ABSTRACT Bryozoan epibiosis on lobster hosts is rarely reported. Here we document bryozoan fouling of the spiny rock lobster Jasus edwardsii from the Hauraki Gulf, North Island of New Zealand. The 92 lobsters in this study came from the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve. The lobsters were measured for size and weight, sexed, scanned for epibionts, and photographed. Forty-two per cent of the

ABSTRACT Exotic species often slip through international borders undetected. Increased global trade has increased the frequency of species introductions. The marine aquarium trade is a significant vector of species introductions, including algal introductions. Molecular barcoding of tropical macroalgae entering the New Zealand aquarium trade was implemented using various molecular markers. Both NCBI

ABSTRACT Amphidromous fishes engage in migration to overcome the spatial mismatch between adult and larval habitat. The torrentfish (Cheimarrichthys fosteri), an endemic New Zealand amphidromous fish and only member of the Family Cheimarrichthyidae, display distinct spatial sexual segregation, but the migration assumed to overcome this segregation for reproduction is undocumented. We investigated the

ABSTRACT The broadnose sevengill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus) is a large marine predator found in temperate coastal marine habitats. Despite being commonly encountered, details of its ecology are limited. To partially address this, we quantified the size and sex structure of N. cepedianus in Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, New Zealand. A stereo-camera baited underwater video system (BRUV) was deployed

ABSTRACT Inanga (Galaxias maculatus) are found in a range of freshwater habitats around much of the Southern Hemisphere. Although they are reasonably well studied within New Zealand, little is known about the populations found in coastal pond systems. This study focussed on inanga diet and population dynamics within a shallow pond complex in coastal Southland, investigating age, growth, distribution

ABSTRACT Larvae (glochidia) of Unionida mussels form obligate symbiotic associations with host fish to complete their life-cycle. To identify previously unknown host fish associations for the threatened New Zealand Echyridella aucklandica, glochidia infestation on fish by two mussel species was quantified in four Waikato streams. A host for E. aucklandica was identified for the first time, with glochidia

ABSTRACT Measurements of body length play an important role in the assessment of size and population structure of whales, allowing estimation of population parameters such as age at sexual and physical maturity. Uniquely, sperm whales can be measured from the interpulse interval (IPI) of their echolocation clicks, which contain information on the length of the head, which is allometrically related

ABSTRACT New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) are expanding in numbers and distribution throughout New Zealand. The exception is the West Coast of the South Island, where there is documented decline due to decades of mortalities related to fishery. There are fur seal colonies south of these West Coast colonies, in Fiordland, which have never been accurately documented or monitored. Even for

ABSTRACT Molecular-based approaches for harmful algal bloom species, which can be difficult to identify by light microscopy, are important tools for detecting and predicting the blooms. In this study, 84 samples from Aotearoa/New Zealand coastal waters that contained Azadinium-like cells were analysed using an Amphidomataceae real-time PCR assay. Nineteen samples were positive, and 24 Azadinium-like

ABSTRACT Replanting riparian vegetation can improve ecological health but there are few guidelines that help stakeholders achieve shade targets cost-effectively. A computer model was extended to calculate average shade to direct and diffuse solar radiation in straight channels. It was used to recommend strategies for achieving shade targets, including the 70% guideline shown to prevent nuisance aquatic

ABSTRACT The relationship between water temperature and gonadal maturation of a landlocked ecophenotype of marine pejerrey (Odontesthes argentinensis) in La Salada de Pedro Luro lake was analysed during three spawning seasons. Mainly vitellogenic females were found in August (winter), some ovulating in October (mid-spring) and with atretic oocytes in December (end of spring). In accordance with this

ABSTRACT This study describes some of the characteristics of the spawning runs of rainbow and brown trout from Lake Otamangakau, into Te Whaiau Stream. More than 55,000 fish undergoing spawning migrations were enumerated in a fish trap between 1994 and 2013. During that period, the spawning run size increased for both species, but particularly for rainbow trout, which exhibited a concurrent decline

ABSTRACT Galaxiid post-larvae constitute five of the six species in New Zealand’s iconic whitebait fishery. Distinguishing the five species needs to occur at a younger age than is convenient for easy identification. Traditional identification uses subjective characteristics such as colouration of fresh specimens and fin position, but supervised classification methods could be more accurate and less

ABSTRACT A summary is presented of the anthropogenic debris recorded up to 2020 in stomachs of marine fishes from New Zealand waters. This material (mainly plastics) was found in the stomachs of 28 species, with 24 of these species identified in two studies alone. Most of the New Zealand records were not identified in recently published global assessments of plastic ingestion by fish; the likely reasons

ABSTRACT Stream bank erosion has been anecdotally identified as an important source of sediment in New Zealand catchments, however, there have been few attempts to quantify its contribution. Here we use a radionuclide-based sediment tracing approach to determine the relative contribution of stream bank- and hillslope-derived sediment within three catchments in the upper North Island of New Zealand

ABSTRACT This study assessed the potential of the mud snail Amphibola crenata as a bioindicator of estuarine health. Multiple sites with varying contaminant inputs were identified within a small, shallow estuary (Avon-Heathcote/Ihutai in the South Island of New Zealand). Population structures of field-collected A. crenata were related to measurements of sediment trace metal profiles. Whole-body soft

ABSTRACT Coastal squeeze of saltmarshes (CSS) has substantially eliminated valuable intertidal habitats and worsened local tidal hydrological environment by disintegrating tidal creek networks and losing tidal connectivity (TC). In this study, we explored the process response of creek network structure and TC to CSS dynamics, taking the southern Bohai Bay of China as a case study area. With the Landsat

ABSTRACT A full account of the world’s species is important for understanding how natural systems are structured, how they function and how they will respond to natural and anthropogenic pressures in the future. Despite the well-known importance of parasites in natural systems, they are too often underrepresented from studies on biodiversity and ecological functioning. In this review, we provide a

ABSTRACT Tarakihi (Nemadactylus macropterus) is a demersal fish that supports valuable commercial, recreational, and customary fisheries in New Zealand. However, little is known about its stock structure. The population genetic structure, genetic diversity, and demographic history of N. macropterus were investigated using the hypervariable region one of the mitochondrial control region. 370 samples

ABSTRACT Isotope fractionation of fatty acids can reflect the metabolic pathway of fatty acids in organisms, but few studies have been conducted. In this study, stable carbon isotope fractionation of fatty acids in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) was conducted by feeding experiments of comparing the fatty acid profile and δ13C of fatty acids in body wall to diet. The results showed that the fractionation

ABSTRACT Lake sediments are the physical remnants of past allochthonous and autochthonous carbon and mineral inputs and therefore have the potential to illuminate both past terrestrial carbon cycling and within-lake biological productivity. However, there are currently no robust, rapid, and inexpensive methods to chemically characterise the organic matter (OM) components in lake sediments, which limits

(2021). The physics of New Zealand’s shelf seas: introduction to the special issue. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research: Vol. 55, Special issue: The physics of New Zealand’s shelf seas. Guest Editors: Craig Stevens, Joe O’Callaghan, Stephen Chiswell and Moninya Roughan, pp. 1-5.

ABSTRACT We assembled water-temperature data (1.0–15 m depth horizon) from several field studies (spanning 2003–2020) within Pelorus Sound to generate composite time-series of temperature at four locations. We also examined satellite-sensed sea-surface temperature records for the region (2002–2019). Time-series were deseasoned and Sen-slopes were calculated as measures of long-term trend. All of the

ABSTRACT Satellite-derived estimates of sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll (Chl), and fluorescence line height (FLH), from 22 sites ∼20 km offshore from the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand (WCSI) are used to investigate long-term trends in SST, the frequency and magnitude of cool and warm events, and their impacts on SSC and FLH. WCSI trends have been towards higher temperature

ABSTRACT The Campbell Plateau is a dominating bathymetric feature of New Zealand’s subantarctic region, strongly influencing the dynamics of both the Subtropical Front (STF) to the north and the Subantarctic Front (SAF) to the south. We present a consistent survey across New Zealand’s subantarctic of the relationships between front positions, bathymetry and water masses. The northwest side of the Campbell

ABSTRACT Macroinvertebrate communities in running waters are commonly used as bioindicators of fine sediment pollution, but few studies evaluate impacts across multiple years. We used a 5-year dataset from 46 rivers in Southland, New Zealand to investigate the consistency of the relationship between deposited fine sediment and stream macroinvertebrates across three categories of agricultural land-use

ABSTRACT White sea catfish Genidens barbus is an endangered amphidromous species distributed between northeastern Brazil and northern Argentine Patagonia, whose migratory behaviour at the southern end of its range is unknown. Here, the migratory patterns of this species were studied including marine and freshwater (Patagonian stock) environments via otolith core-to-edge Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca profiles. Based

ABSTRACT The common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) was used as a bioindicator to assess the impacts of geothermal, bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME), sewage, and thermal discharges in the Waikato River, Northern New Zealand. A range of morphological and physiological parameters were measured to assess fitness in fish sampled upstream and downstream from these point sources. Isotopic signatures gave

ABSTRACT Satellite-derived estimates of sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll (Chl), and fluorescence line height (FLH), from 22 sites ∼20 km offshore from the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand (WCSI) are used to investigate long-term trends in SST, the frequency and magnitude of cool and warm events, and their impacts on SSC and FLH. WCSI trends have been towards higher temperature

ABSTRACT The distribution of marine mammal species in many areas remains poorly understood, especially as observations for some taxa are rare and large-scale surveys are time consuming and extremely costly. Here, we present 36 records of 7 cetacean species (Balaenoptera brydei, B. musculus subspp., Delphinus delphis, Globicephala sp., Grampus griseus, Physeter macrocephalus, Pseudorca crassidens) in

ABSTRACT Meiofaunal assemblages are often overlooked, yet they are important ecological components of estuarine ecosystems. To evaluate variations in meiofaunal communities in estuarine habitats, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of meiofaunal density, distribution and relationships with environmental parameters in a mangrove-dominated ecosystem at Mangawhai, Northern New Zealand, in summer (March)

Kākahi (Echyridella spp.) are freshwater cultural keystone species in New Zealand; they represent a valuable mahinga kai (species used as a food) resource and have high cultural significance to Māo...

Dedicated studies on aquatic disease in New Zealand began in 1974, inspired by a developing aquaculture industry. Since then, two main aquatic disease study areas have emerged: (1) aquatic disease ...

Fluvial dynamics are driven by multiple environmental factors and scales. Studies coupling hydrological and nutrient dynamics of mountain streams are almost non-existent in the Northern Patagonian ...

ABSTRACT The eutrophication of lake ecosystems due to anthropogenic activities has impacted lakes worldwide and shallow lakes are particularly vulnerable. The retention of phosphorus (P) in lake sediments and its subsequent release to the water column is often a key factor in degraded water quality, algal blooms and delayed responses to lake restoration efforts. Despite this link between sedimentary

The physical behaviour of estuaries controls the transport of substances from freshwater to the ocean. We conducted the first investigation of salinity distribution and its response to spring-neap ...

The Motueka catchment is a major river system in the South Island, New Zealand, typically considered to be of ‘good water quality’. The catchment has high metal inputs originating from a mineral be...

Mysidae are widely distributed in aquatic ecosystems and form a large proportion of the hyperbenthic biomass in estuaries. The seasonality, spatial distribution and reproductive biology of the two ...

The identification and subsequent protection of suitable breeding habitat for little penguins (Eudyptula minor) is restricted by data deficiency across large stretches of the species range. For exa...

ABSTRACT A literature review on longevity of New Zealand deep-sea fishes provided life history parameter estimates for 17 bony and five cartilaginous species. Preliminary age estimates for a further nine deep-sea bony fishes were made from otolith zone counts and included results from a pilot analysis of radiocarbon age estimates from the otoliths of three of the species. Radiocarbon age estimates

We measured δ15N, δ13C, and percent carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) on foot and remaining soft tissue of the two native freshwater mussel species Echyridella aucklandica and E. menziesii (Hyriidae: Uni...

ABSTRACT Ponds are increasingly being constructed to enhance amenity values in human-dominated lowland landscapes, but little is known of design features that influence macroinvertebrates which can provide important food resources for fish and waterbirds. We quantified pond characteristics, sampled benthic and water-column macroinvertebrates in winter, and related abundance, biomass and community composition

ABSTRACT Age compositions from eight blue cod (Parapercis colias) subpopulations off the South Island of New Zealand were compared to investigate recruitment patterns temporally and spatially. Findings indicate (1) recruitment is highly variable between years, (2) subpopulations closer to each other have similar age compositions, and (3) strong and weak recruitment events are linked and the key processes

ABSTRACT Stream biofilms play an important ecological role in the supply of energy and organic matter to aquatic food webs. Bacterial community composition in stream biofilms is shaped by biotic interactions as well as physicochemical conditions which vary across space and time. However, knowledge of the relative importance of spatial versus temporal factors for microbial community composition is lacking

Phosphorus (P) release from sediments accumulating since catchment deforestation, has been linked to algal blooms which have occurred in Lake Wairewa (Canterbury, NZ) for over a century. However, the mechanisms controlling this internal P loading are poorly understood. To address this issue, we investigated sediment P fractions, P release, dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH at the sediment–water interface

Phosphorus (P) release from sediments accumulating since catchment deforestation, has been linked to algal blooms which have occurred in Lake Wairewa (Canterbury, NZ) for over a century. However, t...

Wetland restoration or re-establishment is a common conservation goal, and the ability of a wetland community to recover from events such as drought are key to its long-term success. At the mouth o...

Lakes are ‘hotspots’ for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Understanding the processes regulating GHG emissions from lakes, and their temporal variab...

Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus can be found in oysters in coastal environments. Vibrio vulnificus can induce life-threatening illness when ingested with oysters, while V. parahaemoly...

Biomarkers in receptor species can be used to assess and monitor ecosystem health. This study aimed to develop mRNA biomarkers in the New Zealand triplefin Forsterygion capito and validate their in...

We present hindcasts of currents in Cook Strait from a baroclinic, tide-resolving ocean model. Three hindcasts are run, forced respectively at the lateral boundaries with data from the Bluelink Rea...

Stream-lake networks include multiple transition zones between lake-like and river-like conditions. This study analysed environmental features, macroinvertebrate assemblages (MIB) and functional fe...

This special issue of the New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research is a tribute to one of New Zealand’s eminent freshwater scientists, Dr John Quinn, who sadly passed away in November ...

Ctenophora are important components of marine ecosystems. However, the South-western Atlantic and Sub Antarctic region are still one of the least studied region in the world. We report the species ...

ABSTRACT Understanding temporal patterns in restored environments is important for identifying potential barriers to recovery and improved management of degraded habitats. In this paper, we use temporal beta diversity analyses to compare invertebrate community recovery trajectories in three restored agricultural stream sites under different integrated catchment plans, a native forest reference site

Three independent annual surveys with some spatial–temporal overlap were amalgamated to describe the population dynamics of the New Zealand intertidal cockle (Austrovenus stutchburyi) at Lews Bay, ...

ABSTRACT Environmental sustainability and the long-term wellbeing of Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) are interdependent and degradation of landscapes risks the progressive degradation of Māori wellbeing. The present study developed an analysis framework based on Ki Uta Ki Tai (holistic-mountains to the sea- management philosophy advocated by Ngāi Tahu) for exploring relationships between

There is currently little understanding regarding storm surge in New Zealand, particularly in the southern region. To date, there has been no attempt to establish the frequency and magnitude of sto...

Blue mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, are a widespread and ecologically important species in New Zealand coastal ecosystems, yet, there is limited information on the seasonality and variability ...

ABSTRACT Degradation of aquatic ecosystems by fine sediment is a global environmental problem, and damages reflect particle properties as well as mass concentration. We studied sediment-related water quality (SRWQ) of small streams in hill-country near Whatawhata, NZ, that have been monitored since 1995. In 2001, an integrated catchment management (ICM) plan was implemented in the Mangaotama (originally