Phoebe Stewart-Sinclair Email & Phone Number

Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand

Brisbane, Australia

Oban, Argyll

Tauranga

Marine Studies / Environmental ManagementPapers include:• Statistics• Invertebrate Biology• Freshwater Ecology• Wastewater Management• Fisheries ManagementDuties: • Lecturing for level 5 and level 6 papers as part of a Bachelor of Applied Science• Coordinating and leading field research • Managing and running teaching labs for undergraduates• Supervision of student research projects

Palmerston North

Effects of diet on survival, breeding and population growth of New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) in the Auckland Islands from 1998 to 2010. The New Zealand (NZ) sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) is listed as “nationally critical” under the NZ threat classification system and “vulnerable in decline” by IUCN. Pup production at the Auckland Islands has declined by approximately 50% since 1998. We investigated survival, breeding probability and finite rate of increase (λ) of NZ sea lions with reference to the amount of main prey species in the diet from 1998 to 2010. We identified long-term shifts in diet quality where large prey including hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) and giant octopus (Enteroctopus zealandicus) have been replaced over time by smaller prey taxa such as opalfish (Hemerocoetes sp.). Over this time period, survival probability was marginally best explained by the null model, indicating that survival is as yet not significantly affected by the amount of any one prey type in the diet. However, breeding probability is better explained by the amount of hoki and ling (Geypterus blacodes) in the diet than by the null model, perhaps helping to explain the decline in pup production. Adult female NZ sea lions affected by prey availability may have enough food to survive but may choose not to invest in energetically expensive breeding. This would buffer the observed effect on survival since we would re-sight individuals that are alive but perhaps not in body condition to breed. Our models found that increased amounts of hoki (PO >0.35) and ling (PO >0.30) in the diet cause the finite rate of increase (λ) to rise until the population stabilises (λ=1) and even begins to grow (λ>1). However these values of λ are only obtained at levels of PO twice that observed in the 13 year period examined. We hypothesize that a shortage of high quality or abundant food could lead to reduced reproductive output and survival, as a result of nutritional stress.

Palmerston North

Duties: • Collected soil samples for analysis• Managed grazing of rye grass trials• Sorted pasture samples to determine clover composition.• Pollinated clover plants manually.• Collected species of Bumblebee (Bombus spp.) for use as pollinating agents, for white and red clover.• Maintained cross-breeding strains of white clover in crossing enclosures.

Palmerston North

Duties:• Assist in practical component of undergraduate courses including lab and field work.• Attend field trips as a supervisor and lead teams of undergraduates in field work.• Supervise practical assessments.• Mark assignments and exam scripts for 200-level courses.

Master Of Science (Msc), Conservation Biology, A

Thesis topic: Diet of NZ Sealions in the Auckland Islands, and possible competitive effects of Arrow Squid fisheries.

Certificate In Tertiary Teaching (Poutiriako), Adult And Continuing Education And Teaching

Bsc (Hons), Zoology, A

Thesis topic: Nest site selection by NZ bush falcon in a plantation forest.

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Zoology And Ecology, A

Activities and Societies: Massey University Surf and Snow Club

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Conservation Biology

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Economics