Integrated Catchment Management

Coastal and Marine

Motueka delta

Motueka delta

Introduction

Productivity - and therefore the economic value - of the coastal marine environment is dependent on an adequate supply of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, to support photosynthetic (plant) uptake and growth. Either an over or an under supply can negatively impact on the sustainability of coastal resources.

There are three major sources of plant nutrients in coastal seawaters:

The relative importance of these nutrient sources is not well understood. There are good reasons to believe, however, that the first source - terrestrial nutrients dictated by land use practices - may have important impacts on the structure and function of the coastal sea environment. Discharge of freshwater and the terrestrial materials this water carries may affect essential ecosystem dynamics (like primary production) and characteristics (like biodiversity).

To quantify the importance of these effects it is necessary to identify the nature, magnitude and spatial extent of freshwater influences on the coastal sea environment.

Coastal productivity is also dependent on an adequate supply of light for photosynthesis. Sediments discharged into the coastal environment through freshwater tributaries can effect the light availability for plant growth. In addition, when these sediments settle to the sea floor, they can play an important role in dictating the physical and chemical properties (and consequently the plant and animal communities) of the benthic environment.

Coastal productivity and, perhaps more importantly, the quality of the coastal resource can also be affected by a wide variety of contaminants discharged through freshwater tributaries. We require more information regarding the mechanisms of release of contaminants into the coastal environment and how they may impact on coastal resources.

Researchable Issues

Research Areas

Benthic diatom AGM 2006 - Russell Mincher

Benthic diatom

AGM 2006 - Russell Mincher


Publications (Selection)

Year Title File Size
2005 Coastal Workshop Held at TDC on 22 March 2005. doc       250KB
2010 Spatial Delienation of the Motueka River Plume Influence in Tasman Bay based on Seabed Characteristics pdf       2.33MB
2007 Predicting the carrying capacity of bivalve shellfish culture using a steady, linear food web model.  
2006 Nutrient discharge from the Motueka catchment into Tasman Bay, 2005. doc       24KB
2006 Nutrient loading from the Motueka River into Tasman Bay, 2005 pdf       986KB
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Presentations (Selection)

Year Title File Size
2005 Intertidal and Subtidal Habitats of the Motueka River Delta. pdf       6.95MB
2007 Sediment dynamics and biological impacts in the Motueka River, New Zealand. pdf       573KB
2008 Modelling catchment indicators in the coastal environment pdf       2.74MB
2010 Concept and Introduction pdf       1.54MB
2006 A natural catchment source for Ni & Cr-enriched sediments delivered to Tasman Bay. pdf       481KB
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Primary Contacts:


Image - Paul Gillespie Paul Gillespie  EmailSend email to paul
Phone: 03 548 2319
Fax: 03 546 9464
Institute
Cawthron Institute
Expertise
Estuarine & marine microbial ecology
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Page last updated Tuesday, 20 November 2007

Research areas

Delta habitat mapping Ecosystem models of Tasman & Golden Bays Faecal bacteria in the Motueka River Fine sediment: bringing the geomorphology and biology together Long term in–situ data collection in Tasman Bay River plume ecosystem Sediment generation, delivery and impacts Tasman Bay productivity

Research Highlight

FRST research reviews Marine modelling – how are we doing? River outwelling plumes: good or bad places to farm mussels? Tracing Sediment from the mountains to the Bay