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Chris Hepburn in a wetsuit imageDirector, Aquaculture and Fisheries Programme

Contact details

Office Portobello Marine Laboratory, room 309
Tel +64 3 479 7462
Mob +64 21 279 7462
Email chris.hepburn@otago.ac.nz

Academic qualifications

PhD (University of Otago)

Research interests

Chris provides leadership to the Coastal People: Southern Skies collaboration that connects communities with world-leading, cross-discipline research to rebuild coastal ecosystems.
Coastal People: Southern Skies

He Kitenga: eDNA's species snapshot describes recent work detecting species in the diverse marine environments of Doubtful Sound and Aramoana.

His interests include:

  • Customary and ecosystem-based fisheries management
  • Fisheries restoration
  • Integrated Aquaculture
  • Impacts of elevated CO2 on coastal ecosystems
  • Ecology and physiology of macroalgae
  • Invasion by exotic marine organisms
  • Macroalgal/invertebrate interactions
  • Taiāpure Fish-tagging Program

Courses

  • MARI 112: Global Marine Systems
  • AQFI 301: Field Methods for Assessment of Fisheries and Aquatic Habitats (Coordinator)
  • AQFI 421: Advanced Aquaculture and Fisheries

Research projects

Customary and ecosystem-based fisheries management

We provide ecological information to complement local and customary knowledge to enable community-based management of coastal fisheries. We work closely with managers of customary fishery areas (e.g. mātaitai and taiāpure) that have been established to allow Māori communities to exercise kaitiakitanga (guardianship) over fisheries and habitats. This work is conducted within the research group Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai (www.mahingakai.org.nz).

Customary and ecosystem-based fisheries management

Fisheries restoration

We are developing restoration plans for fisheries within customary areas using local resources (e.g. aquaculture facilities) to restore local fisheries that have become depleted due to overfishing and habitat loss. Using Haliotis iris (pāua, abalone) brood stock from the areas being reseeded will allow us to maintain the genetic integrity of local pāua stocks. Research to better understand the ecology of juvenile pāua (key predators, competitors), alongside state-of-the art techniques to trace the success of reseeding will help hone reseeding programmes to maximise success.

Fisheries restoration

Integrated aquaculture

Technology that integrates aquaculture production systems to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts will be key in ensuring sustainable growth of aquaculture required to meet ever increasing global demand for marine products. Our research aims to reduce the environmental footprint of aquaculture by growing macroalgae (e.g. kelp) in conjunction with other production systems to reduce pollution while providing a high value crop.

Integrated Aquaculture

Impacts of elevated CO2 on coastal ecosystems

We use an ecosystem-level approach to predict what changes will occur to complex and variable coastal ecosystems and related fisheries as a result of elevated CO2 (Ocean Acidification). This research uses carefully designed and controlled lab-based experiments alongside quantification the contribution of different groups of species of in coastal ecosystems of today to provide better predictions of likely changes in coastal seas as CO2 concentrations increase.

ImpactsofelevatedCO2

Ecology and physiology of macroalgae

Macroalgae (seaweeds) are the major primary producers of coastal seas and provide food and habitat that supports coastal food webs and fisheries. Our research focuses on key factors that control primary productivity by macroalgae such as the availability of light and nutrients. Past projects have included investigations into the physiology of deepwater macroalgae and work to determine how water motion influences primary productivity.

Ecology and physiology of macroalgae

Invasion by exotic marine organisms

This research focuses on the invasive kelp Undaria pinnatifida has spread through international shipping from its native range in North East Asia to be found in temperate locations worldwide. We conduct work on the physiology and ecology of this species and its impact on New Zealand's native macroalgal assemblages.

Invasion by exotic marine organisms

Macroalgal / invertebrate interactions

Waste produced by animals that live on macroalgal surfaces (epifauna) may be an important source of nitrogen that supports macroalgal growth. We use a range of methods to trace nitrogen from epifauna into macroalgae to determine the contribution of recycled nitrogen from epifauna to coastal primary productivity.

Macroalgalinvertebrate interactions

Postgraduate students

Current students

  • Louise Bennett-Jones, PhD:Paua (Haliotis iris) in the East Otago Taiapure; Assessment, enhancement, management.
  • Namrata Chand, PhD: Ecosystem functioning and role of soft sediment macroalgal communities
  • Piyabutara Cheuyglintase, MSc: Distribution of biomass of Undaria pinnatifida across Southern New Zealand, A resource for new industry
  • William Pinfold, MSc: thesis topic to be confirmed
  • Avi Roberts, MSc: Salty & Malty. Aquaculture of marine Macroalgae, using CO2 waste produced in beer fermentation
  • Max Saunders, MSc: Ecophysiology of Asparagopsis armata
  • Blair Thomson, PhD: Microbial extracellular enzymes and the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in the marine environment
  • Ben Williams, PhD: Restoration of kelp forests (Macrocystis pyrifera) along the Otago coastline

Completed students

  • Timothy Howarth, MSc: The relationship of Undaria pinnatifida and native New Zealand seaweed species in the ocean under the effects of climate change
  • Gabrielle Keeler-May, PhD:Undaria pinnatifida management and control in Southern New Zealand
  • Duong Le, PhD: Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), a case study in New Zealand: Its vulnerability and adaptation strategy
  • Finn Ryder, MSc: Population dynamics of pāua in Peraki Bay, Banks Peninsula: Population structure, growth and reproduction
  • Isla Twigg, PhD: Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) as a biogenic engineer

Publications

Cornwall, C. E., Nelson, W. A., Aguirre, J. D., Blain, C. O., Coyle, L., D'Archino, R., Desmond, M. J., Hepburn, C. D., … Thomsen, M. S. (2023). Predicting the impacts of climate change on New Zealand’s seaweed-based ecosystems. New Zealand Journal of Botany. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/0028825X.2023.2245786
Journal - Research Article
Smale, D., Thomsen, M., Bennett, S., Duarte, C. M., Eger, A., Filbee-Dexter, K., … Hepburn, C. D., Jackson, A.-M., … Pérez-Lloréns, J. L. (2023). Biodiversity and ecosystem services. In K. Filbee-Dexter, S. Lutz, G. Grimsditch, L. Jonsson, G. Sander & H. Gundersen (Eds.), Into the blue: Securing a sustainable future for kelp forests. (pp. 45-70). Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved from https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/42255
Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Techera, E., Valckenaere, J., Platjouw, F. M., Gnanalingam, G., Hepburn, C. D., Nelson, W., Flack, B., & Sander, G. (2023). Kelp forests in law and policy. In K. Filbee-Dexter, S. Lutz, G. Grimsditch, L. Jonsson, G. Sander & H. Gundersen (Eds.), Into the blue: Securing a sustainable future for kelp forests. (pp. 88-100). Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved from https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/42255
Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Edgecombe, J., Keeler-May, G., Zaiko, A., Pochon, X., Stanton, J.-A. L., Treece, J., Rand, C., Jeunen, G.-J., Hepburn, C., & Gemmell, N. (2023). A targeted eDNA approach to detect and quantify Undaria pinnatifida. Proceedings of the 1st Australian & New Zealand Environmental DNA (eDNA) Conference: Innovation & Application. Retrieved from https://ednaconference.com.au
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Adams, C., Hepburn, C., Cross, H., Taylor, H., Gemmell, N., Bunce, M., Jeunen, G.-J., & Knapp, M. (2023). Environmental DNA reflects common genetic variation. Proceedings of the 1st Australian & New Zealand Environmental DNA (eDNA) Conference: Innovation & Application. Retrieved from https://ednaconference.com.au
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Adams, C. I. M., Jeunen, G.-J., Cross, H., Taylor, H. R., Bagnaro, A., Currie, K., Hepburn, C., Gemmell, N. J., … Knapp, M. (2023). Environmental DNA metabarcoding describes biodiversity across marine gradients. ICES Journal of Marine Science, fsad017. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsad017
Journal - Research Article
Cornwall, C. E., Nelson, W. A., Aguirre, J. D., Blain, C. O., Coyle, L., D'Archino, R., Desmond, M. J., Hepburn, C. D., … Thomsen, M. S. (2023). Predicting the impacts of climate change on New Zealand’s seaweed-based ecosystems. New Zealand Journal of Botany. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/0028825X.2023.2245786
Journal - Research Article
Heldsinger, M., Hepburn, C., Jowett, T., & Rayment, W. (2023). Small marine reserves provide conservation benefits for coastal sharks in southern New Zealand. Aquatic Conservation, 33, 144-159. doi: 10.1002/aqc.3911
Journal - Research Article
Ryder, F. J., Gnanalingam, G., Pritchard, D. W., Rayment, W. J., Scott, N. J., & Hepburn, C. D. (2023). Drivers of fishery status for the cultural keystone pāua (Haliotis iris) in Customary fishery Protection Areas in Aotearoa New Zealand. Fisheries Research, 261, 106613. doi: 10.1016/j.fishres.2023.106613
Journal - Research Article
James, R. K., Hepburn, C. D., Pritchard, D., Richards, D. K., & Hurd, C. L. (2022). Water motion and pH jointly impact the availability of dissolved inorganic carbon to macroalgae. Scientific Reports, 12, 21947. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-26517-z
Journal - Research Article
Le, D. M., Desmond, M. J., Pritchard, D. W., & Hepburn, C. D. (2022). Effect of temperature on sporulation and spore development of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). PLoS ONE, 17(12), e0278268. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278268
Journal - Research Article
Nguyen, H. T. T., Pritchard, D. W., Desmond, M. J., & Hepburn, C. D. (2022). Coralline photosynthetic physiology across a steep light gradient. Photosynthesis Research, 153, 43-57. doi: 10.1007/s11120-022-00899-7
Journal - Research Article
Twist, B. A., Rowden, A. A., Hepburn, C. D., & Nelson, W. A. (2022). The role of environmental variables in shaping temperate coralline algae communities across large spatial scales. Phycologia. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/00318884.2022.2133480
Journal - Research Article
Bennett-Jones, L., Gnanalingam, G., Flack, B., Scott, N., Pritchard, D., Moller, H., & Hepburn, C. (2021). Translocation of black foot pāua (Haliotis iris) in a customary fishery management area: Transformation from top-down management to kaitiakitanga (local guardianship) of a cultural keystone. Pacific Conservation Biology, 27, 402-417. doi: 10.1071/PC20058
Journal - Research Article
Gnanalingam, G., Pritchard, D. W., Richards, D. K., Subritzky, P., Flack, B., & Hepburn, C. D. (2021). Local management to support local fisheries: Rahui (temporary closure) and bag limits for blackfoot abalone (Haliotis iris) in southern New Zealand. Aquatic Conservation, 31, 2320-2333. doi: 10.1002/aqc.3662
Journal - Research Article
Kluibenschedl, A., Lamare, M. D., Nelson, W. A., Barr, N. G., & Hepburn, C. D. (2021). Low irradiance amplifies negative effects of ocean acidification on recruitment of coralline algae communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 674, 103-113. doi: 10.3354/meps13829
Journal - Research Article
Watson, M. S., Jackson, A.-M., Lloyd-Smith, G., & Hepburn, C. D. (2021). Comparing the marine protected area network planning process in British Columbia, Canada and New Zealand: Planning for cooperative partnerships with Indigenous communities. Marine Policy, 125, 104386. doi: 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104386
Journal - Research Article
Bagnaro, A., Baltar, F., Brownstein, G., Lee, W. G., Morales, S. E., Pritchard, D. W., & Hepburn, C. D. (2020). Reducing the arbitrary: Fuzzy detection of microbial ecotones and ecosystems: Focus on the pelagic environment. Environmental Microbiome, 15, 16. doi: 10.1186/s40793-020-00363-w
Journal - Research Article
Garbary, D. J., D'Archino, R., Flack, B., Hepburn, C. D., Nelson, W. A., Pritchard, D., & Sutherland, J. E. (2020). First record of Bonnemaisonia hamifera (Bonnemaisoniales, Rhodophyta) in the South Pacific, from the South Island of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research, 54(2), 167-176. doi: 10.1080/00288330.2019.1661260
Journal - Research Article
Jackson, A.-M., Rewi, T., Hakopa, H., Phillips, C., Russell, P., Parr-Brownlie, L. C., Hulbe, C., Leoni, G., Mita, N., Hepburn, C., Wikaira, J., … Elder, H. (2020). Towards building an Indigenous Science Tertiary Curriculum (Part 2). New Zealand Science Review, 76(1-2), 25-31.
Journal - Research Article
Thomson, B., Wenley, J., Lockwood, S., Twigg, I., Currie, K., Herndl, G. J., Hepburn, C. D., & Baltar, F. (2020). Relative importance of phosphodiesterase vs. phosphomonoesterase (alkaline phosphatase) activities for dissolved organic phosphorus hydrolysis in epi- and mesopelagic waters. Frontiers in Earth Science, 8, 560893. doi: 10.3389/feart.2020.560893
Journal - Research Article
Twigg, I. M., Baltar, F., Hall, J. R., & Hepburn, C. D. (2020). Revealing hydrogen peroxide as an external stressor in macrophyte-dominated coastal ecosystems. Oecologia, 193, 583-591. doi: 10.1007/s00442-020-04690-0
Journal - Research Article
Twist, B. A., Kluibenschedl, A., Pritchard, D., Desmond, M. J., D'Archino, R., Nelson, W. A., & Hepburn, C. D. (2020). Biomass and species richness relationships in macroalgal communities that span intertidal and subtidal zones. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 654, 67-78. doi: 10.3354/meps13496
Journal - Research Article
Desmond, M. J., Pajusalu, L., Pritchard, D. W., Stephens, T. A., & Hepburn, C. D. (2019). Whole community estimates of macroalgal pigment concentration within two southern New Zealand kelp forests. Journal of Phycology, 55, 936-947. doi: 10.1111/jpy.12884
Journal - Research Article
Desmond, M. J., Pritchard, D. W., Hurd, C. L., Richards, D. K., Schweikert, K., Wing, S., & Hepburn, C. D. (2019). Superior photosynthetic performance of the invasive kelp Undaria pinnatifida may contribute to continued range expansion in a wave-exposed kelp forest community. Marine Biology, 166(11), 139. doi: 10.1007/s00227-019-3593-2
Journal - Research Article
Hepburn, C. D., Jackson, A.-M., Pritchard, D. W., Scott, N., Vanderburg, P. H., & Flack, B. (2019). Challenges to traditional management of connected ecosystems within a fractured regulatory landscape: A case study from southern New Zealand. Aquatic Conservation, 29(9), 1535-1546. doi: 10.1002/aqc.3152
Journal - Research Article
Hepburn, C. D., Russell, P., Smith, A. K., Pritchard, D. W., Leahy, E. O., Coyle, L., Flack, B., Russell, K., Vanderburg, P. H., Dale, M., & Jackson, A.-M. (2019). Teaching the next generation of scientists to support communities in their restoration of ecosystems and ways of life. New Zealand Science Review, 75(4), 80-86.
Journal - Research Article
Housiaux, J. A., Hepburn, C. D., & Rayment, W. J. (2019). Seasonal variation in occurrence of the sevengill shark, Notorynchus cepedianus, in two inshore habitats of southern New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 46(1), 48-60. doi: 10.1080/03014223.2018.1482930
Journal - Research Article
Jackson, A.-M., Hakopa, H., Phillips, C., Parr-Brownlie, L. C., Russell, P., Hulbe, C., Rewi, T., Leoni, G., Mita, N., Jackson, S., Poa, D., Hepburn, C., Wikaira, J., … Elder, H. (2019). Towards building an Indigenous Science Tertiary Curriculum. New Zealand Science Review, 75(4), 69-73.
Journal - Research Article
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