Research team

The study team comprises ecologists, taxonomists, geneticists and database managers from NIWA and collaborating organisations.

Dr Kevin Collier (k.collier@niwa.co.nz) – freshwater ecology, conservation status of freshwater invertebrates, leader of Objectives 1 and 2 and Programme Leader

Margaret McVeagh (m.mcveagh@niwa.co.nz) – application of genetic techniques

Dr Graham Fenwick (g.fenwick@niwa.co.nz) – amphipod taxonomy and groundwater ecology

Cathy Kilroy (c.kilroy@niwa.co.nz) – diatom taxonomy, technology transfer

Paul Lambert (p.lambert@niwa.co.nz) – elmid beetle taxonomy, field collections

Jody Richardson (j.richardson@niwa.co.nz) – fish distributions, management of the New Zealand Freshwater Fisheries Database

Dr Mike Scarsbrook – groundwater ecology, stream invertebrates

Brian Smith (b.smith@niwa.co.nz) – caddisfly taxonomy and aquatic invertebrate ecology, technology transfer

Joshua Smith (j.smith@niwa.co.nz) – fish ecology and collection

Dr Peter Smith (p.smith@niwa.co.nz) – development and application of genetic techniques

Donna Sutherland (d.sutherland@niwa.co.nz) – ecology and identification of algae, database management

Todd Williston (t.williston@niwa.co.nz) – GIS applications, biodiversity mapping

External Collaborators

Dr Ian Boothroyd, KMA, Auckland. Ian is involved in describing several new species of chironomids and preparing an identification guide to this group.

Prof. Wim Vyverman and Dr Koen Sabbe, Laboratory of Botany, Section of Protistology, University of Gent, Belgium. Prof. Vyverman has published extensively on the diatom flora of Papua New Guinea and Tasmania; Dr Sabbe has published on Tasmanian diatoms and other material.

Dr John Ward, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch. John is working with Brian Smith on the adult and larval taxonomy of Hydrobiosidae caddisflies, and is continuing to compile his caddisfly database. He had provided the caddisfly checklist included on this web site.

Dr Winston Ponder, Australian Museum, Sydney. Winston is involved in a collaborative NIWA/Landcare study into the biosystematics of hydrobiid snails in headwater seepages.

Dr Gary Barker, Landcare Research, Hamilton. Gary is leader of the programme Biodiversity of Threatened Species, and is working collaboratively with the Freshwater Biodiversity programme to develop biodiversity studies at the land/water interface. Initially, this will involve work on the hydrobiid snail fauans in headwater seepages.

Dr Richard Allibone, Department of Conservation. Richard and other DoC staff are assisting with collections of non–diadromous bullies for genetic analysis by Peter Smith.

Dr Richard Leschen, Landcare Research, Auckland. Richard is assisting Paul Lambert with the taxonomy of Elmidae and other beetle groups.

Terry Hitchings, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch. Terry has compiled a database on mayfly distribution which provides opportunities to investigate large–scale biodiversity patterns in collaboration with NIWA's freshwater biodiveristy programme.

Ian McLellan, Landcare research associate, Westport. Ian has provided the stonefly checklist for inclusion on this web site.

Please direct all correspondence and inquiries to the Programme Leader:

Dr Kevin Collier [ k.collier@niwa.co.nz ]
NIWA, P.O. Box 11–115, Hamilton
Phone +64 7 856 1754
Fax +64 7 856 0151