Dr Ursula Ellenberg, Our staff, Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, New Zealand

Contact details

Office 310 Castle Street, room 105
Tel +64 3 479 5453
Email ursula.ellenberg@otago.ac.nz

Academic qualifications

MSc, University of Kiel
PhD, University of Otago

Research interests

Conservation Physiology – using physiological tools to understand and predict how organisms respond to environmental stressors to better inform the management of conservation challenges
Behavioural ecology – asking questions on why and how individual differences affect behaviour (e.g. stress‐coping styles, foraging strategies), and ultimately (life‐time) reproductive success and survival
Marine ecology and at-sea behaviour of seabirds
Population ecology and conservation biology of seabirds
Citizen science

Ursula is an ecologist with a keen interest and broad background in both terrestrial and marine systems. She enjoys employing novel technologies to understand how animals use their environment or respond to stressors to inform anticipatory conservation management decisions. Ursula has more than 20 years of experience in coordinating fieldwork and leading research projects in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Canada, Germany, the Russian and Norwegian Arctic – and a soft spot for seabirds!

Ursula is a founding member of the Tawaki Trust and together with her partner Thomas Mattern she leads the Tawaki Project, a long-term study of the biology and marine ecology of Fiordland penguins/Tawaki and other crested penguins.

Tawaki Trust

Tawaki Project

Courses

MARI 112 Marine Biology: The Living Ocean
MARI 301 Marine Ecology and Ecosystems
MARI 302 Biology and Behaviour of Marine Vertebrates

Current postgraduate students

Lauren Tworkowski (La Trobe University, PhD – co-supervisor), “Thermoregulatory capabilities of Little Penguins in relation to human induced changes of their environment”
Jeffrey Wayne White (University of Miami, PhD co-supervisor), “Foraging ecology and dive physiology of Fiordland penguins/Tawaki (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) in New Zealand”
Thor Elley (University of Otago, MSc co-supervisor), “Foraging ecology of yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes) on Rakiura/Stewart Island”
Blake Hornblow (University of Otago, MSc co-supervisor), “Changing oceanographic conditions and the effect on foraging behaviour of Tawaki/Fiordland penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)”

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Publications

Cole, T. L., Zhou, C., Fang, M., Pan, H., Ksepka, D. T., Fiddaman, S. R., … Grosser, S., … Mattern, T., … Ellenberg, U., … Zhang, G. (2022). Genomic insights into the secondary aquatic transition of penguins. Nature Communications, 13, 3912. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31508-9

Elley, T., Mattern, T., Ellenberg, U., Young, M. J., Hickcox, R. P., van Heezik, Y., & Seddon, P. J. (2022). Consistent site-specific foraging behaviours of yellow-eyed penguins/hoiho breeding on Stewart Island, New Zealand. Biology, 11, 844. doi: 10.3390/biology11060844

Green, C.-P., Ratcliffe, N., Mattern, T., Thompson, D., Lea, M.-A., Wotherspoon, S., … Ellenberg, U., … Seddon, P. J., … Hindell, M. A. (2022). The role of allochrony in influencing interspecific differences in foraging distribution during the non-breeding season between two congeneric crested penguin species. PLoS ONE, 17(2), e0262901. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262901

White, J., Mattern, T., Ellenberg, U., Garcia-Borboroglu, P., Houston, D. M., Seddon, P. J., & Mays, H. L. (2021). Field sexing techniques for Fiordland crested penguins (tawaki; Eudyptes pachyrhynchus). Notornis, 68(3), 188-193. Retrieved from http://notornis.osnz.org.nz/node/4558

Cole, T., Dutoit, L., Dussex, N., Hart, T., Alexander, A., Frugone, M. J., … Ellenberg, U., … Mattern, T., … Waters, J. (2019). Receding ice drove rapid expansions in eight Southern Ocean penguins. Proceedings of the Genetics Society of Australasia (GSA) Conference. Retrieved from https://event.crowdcompass.com/gsa2019

Ellenberg, U. (2017). Impacts of penguin tourism. In D. T. Blumstein, B. Geffroy, D. S. M. Samia & E. Bessa (Eds.), Ecotourism's promise and peril: A biological evaluation. (pp. 117-132). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-58331-0_8

Chapter in Book - Research

Geffroy, B., Sadoul, B., & Ellenberg, U. (2017). Physiological and behavioral consequences of human visitation. In D. T. Blumstein, B. Geffroy, D. S. M. Samia & E. Bessa (Eds.), Ecotourism's promise and peril: A biological evaluation. (pp. 9-27). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-58331-0_2

Chapter in Book - Research

Samia, D. S. M., Angeloni, L. M., Bearzi, M., Bessa, E., Crooks, K. R., D'Amico, M., Ellenberg, U., … Blumstein, D. T. (2017). Best practices toward sustainable ecotourism. In D. T. Blumstein, B. Geffroy, D. S. M. Samia & E. Bessa (Eds.), Ecotourism's promise and peril: A biological evaluation. (pp. 153-178). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-58331-0_10

Chapter in Book - Research

Seddon, P. J., Ellenberg, U., & van Heezik, Y. (2013). Yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). In P. Garcia Borboroglu & P. D. Boersma (Eds.), Penguins: Natural history and conservation. (pp. 91-110). Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Ellenberg, U., & Seddon, P. J. (2010). Effective management decision-making depends on rigorous research. In A. Krause & E. Weir (Eds.), Ecotourism: Management, development and impact. (pp. 257-260). New York: Nova Science.

Chapter in Book - Research

Seddon, P. J., & Ellenberg, U. (2008). Effects of human disturbance on penguins: The need for site- and species-specific visitor management guidelines. In J. Higham & M. Lück (Eds.), Marine wildlife and tourism management: Insights from the natural and social sciences. (pp. 163-181). Wallingford, UK: CABI.

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Cole, T. L., Dutoit, L., Dussex, N., Hart, T., Alexander, A., Younger, J. L., … Ellenberg, U., … Mattern, T., … Waters, J. M. (2019). Receding ice drove parallel expansions in Southern Ocean penguins. PNAS, 116(52), 26690-26696. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1904048116

Journal - Research Article

Cole, T. L., Rawlence, N. J., Dussex, N., Ellenberg, U., Houston, D. M., Mattern, T., … Waters, J. M. (2019). Ancient DNA of crested penguins: Testing for temporal genetic shifts in the world's most diverse penguin clade. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 131, 72-79. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.025

Journal - Research Article

Mattern, T., McPherson, M. D., Ellenberg, U., van Heezik, Y., & Seddon, P. J. (2018). High definition video loggers provide new insights into behaviour, physiology, and the oceanic habitat of a marine predator, the yellow-eyed penguin. PeerJ, 6, e5459. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5459

Journal - Research Article

Mattern, T., Pütz, K., Garcia-Borboroglu, P., Ellenberg, U., Houston, D. M., Long, R., … Seddon, P. J. (2018). Marathon penguins: Reasons and consequences of long-rage dispersal in Fiordland penguins/Tawaki during the pre-moult period. PLoS ONE, 13(8), e0198688. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198688

Journal - Research Article

Mattern, T., Meyer, S., Ellenberg, U., Houston, D. M., Darby, J. T., Young, M., van Heezik, Y., & Seddon, P. J. (2017). Quantifying climate change impacts emphasises the importance of managing regional threats in the endangered Yellow-eyed penguin. PeerJ, 5, e3727. doi: 10.7717/peerj.3272

Journal - Research Article

Mattern, T., Ellenberg, U., Houston, D. M., Lamare, M., Davis, L. S., van Heezik, Y., & Seddon, P. J. (2013). Straight line foraging in yellow-eyed penguins: New insights into cascading fisheries effects and orientation capabilities of marine predators. PLoS ONE, 8(12), e84381. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084381

Journal - Research Article

Ellenberg, U., Mattern, T., Houston, D. M., Davis, L. S., & Seddon, P. J. (2012). Previous experiences with humans affect responses of Snares Penguins to experimental disturbance. Journal of Ornithology, 153(3), 621-631. doi: 10.1007/s10336-011-0780-4

Journal - Research Article

Hegg, D., Giroir, T., Ellenberg, U., & Seddon, P. J. (2012). Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) as a case study to assess the reliability of nest counts. Journal of Ornithology, 153(2), 457-466. doi: 10.1007/s10336-011-0761-7

Journal - Research Article

Ellenberg, U., Mattern, T., & Seddon, P. J. (2009). Habituation potential of yellow-eyed penguins depends on sex, character and previous experience with humans. Animal Behaviour, 77(2), 289-296. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.09.021

Journal - Research Article

Ellenberg, U., Setiawan, A. N., Cree, A., Houston, D. M., & Seddon, P. J. (2007). Elevated hormonal stress response and reduced reproductive output in Yellow-eyed penguins exposed to unregulated tourism. General & Comparative Endocrinology, 152, 54-63.

Journal - Research Article

Mattern, T., Ellenberg, U., Houston, D. M., & Davis, L. S. (2007). Consistent foraging routes and benthic foraging behaviour in yellow-eyed penguins. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 343, 295-306. doi: 10.3354/meps06954

Journal - Research Article

Ellenberg, U., Mattern, T., Seddon, P. J., & Jorquera, G. L. (2006). Physiological and reproductive consequences of human disturbance in Humboldt penguins: The need for species-specific visitor management. Biological Conservation, 133, 95-106.

Journal - Research Article

Mattern, T., Ellenberg, U., Luna-Jorquera, G., & Davis, L. S. (2004). Humboldt penguin census on Isla Chañaral, Chile: Recent increase or past underestimate of penguin numbers? Waterbirds, 27(3), 368-376.

Journal - Research Article

Cole, T. L., Dutoit, L., Dussex, N., Hart, T., Alexander, A., Frugone, M. J., … Ellenberg, U., … Mattern, T., … Waters, J. M. (2019). Contrasting demographic histories between widespread and endemic penguin taxa. Proceedings of the 10th International Penguin Conference (IPC10). (pp. 39-40). Retrieved from https://www.penguin-conference.com