Priscilla is a conservation biologist whose research has two main research themes: first, ecological knowledge; evolutionary ecology, and especially foraging behaviour, including isotope and nutrient analyses of diet; and secondly, socioecological relationships, including cultural environmental management.
She frequently works on human-nature relationships, including biocultural diversity and past, present and future Indigenous environmental relationships. She also works on introduced species that challenge native ecosystems, insect ecology and behaviour, in particular the sexually dimorphic New Zealand tree wētā genus Hemideina spp.
Priscilla supports cultural change and builds inclusivity in science to create broad platforms for intellectual advancement. In 2020 she received an Inspirational Alumna Award from the School of biological Sciences, University of Canterbury.
Wehi PM, van Uitregt V, Scott N, Gillies T, Beckwith J, Rodgers RP & Watene K. (in review). Transforming Antarctic policy and management with an Indigenous Māori lens.
Wehi PM, Brownstein G & Morgan-Richards M 2020. Indigenous plant naming and experimentation reveal a plant-insect relationship in New Zealand forests. Conservation Science and Practice e282.
Wehi PM, Cox MP, Roa T & Whaanga H 2018. Human perceptions revealed by linguistic analysis of Māori oral traditions. Human Ecology 2018: 1–10.
Wehi PM 2009. Indigenous ancestral sayings contribute to modern conservation partnerships: examples using Phormium tenax. Ecological Applications 19:267–275
Reihana, K. R., Wehi, P. M., Pomare-Pieta, M., Harcourt, N., Ellis, J. I., & Murray, J. M. (2023). Indigitization: Technology as a mode for conservation sustainability and knowledge transfer in indigenous New Zealand communities.
Biological Conservation,
285, 110237.
doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110237
Journal - Research Article
Thompson, L., Doogan, H., Thompson, C., Wehi, P., & Johnson, S. (2023). Are there differences in behaviour between the two colour morphs of the mountain stone wētā,
Hemideina maori?
New Zealand Journal of Zoology. Advance online publication.
doi: 10.1080/03014223.2023.2249408
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Kamelamela, K. L., Whyte, K., Watene, K., & Reo, N. (2023). Contribution of Indigenous Peoples' understandings and relational frameworks to invasive alien species management.
People & Nature, 10508. Advance online publication.
doi: 10.1002/pan3.10508
Journal - Research Other
Rayne, A., Arahanga-Doyle, H., Cox, B., Cox, M. P., Febria, C. M., Galla, S. J., … Wehi, P. M., & Steeves, T. E. (2023). Collective action is needed to build a more just science system.
Nature Human Behaviour. Advance online publication.
doi: 10.1038/s41562-023-01635-4
Journal - Research Other
Kelly, M., Wehi, P. M., & Johnson, S. L. (2023). Behavioural differences in predator aware and predator naïve Wellington tree wētā,
Hemideina crassidens.
Current Research in Insect Science,
3, 100058.
doi: 10.1016/j.cris.2023.100058
Journal - Research Article
Hann, M. G., Baltutis, K., Barefoot, N., Charmantier, A., Colucci, A., Durussel, C., … Wehi, P. (2022). Togetherness for Antarcticness. In I. Kelman (Ed.),
Antarcticness: Inspirations and imaginaries. (pp. 144-157). London, UK: UCL Press.
doi: 10.14324/111.9781800081444
Chapter in Book - Research
Wehi, P., Hetaraka, T. W., Robinson, F., Hetaraka, P., & York, J. (2021). Māori culture in Antarctica: Preserving knowledge and Papatūānuku. In G. Foscari & UNLESS. (Eds.),
Antarctic resolution. (pp. 536). Zurich, Switzerland: Lars Müller. [Contribution].
Chapter in Book - Research
Wehi, P., Whaanga, H., Watene, K., & Steeves, T. (2021). Mātauranga as knowledge, process and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. In T. F. Thornton & S. A. Bhagwat (Eds.),
The Routledge handbook of indigenous environmental knowledge. (pp. 186-197). London, UK: Routledge.
doi: 10.4324/9781315270845
Chapter in Book - Research
Whaanga, H., & Wehi, P. (2015). Te Wawao I Te Mātauranga Māori: Indigenous knowledge in a digital age: Issues and ethics of knowledge management and knowledge exchange in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In R. E. Rinehart, E. Emerald & R. Matamua (Eds.),
Ethnographies in pan Pacific research: Tensions and positionings. (pp. 231-250). New York, NY: Routledge.
doi: 10.4324/9781315718927
Chapter in Book - Research
Kelly, M., Wehi, P. M., & Johnson, S. L. (2023). Behavioural differences in predator aware and predator naïve Wellington tree wētā,
Hemideina crassidens.
Current Research in Insect Science,
3, 100058.
doi: 10.1016/j.cris.2023.100058
Journal - Research Article
Reihana, K. R., Wehi, P. M., Pomare-Pieta, M., Harcourt, N., Ellis, J. I., & Murray, J. M. (2023). Indigitization: Technology as a mode for conservation sustainability and knowledge transfer in indigenous New Zealand communities.
Biological Conservation,
285, 110237.
doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110237
Journal - Research Article
Thompson, L., Doogan, H., Thompson, C., Wehi, P., & Johnson, S. (2023). Are there differences in behaviour between the two colour morphs of the mountain stone wētā,
Hemideina maori?
New Zealand Journal of Zoology. Advance online publication.
doi: 10.1080/03014223.2023.2249408
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Cox, M. P., Whaanga, H., & Roa, T. (2023). Tradition and change: Celebrating food systems resilience at two Indigenous Māori community events.
Ecology & Society,
28(1), 19.
doi: 10.5751/ES-13786-280119
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Rogers, K. M., Jowett, T., & Sabadel, A. J. M. (2023). Interpreting past trophic ecology of a threatened alpine parrot, kea
Nestor notabilis, from museum specimens.
Journal of Animal Ecology,
92, 273-284.
doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.13742
Journal - Research Article
Rayne, A., Blair, S., Dale, M., Flack, B., Hollows, J., Moraga, R., … Wehi, P. M., Wylie, M. J., & Steeves, T. E. (2022). Weaving place-based knowledge for culturally significant species in the age of genomics: Looking to the past to navigate the future.
Evolutionary Applications,
15, 751-772.
doi: 10.1111/eva.13367
Journal - Research Article
Van Uitregt, V., Sullivan, I., Watene, K., & Wehi, P. (2022). Negotiating greater Māori participation in Antarctic and Southern Ocean research, policy, and governance.
Polar Journal,
12(1), 42-61.
doi: 10.1080/2154896X.2022.2058222
Journal - Research Article
Hall, M. M., Wehi, P. M., Whaanga, H., Walker, E. T., Koia, J. H., & Wallace, K. J. (2021). Promoting social and environmental justice to support Indigenous partnerships in urban ecosystem restoration.
Restoration Ecology,
29(1), e13305.
doi: 10.1111/rec.13305
Journal - Research Article
Reihana, K. R., Wehi, P. M., Harcourt, N., Booth, P., Murray, J. M., & Pomare-Pieta, M. (2021). Indigenisation of conservation education in New Zealand.
Pacific Conservation Biology,
27, 493-504.
doi: 10.1071/PC20060
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., van Uitregt, V., Scott, N. J., Gillies, T., Beckwith, J., Rodgers, R. P., & Watene, K. (2021). Transforming Antarctic management and policy with an Indigenous Māori lens.
Nature Ecology & Evolution,
5, 1055-1059.
doi: 10.1038/s41559-021-01466-4
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Wilson, D. J., Stone, C., Ricardo, H., Jones, C., Jakob-Hoff, R., & Lyver, P. O. (2021). Managing for cultural harvest of a valued introduced species, the Pacific rat (
Rattus exulans) in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Pacific Conservation Biology,
27, 432-441.
doi: 10.1071/PC20094
Journal - Research Article
Parli, A., Besson, A., Wehi, P., & Johnson, S. (2020). Sub-lethal exposure to a mammalian pesticide bait alters behaviour in an orthopteran.
Journal of Insect Conservation,
24, 536-546.
doi: 10.1007/s10841-020-00222-6
Journal - Research Article
Ricardo, H., Wilson, D. J., & Wehi, P. M. (2020). Kiore (
Rattus exulans) distribution and relative abundance on a small highly modified island.
New Zealand Journal of Zoology,
47(4), 350-359.
doi: 10.1080/03014223.2020.1785515
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Brownstein, G., & Morgan-Richards, M. (2020). Indigenous plant naming and experimentation reveal a plant-insect relationship in New Zealand forests.
Conservation Science & Practice,
2, e282.
doi: 10.1111/csp2.282
Journal - Research Article
Bond, M. O., Anderson, B. J., Henare, T. H. A., & Wehi, P. (2019). Effects of climatically shifting species distributions on biocultural relationships.
People & Nature,
1, 87-102.
doi: 10.1002/pan3.15
Journal - Research Article
Cisternas, J., Wehi, P. M., Haupokia, N., Hughes, F., Hughes, M., Germano, J. M., Longnecker, N., & Bishop, P. J. (2019). 'Get together, work together, write together': A novel framework for conservation of New Zealand frogs.
New Zealand Journal of Ecology,
43(3), 3392.
doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.32
Journal - Research Article
Walker, E. T., Wehi, P. M., Nelson, N. J., Beggs, J. R., & Whaanga, H. (2019). Kaitiakitanga, place and the urban restoration agenda.
New Zealand Journal of Ecology,
43(3), 3381.
doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.34
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Beggs, J. R., & Anderson, B. J. (2019). Leadership and diversity in the New Zealand Ecological Society.
New Zealand Journal of Ecology,
43(2), 3368.
doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.16
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Carter, L., Harawira, T. W., Fitzgerald, G., Lloyd, K., Whaanga, H., & MacLeod, C. J. (2019). Enhancing awareness and adoption of cultural values through use of Māori bird names in science communication and environmental reporting.
New Zealand Journal of Ecology,
43(3), 3387.
doi: 10.20417/nzjecol.43.35
Journal - Research Article
Brown, M. B. G. J., Gemmill, C. E. C., Miller, S., & Wehi, P. M. (2018). Diet selectivity in a terrestrial forest invertebrate, the Auckland tree wētā, across three habitat zones.
Ecology & Evolution,
8(5), 2495-2503.
doi: 10.1002/ece3.3763
Journal - Research Article
Wehi, P. M., Cox, M. P., Roa, T., & Whaanga, H. (2018). Human perceptions of megafaunal extinction events revealed by linguistic analysis of indigenous oral traditions.
Human Ecology,
46(4), 461-470.
doi: 10.1007/s10745-018-0004-0
Journal - Research Article