Stephen Wing

Professor Stephen Wing serves as a Professor in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago, New Zealand. His teaching responsibilities include coordinating ECOL 111 (Ecology and Conservation of Diversity), ECOL 411 (Reading Ecology), and MARI 451 (Advanced Topics in Marine Science), among other courses.

Academic Background:

• PhD, University of California, Davis

Wing's research centers on marine food web ecology, biogeochemical cycling, and metapopulation dynamics in coastal ecosystems. His group employs stable isotope analysis and trace metal chemistry to investigate how organic matter sources and species loss affect higher trophic levels (e.g., rock lobsters, marine mammals). Field sites span Fiordland, Antarctica, sub-Antarctic islands, and mainland New Zealand, addressing conservation and management challenges.

Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a focus on trophic niche shifts in marine mammals, kelp forest community dynamics, and zooplankton ecology in New Zealand waters. His work increasingly integrates historical perspectives (e.g., pre-human vs. modern) and examines climate change impacts, supporting ecosystem-based management.

No scientific awards were explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Professor Wing advises numerous postgraduate students (currently 7) on diverse projects including kelp forest ecology, sea lion foraging, and estuarine nursery habitats. His research is funded by major grants from the Marsden Fund, Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Fisheries, Antarctica New Zealand, and the Department of Conservation, totaling projects on food web connectivity, biodiversity monitoring, and Antarctic ecosystem function.

Based at Otago, his laboratory combines field sampling with advanced biogeochemical techniques to study coastal marine ecosystems. Current initiatives include the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge project on ecosystem connectivity and long-term monitoring in Fiordland marine reserves.