the National Seminar on Indonesian Plant Conservation. Upt Balai Pengembangan Kebun Raya Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahauan Indonesia.
Bowles, M.L. & J.L. McBride. 1998. Vegetation composition, structure, and chronological change in a decadent Midwestern North American savanna remnant. Natural Areas Journal 18:14-27.
Bowles, M.L., J.L. McBride, and R.F. Betz. 1998. Management and restoration ecology of Mead's milkweed. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 85:110-125.
Bowles, M., C. Dunn, and J. McBride. 1997. Saving pieces of nature at The Morton Arboretum. The Illinois Steward 6(3):6-10.
Bowles, M.L. and J.L. McBride. 1996. Status and structure of a Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) population reintroduced to Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. Pp.194-218 in D. Falk, P. Olwell, and C. Millar, (eds.), Restoring diversity: ecological restoration and endangered plants. Island Press, Portland, OR.
Bowles, M.L., J.L. McBride, N. Stoynoff, and K. Johnson. 1996. Temporal change in vegetation structure in a fire-managed prairie fen. Natural Areas Journal 16:275-208.
Pavlovic, N.B. and M.L. Bowles. 1996. Science and ecosystem management in the national parks. Pp. 253-280 in W.L. Halvorson and G.E. Davis, (eds.), Evolution of Ecosystem management in America's National Parks. The University of Arizona Press.
Bowles, M.L. and C. Whelan (eds.). 1994. Restoration of Endangered Species: conceptual issues, planning and implementation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Tecic, D, J. McBride, M. Bowles, & D.L. Nickrent. 1998. Genetic variability in the federal threatened Mead's milkweed (Asclepias meadii) determined by allozyme electrophoresis. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 85:97-109.
Research Associates
Timothy Bell, Ph.D., Chicago State University (Plant Population Biology)
Robert Betz, Ph.D., Northeastern Illinois University, retired (Tallgrass Prairie)
Lawrence Zettler, PhD, Illinois College (Orchid Biology)
