Marine Ecology Research Group
PEOPLE
- Adjunct Professor of Practice
- School of Biological Sciences
- Adjunct Professor of PracticeSchool of Biological Sciences
As an Adjunct Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury, my research centres on the early life history of fish and the ecological processes that shape their survival and distribution. My work explores larval and juvenile stages, diadromous life cycles, and the environmental factors influencing population connectivity and resilience. My academic path has been closely tied to UC, where I completed my BSc, MSc, and PhD before undertaking a postdoctoral fellowship in marine ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
I have contributed to a wide range of research on freshwater and coastal species, including Galaxias maculatus (whitebait), with publications spanning larval dispersal, habitat quality, population dynamics, and biodiversity time‑series datasets.
Beyond research, I engage in science communication and leadership within New Zealand’s marine science community, including council service for the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society and media outreach on whitebait conservation.
My current role is as a Freshwater Ecologist at Earth Sciences New Zealand (Foremerly NIWA)
As an Adjunct Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury, my research centres on the early life history of fish and the ecological processes that shape their survival and distribution. My work explores larval and juvenile stages, diadromous life cycles, and the environmental factors influencing population connectivity and resilience. My academic path has been closely tied to UC, where I completed my BSc, MSc, and PhD before undertaking a postdoctoral fellowship in marine ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
I have contributed to a wide range of research on freshwater and coastal species, including Galaxias maculatus (whitebait), with publications spanning larval dispersal, habitat quality, population dynamics, and biodiversity time‑series datasets.
Beyond research, I engage in science communication and leadership within New Zealand’s marine science community, including council service for the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society and media outreach on whitebait conservation.
My current role is as a Freshwater Ecologist at Earth Sciences New Zealand (Foremerly NIWA)
- Faculty of Science
Fields of Research- Biological sciences
- Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)
- Ecology
- Zoology
- Adjunct Professor of Practice
- School of Biological Sciences
- Adjunct Professor of PracticeSchool of Biological Sciences
Dr Shane Orchard is a spatial ecologist and conservation scientist based in Aotearoa New Zealand. He works as an independent consultant in water resource management specialising in the biogeography and socioecology of environmental extremes and natural disasters.
As an Adjunct Research Fellow and senior researcher at UC he contributes to government-funded research programmes.
In the non-profit and community sector he is a strong advocate and long-time supporter of community science. He is the current Oceania Regional Chair for the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management and a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and several associated specialist groups and international collaborations.
Shane's work is centred on the resilience and regeneration of coastal, river and floodplain ecosystems with a focus on recovery from natural disasters.
His main research interests are the impacts of hydrological hazards such as flooding, erosion and sea level rise and their interactions with a changing climate.
Dr Shane Orchard is a spatial ecologist and conservation scientist based in Aotearoa New Zealand. He works as an independent consultant in water resource management specialising in the biogeography and socioecology of environmental extremes and natural disasters.
As an Adjunct Research Fellow and senior researcher at UC he contributes to government-funded research programmes.
In the non-profit and community sector he is a strong advocate and long-time supporter of community science. He is the current Oceania Regional Chair for the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management and a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and several associated specialist groups and international collaborations.
Shane's work is centred on the resilience and regeneration of coastal, river and floodplain ecosystems with a focus on recovery from natural disasters.
His main research interests are the impacts of hydrological hazards such as flooding, erosion and sea level rise and their interactions with a changing climate.
- Faculty of Science
Fields of Research- Biological sciences
- Zoology
- Environmental sciences
- Climate change impacts and adaptation
- Ecological applications
- Earth sciences
- Physical geography and environmental geoscience
- Senior Lecturer
- School of Biological Sciences
- Senior LecturerSchool of Biological Sciences
Research interests include marine ecology and aquaculture.Research interests include marine ecology and aquaculture.- Faculty of Science
- Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
- Collaborative research projects
- Consulting & advisory services
- Industry partnerships & innovation
- Media enquiries
- Outreach & community engagement
- Policy advice & government consultation
Fields of Research- Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
- Biological sciences
- Earth sciences
- Environmental sciences
- Indigenous studies
- Ecology
- Plant biology
- Fisheries sciences
- Ecological applications
- Oceanography
- Animal production
- Ngā pūtaiao Māori (Māori sciences)
- Ngā mātauranga taiao o te Māori (Māori environmental knowledges)
- Mātauranga Māori (Māori education)
- Distinguished Professor
- School of Biological Sciences
- Distinguished ProfessorSchool of Biological Sciences
Research interests include marine intertidal and subtidal ecology and aquaculture.Research interests include marine intertidal and subtidal ecology and aquaculture.- Faculty of Science
- Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
- 14 Life Below Water
- 13 Climate Action
- 15 Life on Land
- 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
- 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
- 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
- 17 Partnerships for the Goals
Fields of Research- Biological sciences
- Environmental sciences
- Earth sciences
- Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
- Ecology
- Plant biology
- Ecological applications
- Oceanography
- Fisheries sciences
- Agricultural biotechnology
- Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology)
- Freshwater ecology
- Terrestrial ecology
- Biological adaptation
- Physical oceanography
- Biological oceanography
- Fish pests and diseases
- Fisheries management
- Ecosystem function
- Conservation and biodiversity
- Associate Professor
- School of Biological Sciences
- Associate ProfessorSchool of Biological Sciences
I am an ecologist that research environmental impacts on coastal plant and animal communities. My research focuses on how human stressors, such as bio-invasions, pollution, and climate change, impact the structure, productivity and biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. I combine experiments, surveys, analysis of long-term dataset, modeling and meta-analysis, to test how patterns in biological communities are generated and maintained. My research provides predictions on how coastal habitats will respond to human stressors and recommendations for conservation strategies needed to ameliorate their impacts.I am an ecologist that research environmental impacts on coastal plant and animal communities. My research focuses on how human stressors, such as bio-invasions, pollution, and climate change, impact the structure, productivity and biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. I combine experiments, surveys, analysis of long-term dataset, modeling and meta-analysis, to test how patterns in biological communities are generated and maintained. My research provides predictions on how coastal habitats will respond to human stressors and recommendations for conservation strategies needed to ameliorate their impacts.- Faculty of Science
- Registered to supervise Master's/Doctoral students
- 14 Life Below Water
- 13 Climate Action
- 15 Life on Land
- 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
- 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
- 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Collaborative research projects
- Consulting & advisory services
- Industry partnerships & innovation
- Media enquiries
- Outreach & community engagement
- Policy advice & government consultation
Fields of Research- Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)
- Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology)
- Biological sciences
- Ecology
- Environmental sciences
- Earth sciences
- Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
- Microbiology
- Climate change impacts and adaptation
- Ecological applications
- Oceanography
- Fisheries sciences
- Population ecology
- Ecosystem function
- Ecological impacts of climate change and ecological adaptation
- Physical oceanography
- Fish pests and diseases
- Landscape ecology
- Environmental rehabilitation and restoration
- Phycology (incl. marine grasses)