NIWA - Metadata Catalogue
Benthic Health Programme (BHP) (formerly Regional Discharges Programme (RDP)). (Auckland Region)
Physical and biological monitoring of estuaries and harbours within the Auckland region for Auckland Council. The benthic health model was developed to provide a tool for classifying intertidal sites within the region according to categories of relative ecosystem health, based on its community composition and predicted responses to storm-water contamination. The model is a multivariate analysis (CAP) of macrobenthic community composition backed by information on sediment copper, lead and zinc concentrations. Recently the model has been further developed to incorporate community responses to a mud gradient.
Several of the marine ecology (harbours and estuaries) and sediment chemistry sites are used as BHP sites, with the information collected once and used for two reporting purposes. The additional sites monitorined as part of the BHP provide more spatially intense information on benthic ecology and sediment chemistry in urban areas affected by stormwater.
Sampling sites are located in the Central Waitemata Harbour (CWH), Manukau, Mahurangi, Kaipara, Upper Waitemata Harbour (UWH). Sampling frequency = annual (Oct/Nov) but sampled sites rotate (2-5yearly) depending on level of contaminents.
Sampling began in 2002 (not at all sites) and is ongoing.
Number of sites = 53 total, ecology is monitored at 32 sites along with sediment chemistry (contaminants) to give an overall picture of benthic ecosystem health.
Sediment chemistry along is monitored at a 21 further sites.
Extent of site = 9000m2
Number of replicates = 10 per site.
Measured variables = Infaunal communities using 500um mesh (species identifed to lowest taxonomic level possible and enumerated, key bivalves measured).
Sediment characteristics (grain size, TOC and chlorophyll a).
Sampling protocol & QA = Internal, NIWA laboratories.
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Citation proposal
. Benthic Health Programme (BHP) (formerly Regional Discharges Programme (RDP)). (Auckland Region). https://dc.niwa.co.nz:/niwa_dc/srv/api/records/b8f17560-62e2-49fc-b76e-ffc501756583 |
Simple
- Date
- Credit
- Auckland Council
- Credit
- NIWA National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research
- Status
- On going
Point of contact
- Keywords
-
- intertidal sandflats mudflats infauna marine estuarine coastal benthic soft ecological chemistry physical visual observation core
- Specific usage
- MEMP
- Use limitation
- Permission required (Auckland Council) to access data/reports.
- Access constraints
- Restricted
- Metadata language
- eng
- Character set
- UTF8
- Topic category
-
- Environment
- Description
- Auckland region harbours and estuaries: Central Waitemata Harbour, Manukau, Mahurangi, Kaipara, Upper Waitemata Harbour.
))
- OnLine resource
-
Point of truth URL of this metadata record
Point of truth URL of this metadata record
- OnLine resource
-
Link to the technical reports page of the Auckland Council website
Link to the technical reports page of the Auckland Council website
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
- Statement
-
Quality assurance was imposed on methods.
Temporal data were in NZST.
Data collection information: Infaunal core = 150mm tall x 130mm diameter. Seive mesh = 500um. Sediment core = 20mm tall x 20mm diameter.
The origin from which the maximum and minimum values are measured: mean sea level.
gmd:MD_Metadata
- File identifier
- b8f17560-62e2-49fc-b76e-ffc501756583 XML
- Date stamp
- 2012-08-08T12:54:19
- Metadata standard name
- ISO 19115:2003/19139
- Metadata standard version
- 1.0
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