Christoph Richter

Research

Christoph Richter holds a Ph.D. in marine science and zoology from Otago University, New Zealand, where he studied the impact of whale watching activities on male sperm whales. His current pedagogical research focuses on undergraduate students’ knowledge of, and attitudes towards, the theory of evolution, scientific literacy, the use of long-term databases in undergraduate teaching, and the use of graphical tools to improve learning.

Recent Publications and Presentations

• Sagnol O., Richter C., Reitsma F., and Field L. In press. Estimating sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) daily abundance from a shore-based survey within the Kaikoura submarine canyon, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research.
• Sagnol O., Richter C., Field L. and Reitsma F. In press. Spatio-temporal distribution of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) off Kaikoura, New Zealand in relation to bathymetric features. New Zealand Journal of Zoology.
• Ricklefs, R., Relyea, R. and Richter, C. 2014. Ecology – The Economy of Nature, 1st Canadian Edition. Freeman.
• Sagnol, O., Reitsma, F., Richter, C. and Field, L.H. 2014. Correcting positional errors in shore-based theodolite measurements of animals at sea. Journal of Marine Biology 2014, Article ID 267917, 8 pages. doi:10.1155/2014/267917
• Munjal, S., Richter, C., Rawle, F., Hinic-Frlog, S., 2014. Effect of first year biology courses on the students’ understanding, and acceptance of evolution. Poster presented at Ontario Biology Day, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mar. 22-23.
• Rawle, F., Richter, C., and Tuna, M. 2013. Using scientific literacy assignments to bridge the development of science process skills across first year biology courses. Presentation at Teaching and Learning Symposium, University of Toronto, Oct. 28.
• Sagnol O., Richter C., Field L. and Reitsma F. 2013. Seasonal distribution of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in a submarine canyon in relation to oceanographic variables. Presentation at 20th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand, Dec. 9-13.
• Markowitz, T.M., Richter, C., and Gordon, J. (editors). 2011. Effects of Tourism on the Behaviour of Sperm Whales Inhabiting the Kaikoura Canyon. New Zealand Department of Conservation.
• Richter, C., Gordon, J., Jaquet, N. and Würsig, B. 2008. Social structure of sperm whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico Science 26: 118 - 123.

Current courses

• BIO153 – Diversity of organisms
• BIO205 – Ecology
• BIO361 – Biometrics II