Seabird Ecology Working Group (SAG)

Dr. Jana Kotzerka

Curriculum Vitae

• since Oct. 2010 – Research and Technology Center Westcoast, Buesum, Germany
  Research scientist in various third-party funded projects
• Dec. 2011 – Graduation as PhD at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany
  Title: "Identification of foraging behaviour and feeding areas of three seabird species breeding sympatrically in a highly productive regime, the northern Gulf of Alaska"
• Jan. 2009 - Sept. 2010 – Environmental Consultancy "Biola", Hamburg, Germany
  Research scientist in different projects and environmental assessment studies regarding offshore wind energy
• Jan. 2006 - Dec. 2008 – Research and Technology Center Westcoast, Buesum, Germany
  Research scientist in the DFG-project "Modelling of foraging strategies of seabirds in the North Pacific with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and habitat analyses" (PhD-thesis)
• March - Dec. 2005 – Research and Technology Center Westcoast, Buesum, Germany
  Research scientist in various third-party funded projects
• Dec. 2003 - Dec. 2004 – Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
  Research scientist in a project of accompanying ecological research regarding the use of offshore wind energy in the North Sea
• Feb. - Dec. 2003 – Research and Technology Center Westcoast, Buesum, Germany
  Research scientist in various third-party funded projects
• Sept. - Dec. 2002 – Institute of Marine Science (GEOMAR), Kiel, Germany
  Research scientist in various third-party funded projects
• Sept. 2001 - Aug. 2002 – diploma thesis at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany
  Theme: "Spatial and temporal activity patterns of the Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) in northern Chile"
• Oct. 1996 - Oct. 2002 – study of biology at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany

Main research activities

• Use of datalogger techniques and telemetry to study the foraging strategies of seabirds
• Study of the diving behaviour of seabirds
• Behavioural ecology
• Breeding biology
• Organisation and execution of ship-based and aerial surveys of seabirds in the North and Baltic Sea
• Development and maintenance of a seabird distribution data base
• Analysis und modelling of distribution patterns and habitat choice of seabirds at sea
• Data processing and GIS-based data analysis
• Development and maintenance of the web presence for the Seabird Ecology Working Group (SAG) at the Research and Technology Center Westcoast (FTZ)
• Capture of seabirds and waders for scientific research

Teaching experience

• Jan. - Febr. 2001 – Institute of Marine Science (GEOMAR), Kiel, Germany
  Supervision of graduate students in the course "Identification exercises of marine animals"

Research experiences

• May - June 2012 – Studies of spatial and temporal activity patterns of the Lesser black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) in the North Sea
• Jan. 2009 - Sept. 2010 – Surveying the distribution of seabirds and migrants in the North and Baltic Sea within the framework of environmental assessment studies regarding offshore wind energy and behavioural observations of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Great Belt
• May - Aug. 2008 – Camp leader for the U. S. Geologicl Survey (USGS) at the research station on Middleton Island, Alaska, USA
• May - Aug. 2008 - Third field study for the PhD-thesis "Modelling of foraging strategies of seabirds in the North Pacific with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and habitat analyses" in Alaska, USA
• Nov. 2007 - Jan. 2008 – Field assistant in a research project to investigate the foraging behaviour of Skuas in Antarctica with the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena
• May - Aug. 2007 – Camp leader for the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the research station on Middleton Island, Alaska, USA
• May - Aug. 2007 - Second field study for the PhD-thesis "Modelling of foraging strategies of seabirds in the North Pacific with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and habitat analyses" in Alaska, USA
• May - Aug. 2006 - First field study for the PhD-thesis "Modelling of foraging strategies of seabirds in the North Pacific with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and habitat analyses" in Alaska, USA
• May - July 2005 – Pilot study for the planned PhD thesis "Modelling of foraging strategies of seabirds in the North Pacific with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and habitat analyses" at the Kurile Islands, Russia
• Sept. 2001 - March 2002 – Field study for the diploma thesis "Spatial and temporal activity patterns of the Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) in northern Chile" in Chile
• Aug. - Oct. 2000 – Field assistant in a research project to investigate the foraging behaviour and breeding success of the Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor) using radio telemetry and TDR´s (Time Depth Recorder) in New Zealand
• Jan. - March 1999 – Field assistant in a research project to investigate the foraging behaviour of the Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) using radio telemetry and TDR´s (Time Depth Recorder) in Chile
• Nov. 1997 - July 2001 – Student assistant in the department of fish biology at the Institute of Marine Science (GEOMAR), Kiel, Germany

Research Grants and Scholarships

• 2002 - Dr. W. Hunke Foundation of the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany
• 2006 - Pacific Seabird Group, USA
• 2006 - 2008 - German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany
• 2007 - GlaxoSmithKline-Foundation, Germany
• 2008 - GlaxoSmithKline-Foundation, Germany
• 2008 - Pacific Seabird Group, USA
• 2010 – DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), Germany
• 2010 - GlaxoSmithKline-Foundation, Germany
• 2010 – World Seabird Conference (WSC), USA

Publications

Kotzerka, J. (2011). Identification of foraging behaviour and feeding areas of three seabird species breeding sympatrically in a highly productive regime, the northern Gulf of Alaska. Dissertation, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel.

Kotzerka, J. , S. A. Hatch, S. Garthe (2011). Evidence for foraging-site fidelity and individual foraging behavior of Pelagic Cormorants rearing chicks in the Gulf of Alaska. Condor. Volume 113 (1), pp 80-88.

Kotzerka, J. , S. Garthe, S. A. Hatch (2010). GPS tracking devices reveal foraging strategies of black-legged kittiwakes. Journal of Ornithology. Volume 151(2), pp 459-467.

Huettmann, F., M. Suitor and J. Kotzerka (2005). Coastal seabird community structures in the Sea of Okhotsk during spring and fall: Preliminary findings from 7 seasons of fieldwork. Proceedings of the 20th International Symposium on Okhotsk Sea & Sea Ice, 20-25 February 2005, Mombetsu, Hokkaido, Japan. The Okhotsk Sea & Cold Ocean Research Association. pp 12-17.

Garthe, S., N. Ullrich, T. Weichler, V. Dierschke, U. Kubetzki, J. Kotzerka, T. Krüger, N. Sonntag, & A. J. Helbig (2003): See- und Wasservögel der deutschen Ostsee - Verbreitung, Gefährdung und Schutz. Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn. 170 S.

Presentations

Kotzerka, J. & S. Garthe (2011).StUKplus – Gemeinsame Auswertung von Daten zu Seevögeln für das ökologische Effektmonitoring am Testfeld. Vortrag. BSH StUKplus-Statusseminar, 01.09.2011, Hamburg, Germany

Kotzerka, J ., S. Garthe & S. A. Hatch (2010). Contrasting foraging strategies of Black-legged Kittiwakes during pre-breeding and breeding and relationships with remote sensing data. Vortrag. 1st World Seabird Conference, 07.-11.09.2010, Victoria, British Columbia, Kanada

Kotzerka, J. , S. Garthe & S. A. Hatch (2009). Night and Day - Contrasting foraging strategies of Black-legged Kittiwakes between pre-breeding and breeding stage. Poster. 10th International Sea-bird Group Conference, 27.03.-30.03.09, Brugge, Belgium.

Hatch S. A., J. Kotzerka & S. Garthe (2008). Satellite (PTT) and GPS tracking of seasonal movements by Alaska seabirds. Vortrag. 32nd Annual Meeting of the Waterbird Society, 04.-07.11.2008, Sputh Padre Island, Texas, USA

Kotzerka, J. , S. Garthe & S. A. Hatch (2008). New technology for an old friend - Use of GPS dataloggers for determining foraging strategies of Black-legged Kittiwakes. Vortrag . 35th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group, 27.02.-02.03.08, Blaine, Washington, USA

Kotzerka, J. , S. Garthe & S. A. Hatch (2008). Time-depth-temperature recorder reveals first insights into diving behaviour of Tufted Puffins . Poster, 35th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group, 27.02.-02.03.08, Blaine, Washington, USA

Kotzerka, J. , S. Garthe & S. A. Hatch (2007). Foraging strategies of Pelagic Cormorants in the Gulf of Alaska. Vortrag . 34th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group, 07.02.-11.02.07, Asilomar, California, USA

Kotzerka, J. , Garthe, S., Luna-Jorquera, G. (2006). La Niña vs. El Niño: Differences in seabird abundance and utilisation of fishery waste in two fishing harbours in northern Chile between two different years. Poster. 9th International Seabird Group Conference, 01.09.-03.09.06 Aberdeen, Great Britain

Kotzerka, J. , Garthe, S., Luna-Jorquera, G. (2006). La Niña vs. El Niño: Differences in seabird abundance and utilisation of fishery waste in two fishing harbours in northern Chile between two different years. Poster. 24th International Ornithological Congress, 13.08.-19.08.06 Hamburg, Germany

Kotzerka, J. , Huettmann, F., Garthe, S. (2006). Nest attendance and feeding frequencies of breeding Japanese Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Capillatus) on Iturup Island, (Kuriles, Russian Far East), Poster. 33rd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group, 15.02.-19.02.06, Girdwood, Alaska, USA

Kotzerka, J. , Garthe, S., Huettmann, F. (2005). Predictive modelling of foraging strategies of seabirds with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), data loggers and progressive habitat analyses along a sub-arctic Pacific gradient. Poster. GLOBEC: Climate Variability and Sub-Arctic Marine Ecosystems Symposium, 16.05-21.05 05, Victoria, Canada

Kotzerka, J. , Suitor, M., Huettmann, F. (2005). Fisheries, Seabirds and Oceanography in the Sea of Okhotsk during spring and fall: A first summary from 7 years of fieldwork. Poster. 32nd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group, 19.01.-22.01.05, Portland, Oregon, USA