Dr. Paul Kotterba
Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries
Alter Hafen Süd 218069 Rostock
- Telephone
- +49 381 66099 171
- Fax
- +49 381 66099 199
- paul.kotterba@thuenen.de
Fields of Activity
- Scientist in the pelagic working group
- Acoustic survey of pelagic fish species (e.g. herring and sprat) in the Baltic Sea
- Research on the biology (growth, distribution, feeding ecology, and mortality) of pelagic fishes in the Baltic Sea
Research Interests
- population dynamics and fisheries management
- Application and further development of minimally invasive methods (such as hydroacoustics) in the study of fish populations/distributions
- Biology of pelagic fish
- Marine food webs and their implications for population dynamics
- Impact of climate change on pelagic fish stocks
Scientific background
Since March 2024: Scientist in the pelagic working group at the Thünen-Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Rostock
2022-2024: Scientist at the Thünen Institute, Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Rostock, Project SpaCeParti
2010-2017: Scientist at the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Rostock
2008-2010: Scientist at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Institute of Infectology, Insel Riems
2003-2008: Advanced study of fisheries science, hydrobiology, microbiology and zoology at the University of Hamburg. Certificate: Diplom-Biologe
2000-2003: Basic study of biology at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald
Publications
- 0
Moll D, Asmus H, Blöcker AM, Böttcher U, Conradt J, Färber L, Funk N, Funk S, Gutte H, Hinrichsen HH, Kotterba P, Krumme U, Madiraca F, Meier HEM, Meyer S, Moritz T, Otto SA, Pinto G, Polte P, et al (2024) A climate vulnerability assessment of the fish community in the Western Baltic Sea. Sci Rep 14:16184, DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-67029-2
- 1
Kotterba P, Moll D, Winkler H, Finke A, Polte P (2024) A wolf in sheep's clothing: Planktivorous Atlantic herring preys on demersal fishes in coastal waters. Ecology (Durham NC) 105(8):e4363, DOI:10.1002/ecy.4363
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Berg F, Nash R, Moesgaard Albertsen C, Bartolino V, Bekkevold D, Berges B, Bjarnason S, Brazier A, Clarke D, Egan A, Farrell ED, Goodall J, Haase S, Jacobsen JA, Kotterba P, Kvamme C, Makrooni MA, Marchal P, Polte P, Rohlf N, et al (2024) Second workshop on stock identification and allocation of catches of herring to stocks (WKSIDAC2; outputs from 2023 meeting). Copenhagen: ICES, iii, 67 p, ICES Sci Rep 6(5), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.24998747
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Moyano M, Illing B, Akimova A, Alter K, Bartolino V, Börner G, Clemmesen C, Finke A, Gröhsler T, Kotterba P, Livdane L, Mittermayer F, Moll D, Nordheim L von, Peck M, Schaber M, Polte P (2023) Caught in the middle: bottom-up and top-down processes impacting recruitment in a small pelagic fish. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 33(1):55-84, DOI:10.1007/s11160-022-09739-2
- 4
Brazier A, Kvamme C, Bartolino V, Bekkevold D, Berg F, Berges B, Egan A, Farrell E, Griffiths C, Haase S, Håkansson KB, Henriksen O, Holdgate A, Huwer B, Jacobsen NS, Johnsen E, Kotterba P, Lundy M, Polte P, Rohlf N, et al (2023) Herring Assessment Working Group for the Area South of 62° N (HAWG). Copenhagen: ICES, 837 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(23), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.22182034
- 5
Finke A, Nordheim L von, Kotterba P, Polte P (2022) Impact of spawn concentrations on Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) egg survival in Baltic Sea inshore spawning areas. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 275:107961, DOI:10.1016/j.ecss.2022.107961
- 6
Henseler C, Oesterwind D, Kotterba P, Nordström MC, Snickars M, Törnroos A, Bonsdorff E (2021) Impact of round goby on native invertebrate communities - An experimental field study. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 541:151571, DOI:10.1016/j.jembe.2021.151571
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Polte P, Gröhsler T, Kotterba P, Nordheim L von, Moll D, Santos J, Rodriguez-Tress P, Zablotski Y, Zimmermann C (2021) Reduced reproductive success of Western Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) as a response to warming winters. Front Mar Sci 8:589242, DOI:10.3389/fmars.2021.589242
- 8
Köster F-W, Huwer B, Kraus G, Diekmann R, Eero M, Makarchouk A, Örey S, Dierking J, Margonski P, Herrmann JP, Tomkiewicz J, Oesterwind D, Kotterba P, Haslob H, Voss R, Reusch TBH (2020) Egg production methods applied to Eastern Baltic cod provide indices of spawning stock dynamics. Fish Res 227:105553, DOI:10.1016/j.fishres.2020.105553
- 9
Henseler C, Kotterba P, Bonsdorff E, Nordström MC, Oesterwind D (2020) Habitat utilization and feeding ecology of small round goby in a shallow brackish lagoon. Mar Biodiv 50:Art. 88, DOI:10.1007/s12526-020-01098-0
- 10
Nordheim L von, Kotterba P, Moll D, Polte P (2020) Lethal effect of filamentous algal blooms on Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) eggs in the Baltic Sea. Aquatic Conserv 30(7):1362-1372, DOI:10.1002/aqc.3329
- 11
Moyano M, Illing B, Polte P, Kotterba P, Zablotski Y, Gröhsler T, Hüdepohl P, Cooke SJ, Peck M (2020) Linking individual physiological indicators to the productivity of fish populations: A case study of Atlantic herring. Ecol Indic 113:106146, DOI:10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106146
- 12
Moll D, Kotterba P, Jochum KP, Nordheim L von, Polte P (2019) Elemental inventory in fish otoliths reflects natal origin of atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from Baltic Sea juvenile areas. Front Mar Sci 6:191, DOI:10.3389/fmars.2019.00191
- 13
Dodson JJ, Daigle G, Hammer C, Polte P, Kotterba P, Winkler G, Zimmermann C (2019) Environmental determinants of larval herring (Clupea harengus) abundance and distribution in the western Baltic Sea. Limnol Oceanogr 64(1):317-329, DOI:10.1002/lno.11042
- 14
Lauerburg RAM, Temming A, Pinnegar JK, Kotterba P, Sell AF, Kempf A, Floeter J (2018) Forage fish control population dynamics of North Sea whiting Merlangius merlangus. Mar Ecol Progr Ser 594:213-230, DOI:10.3354/meps12533
- 15
Nordheim L von, Kotterba P, Moll D, Polte P (2018) Impact of spawning substrate complexity on egg survival of Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus, L.) in the Baltic Sea. Estuaries Coasts 41(2):549-559, DOI:10.1007/s12237-017-0283-5
- 16
Wiegleb J, Kotterba P, Hammer C, Oesterwind D (2018) Predation of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1814) on Atlantic herring eggs in the Western Baltic Sea. Mar Biol Res 14(9-10):989–1003, DOI:10.1080/17451000.2019.1577977
- 17
Moll D, Kotterba P, Nordheim L von, Polte P (2018) Storm-induced Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) egg mortality in Baltic Sea inshore spawning areas. Estuaries Coasts 41(1):1-12, DOI:10.1007/s12237-017-0259-5
- 18
Polte P, Kotterba P, Moll D, Gröhsler T, Nordheim L von (2018) Time series of the Ruegen Larval Herring N20 Index and potential reasons for a declining larval production. In: ICES benchmark workshop on pelagic stocks (WKPELA 2018) : 12.-16.02.2018, Copenhagen. Copenhagen: ICES, pp 1-10
- 19
Polte P, Kotterba P, Moll D, Nordheim L von (2017) Ontogenetic loops in habitat use highlight the importance of littoral habitats for early life-stages of oceanic fishes in temperate waters. Sci Rep 7:42709, DOI:10.1038/srep42709
- 20
Kotterba P, Moll D, Hammer C, Peck M, Oesterwind D, Polte P (2017) Predation on Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) eggs by the resident predator community in coastal transitional waters. Limnol Oceanogr 62(6):2616-2628, DOI:10.1002/lno.10594
- 21
Kotterba P, Moll D, Nordheim L von, Peck M, Oesterwind D, Polte P (2017) Predation on larval Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in inshore waters of the Baltic Sea. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 198:1-11, DOI:10.1016/j.ecss.2017.08.017
- 22
Oesterwind D, Bock C, Förster A, Gabel M, Henseler C, Kotterba P, Menge M, Myts D, Winkler HM (2017) Predator and prey: the role of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus in the western Baltic. Mar Biol Res 13(2):188-197, DOI:10.1080/17451000.2016.1241412
- 23
Lehtiniemi M, Bonsdorff E, Funk SC, Herlevi H, Huwer B, Jaspers C, Kotta J, Kotterba P, Lesutiene J, Margonski P, Mattern S, Niemax J, Nurske K, Oesterwind D, Ojaveer H, Puntila R, Skabeikis A, Smolinski S, Temming A, Törnroos A, Warzocha J (2017) Report assessing the effects of key NIS on ecosystem functioning. 196 p, DOI:10.3289/BIO-C3_D2.3
- 24
Andersson H, Almroth Rosell E, Hordoir R, Kotta J, Kotterba P, MacKenzie BR, Nordheim L von, Oesterwind D, Siaulys A, Skov H, Wahlströhm I, Zaiko A (2017) Report on dynamics of benthic and pelagic habitats in space and time under different driver forcing, including identification of vulnerable habitats. 30 p, DOI:10.3289/BIO-C3_D3.4
- 25
Köster F-W, Huwer B, Hinrichsen HH, Neumann V, Makarchouk A, Eero M, Dewitz B von, Hüssy K, Tomkiewicz J, Margonski P, Temming A, Hermann J-P, Oesterwind D, Dierking J, Kotterba P, Plikshs M (2016) Eastern Baltic cod recruitment revisited - dynamics and impacting factors. ICES J Mar Sci 74(1):3-19, DOI:10.1093/icesjms/fsw172
- 26
Winder M, Asterhag E, Bernreuther M, Bleckner T, Bonaglia S, Bonsdorff E, Brüchert V, Burian A, Dierking J, Downing A, Dutz J, Griniene E, Fey DP, Griffiths JR, Gårdmark A, Hajdu S, Hammer C, Herrmann Joachim, Kotterba P, Oesterwind D, et al (2016) Food webs under changing biodiversity - Top-down control. BIO-C3 Deliverable, D2.2. 40 p, DOI:10.3289/BIO-C3_D2.2
- 27
Jonsson P, Hinrichsen HH, Kotta J, Kotterba P, Middelboe AL, Oesterwind D, Bonsdorff E (2016) Report on the importance of connectivity as a driver of biodiversity (populations, species, communities, habitats). EU Bonusproject BIO-C3, 187 p, DOI:10.3289/BIO-C3_D3.3
- 28
Henseler C, Bock C, Kotterba P, Winkler H, Oesterwind D (2015) Biology, abundance and feeding ecology of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in the eastern German Baltic. Book of Extended Abstracts: ICES Annual Science Conference 2015, 21.09. – 25.09. Copenhagen, Denmark. Copenhagen: ICES, 2 p
- 29
Temming A, Niemax J, Zaiko A, Aiaulis A, Törnroos A, Clemmesen C, Jaspers C, Oesterwind D, Bonsdorff E, Mittermayer F, Kuosa H, Ojaveer H, Behrens JW, Peters J, Renz J, Kotta J, Dutz J, Lehtiniemi M, Winder M, Kotterba P, et al (2015) Review of environmental factors influencing distributions of selected Baltic species. BIO-C3 Deliverable, D1.1. EU Bonusproject BIO-C3. 75 p, DOI:10.3289/BIO-C3_D1.1
- 30
Lauerburg RAM, Keyl F, Kotterba P, Floeter J, Temming A (2015) Sex-specific food intake in whiting Merlangius merlangus. J Fish Biol 86(6):1729-1753, DOI:10.1111/jfb.12682
- 31
Oesterwind D, Kotterba P (2015) Zwischenbericht BONUS Ecosystem Verbundprojekt Bio-C3. 14 p
- 32
Kotterba P, Kühn C, Hammer C, Polte P (2014) Predation of threespine stickleback (Gastrosteus aculeatus) on the eggs of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in a Baltic Sea lagoon. Limnol Oceanogr 59(2):578-587, doi:10.4319/lo.2014.59.2.0578
- 33
Polte P, Kotterba P, Hammer C, Gröhsler T (2014) Survival bottlenecks in the early ontogenesis of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus, L.) in coastal lagoon spawning areas of the western Baltic Sea. ICES J Mar Sci 71(4):982-990, doi:10.1093/icesjms/fst050
- 34
Oesterwind D, Kotterba P (2014) Zwischenbericht BONUS Ecosystem Verbundprojekt Bio-C3. 7 p
- 35
Dorrien C von, Hammer C, Zimmermann C, Stepputtis D, Stuermer IW, Kotterba P, Polte P (2013) A review on herring Clupea harengus (Actinopterygii: Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) recruitment and early life stage ecology in the Western Baltic Sea. Acta Ichth Piscat 43(3):169-182, doi:10.3750/AIP2013.43.3.01
- 36
Heiler J, Hammer C, Kotterba P, Polte P (2012) Die vertikale Verteilung von Heringslarven im Greifswalder Bodden. Inf Fischereiforsch 59:25-29, DOI:10.3220/Infn59_25-29_2012
- 37
Beyer S, Goni O, Polte P, Kotterba P, Zimmermann C, Hammer C (2011) Herring recruitment ecology: Looking at the youngest : ICES CM 2011/H:45. Rostock: IOR, 1 p
- 38
Polte P, Beyer S, Kotterba P, Hammer C, Oeberst R, Zimmermann C (2011) Identifying recruitment bottlenecks in the early life history of Western Baltic herring (Clupea harengus, L.) : ICES CM H:45. Rostock: OSF, 1 p
Awards
- 2014 1st place at "Rostock's Eleven" Science-Communication Workshop, Rostock, Germany
- 2012 Yellow Submarine Award, 47th European Marine Biology Symposium, Arendal, Norway
Selected presentations
Kotterba, P.: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2015. Vortrag. Disputation am Institut für Hydrobiologie und Fischereiwissenschaften der Universität Hamburg, Deutschland.
Kotterba, P., Moll, D., Hammer, C., and P. Polte: Estuarine stickleback predation on the eggs of inshore-spawning Atlantic herring in the Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 23rd biennial CERF conference, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Polte, P., Kotterba, P., Moll, D., and L. v. Nordheim: Drivers and stressors of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) recruitment in inshore Baltic Sea spawning areas. 2015. Vortrag. 23rd biennial CERF conference, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Kotterba, P., Beyer, S., Heiler, S., Moll, D., and P. Polte: Habitat utilization of herring larvae in an inshore retention area in the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 50th European Marine Biology Symposium, Helgoland, Deutschland.
Moll, D., Kotterba, P., and P. Polte: Spawning bed selection of Atlantic herring in coastal waters of the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 50th European Marine Biology Symposium, Helgoland, Deutschland.
Moll, D., Kotterba, P., v. Nordheim, L., and P. Polte: Spawning bed selection of Atlantic herring in the waters of the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 39th Annual Larval Fish Conference, Wien, Österreich.
Polte, P., Kotterba, P., Heiler, J., Beyer, S., Moll, D., and L. v. Nordheim: Loops of near-shore habitat use by early herring (Clupea harengus) life stages in the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. ICES Annual Science Conference, Kopenhagen, Dänemark.
Henseler, C., Bock, C., Kotterba, P., Winkler, H., and D. Oesterwind: Biology, abundance and feeding ecology of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in the eastern German Baltic. 2015. Vortrag. ICES Annual Science Conference, Kopenhagen, Dänemark.
Winkler, H., Kotterba, P., and D. Oesterwind: Round Goby: A story of invasion success in the Baltic. 2015. Poster. ICES Annual Science Conference, Kopenhagen, Dänemark.
Kotterba, P.: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.
Moll, D., Kotterba, P., and P. Polte. Otolith chemistry – An opportunity to estimate the importance of single spawning grounds to the overall population of the WBSSH. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.
Moll, D., Kotterba, P., v. Nordheim, L., and P. Polte. Spawning bed selection of Atlantic herring in the waters of the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.
Polte, P., Beyer, S., Heiler, J., and P. Kotterba. Loops of near shore habitat use by early herring (Clupea harengus) life stages in the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.
Kotterba, P.: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2014. Vortrag. Zoologisches Kolloquium der Universität Rostock, Deutschland
Kotterba, P., C. Hammer, P. Polte and C. Kühn: The effect of predation of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) on the eggs of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in a Baltic spawning site. 2014. Vortrag. 38th Annual Larval fish conference, Québec, Canada.
Kotterba, P. Kaviar fürs Fisch-Volk: Der Stichling ist ein unterschätzer Räuber! 2014. Vortrag. 6th Rostock’s Eleven Science-Communication Workshop, Rostock, Deutschland
Kotterba, P., D. Moll, P. Paulsen and P. Polte: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2013. Vortrag. Herring early life stages seminar, Hamburg, Deutschland
Kotterba, P., M. Paulsen, and P. Polte: A wolf in sheep’s clothing – Western Baltic herring as an intense predator of estuarine demersal fish. 2013. Vortrag. 48th European Marine Biology Symposium, Galway, Irland
Moll, D., P. Kotterba, P. Polte: Impact of storm induced hydrodynamics on egg mortality of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in the Western Baltic Sea. 2013. Poster. 48th European Marine Biology Symposium, Galway, Irland
Kotterba, P., D. Moll, M. Paulsen, S. Beyer, J. Heiler, and P. Polte: Recruitment ecology Research at the Thuenen-Institute of Baltic Sea fisheries. 2013. Vortrag. Transnational HERRING Meeting, Rostock, Deutschland
Moll, D., P. Kotterba, P. Polte: Impacts of storm induced hydrodynamics on herring egg mortality. 2013. Vortrag. Transnational HERRING Meeting, Rostock, Deutschland
Lauerburg RAM, F. Keyl, P. Kotterba, J. Floeter and A. Temming: Sex-specific food intake in North Sea Whiting (Merlangius merlangus). 2013. Poster. ICES/NAFO Symposium Gadoid Fisheries, St Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada.
Polte P., J. Heiler, D. Moll, S. Beyer and P. Kotterba: Horizontal and vertical distribution of early herring (Clupea harengus, L.) life stages in a shallow western Baltic lagoon. 2013. Vortrag. 37th Annual Larval fish Conference, Miami, Florida, USA
Polte, P., C. Hammer, P. Kotterba and C. Zimmermann: Survival bottlenecks in the early ontogenesis of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus,L.) in coastal lagoon spawning areas of the western Baltic sea. 2012. Vortrag. 36th Annual Larval fish Conference, Bergen, Norwegen.
Kotterba, P., S. Beyer, C. Hammer, P. Polte: Survival bottlenecks in early herring (Clupea harengus, L.) life history in coastal lagoons of the Western Baltic Sea. 2012. Vortrag. 50th ECSA Conference, Venedig, Italien
Kotterba, P., C. Hammer, C. Kühn, and P. Polte: Trophic interactions between oceanic and resident estuarine fish species - Atlantic herring and the three-spined stickleback. 2012. Vortrag. 47th European Marine Biology Symposium, Arendal, Norwegen
Kotterba, P., S. Beyer, C. Hammer, and P. Polte: Stickleback predation on early life stages of herring (Clupea harengus, L.) in a shallow western Baltic retention area. 2011. Vortrag. ICES Annual Science Conference, Danzig, Polen
Polte, P., S. Beyer, P. Kotterba, C. Hammer, R. Oeberst, and C. Zimmermann: Identification of recruitment bottlenecks in the early life history of western Baltic herring (Clupea harengus L.). 2011. Poster. ICES Annual Science Conference, Danzig, Polen
Beyer, S., C. Hammer, C. Zimmermann, O. Goni, P. Polte, and P. Kotterba: Herring Recruitment ecology: looking at the youngest. 2011. Poster. ICES Annual Science Conference, Danzig, Polen
Kotterba, P., S. Sczodroc, F. Takizawa, B. Köllner, N. Lorenzen, M. Ototake, and U. Fischer: Cell-mediated cytotoxicity, immune gene regulation and protein expression after DNA vaccination in rainbow trout. 2009. Vortrag. 14th International EAFP Conference, Prag, Tschechien
Kotterba, P., G. Kotterba und A. Tautenhahn: Untersuchung der immunstimulierenden Wirkung einer Chlorella vulgaris – Extraktfütterung auf Forellen. 2004. Poster. X. Gemeinschaftstagung der Deutschen und Österreichischen und Schweizer Sektion der EAFP, Stralsund, Deutschland.