Estuary Monitoring Programme (Northland Region)

Physical and biological monitoring of estuaries within the Northland region for Northland Regional Council. Sampling sites are located in the Whangarei, Ruakaka, Whangaroa, Kaipara and Kerikeri Inlets.

Sampling frequency = annual (Mar), except sediment plates (3monthly). Sampling began in 2006 and is ongoing.

Number of sites = 13 total. Extent of site = 1800m2 (60m x 30m).

Number of replicates = 10 infaunal cores and 5 replicate sediment samples per site.

Measured variables = Infaunal communities (species identified to lowest taxonomic level possible and enumerated).

Epifaunal quadrat (0.25m2). Sediment characteristics (grain size, ash free dry weight, redox, nitrogen, phosphorus, cadmium, nickel, lead, zinc, chromium and copper).

Sediment erosion/deposition (cm/y): depth of sediment layer measured (using 2 concrete plates buried at all 13 sites).

Sampling protocol & QA = Benthic and sediment sampling use similar methods to those outlined by Robertson et al. (2002). Internal QA procedures. Larger fauna are indentified internally with small and cryptic animals sent to external taxonomic experts. Sediment analysis external (Malvern Particle Analyser).

Citation proposal
. Estuary Monitoring Programme (Northland Region). https://dc.niwa.co.nz:/niwa_dc/srv/api/records/d51fd5ab-b183-45ba-ac82-0e72c39a0da2

Simple

Date

Collective title: Robertson, B.; Gillespie, P.; Asher, R.; Frisk, S.; Keeley, N.; Hopkins, G.; Thompson, S.J.; Tuckey, B.J. 2002. Estuarine Environmental Assessment and Monitoring, A National Protocol. Part A. Development, Part B. Appendices and Part C. Application. Prepared for supporting Councils and the Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Management Fund Contract No.5096. Part A. 93p. Part B. 159p. Part C 40p plus field sheets.

Credit: Northland Regional Council

Status: On going

Point of contact

Northland Regional Council - Richard Griffiths (Estuarine Monitoring Officer )

36 Water Street Whangarei 0148 New Zealand

+64 9 470 1200 or 0800 002 004 (calls within New Zealand)

+64 9 470 1202

Website: Northland Regional Council
Link to the Northland Regional Council website

Keywords

intertidal sandflats mudflats infauna epifauna marine estuarine coastal benthic soft ecological chemistry physical core quadrat visual observation sediment plate

Specific usage: MEMP

Use limitation: Permission of Northland Regional Council to release data/reports.

Access constraints: Restricted

Metadata language: eng

Character set: UTF8

Topic category

Oceans
Biota

Description: Whangarei, Ruakaka, Whangaroa, Kaipara, Kerikeri Inlet [NZTM]

Begin date: 2006-01-01T00:04:00

OnLine resource: Point of truth URL of this metadata record
Point of truth URL of this metadata record

OnLine resource: Link to estuary monitoring report
Link to estuary monitoring report

Hierarchy level: Dataset

Statement

Quality assurance was imposed on methods.

Geographic data used NZTM (LINZ). Temporal data were in NZST.

Data collection information: Infaunal core = 150mm tall x 130mm diameter, intertidal quadrat = 0.5m x 0.5m, sediment sample = top 20mm surface sediment collected, sediment plates