Science Centres: Coasts
Land-use change and sedimentation
Bringing the harbour back to life
Argo deployment reaches new milestones
Ocean acidification - what impacts?
Argo deployment reaches new milestones
Kaharoa’s Argo deployment voyages to date.
John Hunt prepares to deploy an Argo float. (Photo: Mike Naidanovici, NIWA)
NIWA’s 28 m research vessel Kaharoa may merit a place in the Guinness Book of Records, having recently returned from a voyage to deploy a further 42 Argo floats. The floats bring the total deployed by Kaharoa to 439 over four years.
Land-use change and sedimentation
Simulations showing the spread of fine sediment in Whaingaroa Harbour over 5 hours, after heavy rain.
Sedimentation of estuaries and inshore environments is a serious environmental issue in some areas around New Zealand’s coastline.
Bringing the harbour back to life
A team sets up a trial on the sandflats at Whangarei Harbour. (Photos: Vonda Cummings, NIWA)
Declining numbers of shellfish is recognised as a problem in many estuaries and coastal areas around New Zealand, and local communities who traditionally gather kai moana are becoming concerned for the future of their customary food source.
In Whangarei Harbour, the Kaitiaki Roopu (caretaker group) has been working with NIWA over the last few years in an innovative project to restore shellfish beds.
Ocean acidification – what impacts?
NIWA scientists are among those highlighting the consequences in increased ocean acidity – an outcome of the ever-rising levels of atmospheric carbon.
As ocean acidity increases, a number of physical and chemical changes are occurring which will almost certainly impact on ocean life.
